2 answers
Rebecca
Student
Tucson, Arizona
1
Question
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What academic planning resources or strategies best support undecided students in making intentional, informed decisions about their majors while exploring different fields of study?
I am a high school senior planning on attending Bates College. I am interested in STEM, but can't seem to pinpoint exactly what I'd like to pursue in the future.
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2 answers
Daniel Brennan
94
Answers
Updated
Daniel’s Answer
Take all Gen Ed's freshman year. Stay undecided and just use that time to see what you like. It is a lot more common than people think to be undecided as a freshman. In fact, it can be to your advantage, as a ton of people go in with a major they think they like, immediately start working towards it, then decide its not for them and have to go through the admin process of switching majors. In doing so they often waste a bunch of time and credits. If you have a general idea of what you think you want to do, apply to that college within Bates and then take all basic classes until you decide which major you like best.
Evin Nisan
Program/Operations Management
5
Answers
Forsyth, Missouri
Updated
Evin’s Answer
Hi Rebecca,
Great question (and great answer by Daniel).
It is not uncommon for a student to go into college thinking they are going to do one thing and then ending up doing something completely different. The earlier you figure out what you really want to pursue, the better. I saw some people decide to switch majors in their Junior (or even Senior!!!) Year. This could potentially set you back a year or two, depending on the credit overlaps.
One thing you can do is figure out some classes, as your schedule permits, that are relevant to your desired major and talk to the professor. Many professors will allow you to "sit in" on a class or two if they see you are interested in a topic. Remember, most professors are very passionate about what they do - they want to attract students! If you do this as a freshman, they may be a little less welcoming as they may be concerned about maturity/disruption in their classroom.
If you are interested in multiple fields (EG: Biology and Chemistry) consider a double-major or minoring in one or the other. If the fields are related, it may also be easier to manage the workload.
As always, you can consult with your school resources for counseling/planning. Most schools have academic counselors available and many departments will be able to connect you with resources if you have questions about that particular discipline of study.
Hope this helps! Just remember, you don't have to have it all figured out. Many of us studied one thing and now work in a completely different field!
Great question (and great answer by Daniel).
It is not uncommon for a student to go into college thinking they are going to do one thing and then ending up doing something completely different. The earlier you figure out what you really want to pursue, the better. I saw some people decide to switch majors in their Junior (or even Senior!!!) Year. This could potentially set you back a year or two, depending on the credit overlaps.
One thing you can do is figure out some classes, as your schedule permits, that are relevant to your desired major and talk to the professor. Many professors will allow you to "sit in" on a class or two if they see you are interested in a topic. Remember, most professors are very passionate about what they do - they want to attract students! If you do this as a freshman, they may be a little less welcoming as they may be concerned about maturity/disruption in their classroom.
If you are interested in multiple fields (EG: Biology and Chemistry) consider a double-major or minoring in one or the other. If the fields are related, it may also be easier to manage the workload.
As always, you can consult with your school resources for counseling/planning. Most schools have academic counselors available and many departments will be able to connect you with resources if you have questions about that particular discipline of study.
Hope this helps! Just remember, you don't have to have it all figured out. Many of us studied one thing and now work in a completely different field!