So, You Want To Change Your Major?

By Bethany Fischer on April 6, 2021

Deciding to change your major is a scary but common thought that many college students have in their academic careers. It can be difficult to decide to change your major for several reasons. It may seem like the time, money, and energy you already invested in your current major will go to waste. However, the beauty of college is that there is no set timeline.

Some people overload their schedules and graduate early, while some take a more relaxed approach and take their time. Others start college well into their adult lives because of conflicting factors such as family and cost. The point is that college is a time to explore your options and invest in an education that will fit your personal needs. When you decide to change your major, you are making a decision that will benefit you in the long run.

How Do I Know I Should Change My Major?

The first question you should ask yourself when you decide to change your major is this; How do I know that I should change it? Unfortunately, there is not a set checklist to mark off when you think you should change your major. However, there are indicators to consider about your current major that may point you in the right direction.

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1. You Didn’t Have Clear Career Goals When You Chose It

Many college freshmen are fresh out of high school. The jump in responsibility is massive in a very short amount of time, and it is overwhelming for many students. Think about it; in May, you were asking permission to use the bathroom, and in August, you are being asked to pick a forever career path. While some students are ready to make this kind of commitment, many students feel pressure to pick a major that they may not know much about.

Many colleges let new students begin classes with an undeclared major, but not all offer this choice. Even the schools that offer undeclared as an option pressure students to declare a major to keep them on the 4-year “timeline.” This type of pressure is what leads many students to change their major in the middle of their education.

Maybe you picked a major because of the pressure. Maybe you thought you knew what you wanted with your life but changed your mind. Regardless, not having clear career goals when you chose your area of study is a huge sign that you should change your major, especially if you are unhappy with your current choice.

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2. You Hated Your Internship

Most colleges will encourage, if not require, students to participate in at least one internship before graduation. Internships are vital to the college experience because they not only give you real-life experience to bring to the table but also give you a taste of what your professional world will look like post-graduation. If you hated you hated your internship, it might be time to consider deciding to change your major.

Not all internships are fun, and almost none are fun 100% of the time. This is because internships are often entry-level positions that are aimed more at giving you a glimpse of what life is like in a career than doing the exact job you are studying for. The image the media gives of interns getting coffee and running irrelevant errands is not always accurate, but it is important to have realistic expectations when you begin your internship. If your internships meet none of your expectations, you may want to change your major.

Before you change your major off of your internship, ask yourself some questions. Why didn’t you like it? Were you unhappy with your responsibilities as an intern? Was there a particular person involved in your internship that made the experience unpleasant? Was it too stressful doing a lot of work for little to no pay? Answering “yes” to these questions indicates unrealistic expectations and interpersonal problems, but they do not necessarily mean you should change your major.

However, if you found yourself impassionate about your industry’s visions and goals, uninterested in the upper-level positions and the work that they do, or unmotivated after seeing the way people in your industry work and grow in their companies, it might be wise to change your major.

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3. You Aren’t Interested in Major-Specific Courses

Not all of the college classes you take will be interesting or related to your major. Much of college is geared at preparing students for their professional endeavors. However, college is also about learning how to think critically, solve problems, and work through situations that you don’t want to be in. Many students learn these skills in classes that aren’t related to their major but are required for graduations. Most students take these core classes during the first few years of their education, leaving the major-related classes to their last couple of years.

While it is normal to not enjoy many of your non-major classes, you should be finding most of your major classes interesting. Not finding your major-specific courses interesting may be an indicator that you should change your major.

Before you decide to change your major based on interest, it is important to understand a few things. First, understanding the difference between interest and difficulty is a must before you decide to change your major. Are truly not interested in your major-specific classes, or are they just difficult? While finding your classes too difficult may be a sign to change your major, finding them somewhat challenging is not the same as not being interested. It is easy to lose interest in something that does not come easy, but many professional industries require their employees to challenge themselves and work through hard problems. You may just need to change your study habits and reprioritize your goals. However, if doing these things does little to spike your interest, you may need to change your major.

Conclusion

Picking a college major is a huge decision that should not be taken lightly. Committing to a career path early in your college education may seem like the right thing to do, but it can come with a cost. Many college students change their major in the middle of their education. Whether you change your major because of unclear career goals, unmet internship expectations, or lack of interest, it is important to realize that it is okay! All of these reasons are valid grounds to change your major.

College is an important and formative time for many student’s lives. It is not just about getting a job, but also about finding yourself, learning about your interests, and growing passionate about something. If you have to change your major to discover these things about yourself, then it is a change worth considering.

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