Major Changes in a College Career

When applying to college or universities, it’s tough knowing a student has to make a decision about what he or she wants to do with the rest of her life after high school. A lot of reasoning can factor into the student’s decision; their parents, friends, teachers, and even certain school departments can make the pressure for a student a lot harder.

“At first [my parents] they weren’t happy at all,” 20-year-old, social work sophomore at Mount Saint Mary’s University, Annette Vellurattil said, “because they really wanted me to get a degree in nursing, because all of my family members and people at my church have a degree in nursing.”

Vellurattil isn’t the first student and probably isn’t the last student whose parents believe that what they believe is best for their children, which is said through love of their children.

According to borderzine.com, “About 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career.”

It doesn’t stop there, senior at A&M in Texas, Emily Lay also changed her major a few time before finally deciding on majoring in horticulture, but it wasn’t an easy process for her.

“Officially changing my major was honestly stressful and for a while, I regretted not continuing my education in culinary school. Trying to cross utilize courses and looking at all the classes that I still needed and all of those I had already taken that I worked hard for that wouldn't even count really upset me at first only now, being a semester away from graduation so I have the perspective that I'm glad I gave myself a well-rounded education and explored unique majors as well as challenged myself.”

Though, some students don’t believe in changing majors.

Sophomore at a community college, Kristine Dabbas, expresses, “In my point of view I would say that people like that [who continuously change majors] are kind [of] wasting your time because like what's the point of going to college when you don't know what you’re going to be. You need to at least do some research before you apply.”

She also continues on, “think they chose the right path because even though they faced an obstacle by changing their major they eventually came up with a better idea by choosing the career that describes their personality and their life.” Talking about students who have changed their majors and are happy about it.

The one thing most seniors (and even younger students) in high school will hear – whether it is from friends, family, or even teachers that they have confided in is – “will it benefit you in the future.” In other words, will it give them a secure future? Will they always have a job or have money? Will they be able to not only provide for themselves but for anyone else that comes along in the future?

An English professor, Jacob Whitaker, at California State university of Bakersfield (CSUB for short) says, “unfortunately, as a society we've begun to look at higher education as job training. It's part of the way we drill the importance of college into high school – and younger – students. To get a good job, you need to go to college, right? The key word ends up being job. So, I have several students in every class who will openly admit that they chose a major for its job prospects.” He continues on, “a bit of advice I hear often is that you should major in something that will get you a job and minor in something you love. I really think that's backwards and goes against the whole point of going to college.”

Whitaker then gives his own advice as a professor, “I think it would be much better to major in something you love and minor in something pragmatic. This accomplishes a couple of things, I think. You're following a passion. This makes your educational career more worthwhile and you set yourself up for a lifetime of doing what you love. Secondly, if you decide to go into one of those pragmatic career fields, you have a unique set of skills and experiences. For instance, if you think business is a way to a career but your passion is in psychology, you can market yourself as having that business course load but also have that ability to understand the psychology of others. That could help you stand out against the sea of other graduates who only focused on the business aspect during their education.”

When choosing a major it will always be tough. Whether or not you believe in changing majors – choose something you want to do or choose something you believe is right for yourself.