First day of school jitters are real. The sweaty palms, bulging backpack, and new class crushes were something I experienced every year from elementary school to high school. So college first-day jitters? Next-level real, and coming in as an undeclared major to CU-Boulder didn’t make me feel better. It’s hard enough to navigate school when you know what you want to do, but coming into university without a major is like being a woman without a country. While all my roommates were meeting people within their major, I was floundering about just trying to stay afloat. However, two years later I’m thankful for that experience, because without it I wouldn’t have ended up taking the classes I love and meeting the people I have! So if you’re wanting to attend university and don’t know what you want to do, this article is for you. Sit back, relax, and let me teach you how to navigate life as an undeclared undergraduate student.
Question: What even is an “undeclared undergraduate”?
Answer: Well firstly, while you’re pursuing an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree, you’re in your undergraduate years, and after you graduate you can pursue grad school or obtain a P.H.d., but for now let’s just focus on the first four years. When you apply to a university you can declare your major and start taking the classes you need to get your degree in the subject you’re majoring in. Being an undeclared student means you got accepted into the university of your choice, but you aren’t pursuing a specific program yet. At CU Boulder, instead of being called an undeclared student, you’re an “Exploratory Studies” major. Neat, huh?
Question: What are class options like as an undeclared major?
Answer: The sky’s the limit in regards to what classes you’re able to take! Your class options also vary depending on what classes you took in high school. For example, some of my best friends took AP or IB courses while they were in high school and those credits transferred to university so they were technically a freshman, but had the credits of a sophomore or junior! However, the best thing to do before you officially register for classes is to speak with an academic advisor so you can make a rough draft of the classes you want to take throughout your four or five years at university. Your advisor will help you look at your degree audit, which is an analysis of the classes and credits you’ll need to finish in order to graduate from your program. I neglected to meet with an advisor my freshman year and ended up taking all the fun humanity classes right off the bat, so now I’m having to take numerous classes that aren’t particularly my favorite topics- so take my advice and learn from my mistakes! On the flip side of that though, because you are undeclared you’re able to take introductory courses to programs other students don’t get to experience, so you can end up stumbling across a professor you really enjoy learning from, a cool group of friends, or even a new field of study that might be your calling in life! So don’t limit yourself and make sure to stay open to the many subjects that a university offers.
Question: What do all the colleges within one university mean, and how can I transfer from one college to another?
Answer: As a student that graduated from high school virtually and completed the necessary coursework within two months, I missed out on the college information that many high school guidance counselors present to students during the college application process. For example, at the University of Colorado Boulder, there are seven colleges and programs that undergraduate students can apply to: College of Arts & Sciences, School of Education, College of Engineering and Applied Science, Leeds School of Business, College of Media, Communication and Information (CMCI), the College of Music, and Continuing Education!* I applied to the school my father graduated from, the College of Arts and Sciences, in which students receive an incredible education in topics like natural sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities (the latter being my favorite so far). However, the field of study I found myself most drawn to and the programs I had a knack for were in totally different colleges than Arts & Sciences. So when I went to register for classes in CMCI and the College of Music, I was quite bewildered when I discovered I wasn’t granted access to them. This is when your academic advisor will come in and save the day! I found out that despite my disbelief, many students have found themselves in the same boat as me. My academic advisor told me that if I wanted to transfer into a different college at CU, I would have to go through the process of an Intra-University Transfer, or IUT for short. Depending on the program you want to transfer into there are different requirements that need to be met. For example, to transfer into the College of Music an audition on any classical instrument will be necessary. And for CMCI, you need to have completed a level 1000 course to even be considered for an IUT. To make an IUT go as smoothly as possible though, you need to do your research into the degree audit for the program you’re going to transfer into, the application requirements you’ll need to meet, like a specific GPA, and of course the deadline for when the application is due. While this sounds intimidating and some might not think it’s worth the effort, I’m currently in the process of an IUT and it’s been a painless, simple process! There are even advisors for students who want to do an IUT that will guide you along the way and make sure your application is as good as it can be!
So there you have it, a beginner’s guide to being an undeclared “exploratory studies” student at CU-Boulder and the numerous opportunities you have. Regardless of what everyone says or thinks about entering college with your mind already made, there’s no shame or harm in entering college undeclared. And who knows, maybe you’ll end up finding your forever home and passion while you’re at it.
*If you’re curious about the different colleges and opportunities they provide, stay tuned for an article on that coming soon.