I came to CU as a political science major, excited to learn all about the political systems of the world. It didn’t take long, however, for me to realize this was not something I was passionate about. I dreaded going to class each day because the material I was learning wouldn’t stick. I was bored and confused during every homework assignment, and it became noticeable to my friends that I just wasn’t happy. At the end of my first semester, I made an appointment with my advisor to change my major– and it’s the best decision I’ve made in college thus far. Here are a few reasons why it’s completely okay to change your major.
- It is easy.
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Upperclassmen can submit a major change request on Buff Portal, while freshmen need to meet with an advisor to officially change majors. Both processes are simple– it took my freshman year advisor just a few clicks to switch me into a new program. Switching to a different college (ex.: arts and sciences to business) requires an Intra-University transfer, which may take a little longer, but is still completely doable. Remember that your advisor is there to make the process as seamless as possible.
- It is common.
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Believe it or not, it’s estimated that 80% of college students change their major! If you feel like your current major isn’t a good fit, you definitely aren’t alone. There are plenty of students and faculty members who have gone through exactly the same process as you and would be happy to answer any questions you have. Odds are, most of the people you know have changed their major at least once!
- It will make school so much easier.
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My grades improved significantly once I switched my major to a topic I was actually passionate about. It may sound obvious, but the truth is that it’s much easier to focus on school when you’re learning about something you actually care about. You can run a degree audit on Buff Portal for other majors to check which classes are required, and find out if they sound interesting to you before you officially enroll.
- It will make you much happier.
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The letters on my transcript improved once I changed my major, but more importantly, I was actually happy at school. I woke up excited to go to class in the morning. I would even spend lunches and hangouts with my friends raving about whatever new subject I was learning, which is something that would never happen before I switched. The difference is like night and day, and I’m so grateful for it.
Ultimately, this is your education, and you should spend your time in college focusing on something that truly matters to you. If you’re new to college and don’t know yet what you want to major in, that’s totally normal. College is the time to discover who you are, so don’t be discouraged if it takes you a few tries to get there.