Double Major, Double Trouble?: How To Know if A Double Major is Right For You

One of the biggest decisions we face in college is which major we should declare—but what happens when you throw two majors into the equation?
 
When selecting a major, you are picking more than just the fine print that goes on your diploma; you are choosing your courses, your curriculum, your degree type and potentially your career. Of course, with a decision as big as a college major, there are many factors that play into it: your interests, your talents, your personal and professional goals and more.

Some ambitious collegiettes™ may find that their interests fall into more than one category and decide to double major—but though we may think doing so makes us look like hard workers, sometimes, when it comes to majors, less is more. Double majors aren’t for everybody, so it’s important to do your homework before taking the plunge. In the meantime, here are three reasons why you may want to consider ditching the idea of a double major (plus a couple reasons why double majoring might be right for you).
 
1. Your grades might suffer
Eric Chen, associate professor at Saint Joseph College, explained that one of the reasons double majoring can be problematic is because it usually means double the course load.
 
“Double majoring is a rigorous endeavor,” he says. “Extra courses may also strain the academic performance of even the best student. Graduation with extra credits is impressive. However, graduating with a lowered grade point average because you were shouldering the load of extra credits isn’t. There is no substitute of quantity for quality.”
 
The National Association of Colleges and Employers released in their 2011 Job Outlook that GPA screening has been on the rise for the class of 2011, meaning that GPA is being taken into consideration now more than ever when applying for a job post-graduation. With the current, competitive job market, three out of four job applicants from the class of 2011 had their GPA considered—an all-time high—so it’s important to focus on your GPA.