The infamous question…
As a kid, you were probably asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At that time, you probably named eight different careers because that’s how ambitious you were. Flash forward to senior year of high school, and you’re completing college applications. The same question comes up, but packaged a colder and more adult request: “Please select your desired major…” Though that list of eight careers has narrowed down to three over the years, you’re still wondering which on you should declare. The anxiety caused by this potentially life-changing decision leaving you contemplating your future instead of finishing the application…
Fortunately, this can be one less thing to stress about before you apply. Not only do most schools set the end of sophomore year as the deadline to declare a major, those same schools may also allow you to apply “undeclared.” This takes the pressure off of a lot of applicants who are juggling the possibilities between career paths. We want to take it a step further and go over ways these same applicants can take advantage of this exploratory phase of their college career:
More time for research
No matter what part of the process you’re in, you will have time on your side. After applying undeclared, you can still do research on aspects of your potential majors like career paths, courses that are required for the degree, job and salary outlook, additional perks from the majors’ faculty and staff, etc. Once you actually begin college, you have more access to this information. You’ll have an academic advisor, the ability to meet with faculty and staff of the College managing the field of study, and insight from your fellow classmates who already declared the major(s).
Knock out your general education courses
With the exception of some technical colleges, schools have categories of required courses that all students must take to meet their graduation courses. Common classes like English and math would fall into this area. Undeclared students can register for these classes while trying to decide on a major, so they can go full steam ahead with their intended major by their junior year. In addition, some of major courses could also fit the general education course requirements. In the latter case, you can kill two birds with one stone!
Increasing your chances to graduate in four years
Taking the time to decide on a major can work to your benefit in the long run. Starting college as an undeclared student can decrease your chances of changing your major mid-program, and thus, increasing your chances to keep graduation within four years. Not only will this save you time while in school, but money as well.
The transition from high school to college can move very quickly for a lot of students. Rest assured, the pressure to decide on your career may not be as great as you think!