Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions a college student makes. Just as important, however, is recognizing when you have chosen the wrong major and making the appropriate switch.
How to Know If You’re in the Right Major
The best way to clear up any doubts you may have regarding your major is to seek outside experience. Apply for internships, volunteer, or shadow a professional. Some students feel reassured about their career paths after taking advantage of such opportunities. Other students, however, become disillusioned. If the latter occurs, remember that it’s okay.
What to Do If You Want to Switch Majors
Switching majors encompasses two risks, delaying graduation and credit surcharge. The latter forces students to pay double the tuition amount per credit after reaching their 132 credit threshold.
Both these risks could be avoided, however, if you make an educated decision about your new major.
Step 1
Make a list of your passions and search through the university’s course catalog to find a major that matches them.
What do you want to learn about? What ignites your curiosity? Maybe you want to learn about psychology, or philosophy, or math (sike!). Whatever it may be, if it interests you, it’s a good place to start looking for a new major.
Step 2
The second step is to meet with an advisor.
If you already know which major you want, your advisor can help get you on track with your new curriculum and tell you where you stand in terms of graduation and credit surcharge.
If you are still not sure which major you would like to switch into, your advisor can help narrow down your search by listing majors that will accept credits you have already taken.
In some cases, students make radical changes in career paths by switching into majors that were unrelated to their previous tracks. I know a student who switched into Public Relations after two years as a Biology student and she was able to make the big jump without delaying her graduation or facing financial penalties!
Step 3
Once you’ve done your research and consulted with your advisor, it is time to take the big leap. File your paperwork, and register for your new set of classes.
Although the idea of starting over might seem scary for some, it should be taken as an opportunity to rediscover oneself. The most important thing is to graduate with a future you look forward to.
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