How Important Is It To Declare A Major In The 1st Year Of College?

Are you in the process of applying for admissions to a college or university? If you are a graduating high school senior or an adult re-entry student who wants to better your career, enrolling in an undergrad program is a great choice. Not only can you expand your knowledge in a variety of different subjects, you can also major in a field and improve your chances of getting hired in that field upon program completion. If you have not decided what profession you want to pursue or what field you want to work in, you might be wondering how important it is to declare a major as a freshman in college.While some lucky individuals have a passion for a specific career at a very young age, many students have not been exposed to enough to make a wise personal choice until they have some college experience under their belt. Read this guide to determining when the right time for you to choose a major is.

Chances of Being Accepted to a School

You should have a long list of different colleges and universities that you are interested in applying to. Once you have this list, you should speak with the admissions officers of each school to see if the school uses a major in the acceptance process. While a majority of public schools that offer a wide range of programs do not hold an undecided major against the applicant, smaller schools and schools with very specific majors may use the major on an application for the acceptance process.

Why Freshmen Should Hold Off on Selecting a Major

Studies show that by the end of the first year of study, about a quarter of college students will change their minds about the field they want to major in. For students who have already selected a major with their counselor, they will need to go to their counselor and change their declared major so that they can go the right route in terms of selecting classes.

As a high school student or an adult with little professional experience, you do not have much experience. You may know what type of environment you like to work in, your strengths, or even have ideas on majors you would like to pursue, but you have not been exposed to many different fields. When you are choosing a major, you need to choose a major that will teach you practical skills that are essential in the labor force and that will also keep you interested. After your first year of college, you will have a lot more to base your decision off of.

The Importance of Selecting a Major Before Sophomore Year

You can take a year to wait to declare a major, but waiting until your sophomore and junior year can be dangerous. You must complete prerequisites to earn a degree, and failing to choose a major could delay your graduation date. Failing to declare a major can also affect your financial aide and enrollment status.

The idea of picking a career path that you will travel along the rest of your life can be very scary. Do not rush the process of selecting a major, but select a major you will not have to change several times throughout your student career. Use the first year to get a feel for the career you want to pursue, and then make a practical choice.