How school and major quietly shape your visa options

Beyond STEM status, your field affects later green card arguments. Some fields map cleanly to national-importance narratives for NIW, others take more framing. Career services strength, alumni in sponsoring companies, and research opportunities all feed your future case. You are not just picking a degree, you are picking the raw material for an OPT, H-1B, and possibly a self-petition. Knowing that early helps you collect evidence as you go. What would you weigh more heavily if choosing again?