Mia
How many times did you change your degree and how many different colleges did you attend?
Teachers tell me how many times they changed their majors and it makes me cringe a huge debt is the last thing I need or want. Also they tell me that theyve changed schools at least once I'd like to know why? What may the next school has that this one doesnt? #doctor #nurse #degree #social-work
4 answers
Jayavignesh Arivalagan
Jayavignesh’s Answer
My personal experience - I graduated with the first major I picked at the first school I attended.
Long winded answer:
Changing your major within the first year to 3 semesters will most likely not impact your ability to graduate in the standard time frame for the degree you chose but I think this would become an issue if you changed your degree 3 or more times (and even less if you move between very different subjects) because you will start missing core classes that you will have to wait to take and it will add to your timeline. Switching colleges might be necessary for cost or personal reasons (family, environment, culture, etc.) This type of move has the potential to really set you back in terms of time and money, so I don't think people would change schools more than once. Anecdotally, the type of college switch that I think is becoming more routine is going to community college for 1 to 2 years and then finishing a degree at a traditional college in another 2 to 3 years (can be very cost effective for 1 additional year of time investment).
In the United States, I don't think this trend you describe will continue for much longer if it hasn't sharply declined already. The costs of switching between two equivalent schools would be too much for the average person. Your teachers that are >35yrs. old (assuming you are somewhere in high school right now) likely went to college when tuition and living expenses were significantly lower, there was more federal aid available per capita, and a host of other factors that helped them afford a college education (including parents that could then afford to pay for everything or subsidize the extra costs).
Angela Chan
Angela’s Answer
I came close to going to a University that didn't have a social work program to be close to my best friend but learned more about the social work program in Universities that had the program and become really excited about the program and classes. I chose a San Francisco State University because they had a good social work program.
You can volunteer or schedule informational interviews with ndividuals who are doing the job now to learn more about the different fields you are interested in. My family really wanted me to work in a medical setting and I volunteered in a hospital during summer while I was still in high school and learned that I hated hospitals. I couldn't stand the smell, the lack of fresh air, being surrounded by sick individuals so I learned I couldn't work in a medical setting even before I started college.
I think you are smart to think about not wanting to have a lot of school debt. Depending on the field you go into, have realistic expectations. No one leaves medical school without school debt but the earnings help off-set that. Social work is a bit different, it's smarter not to accrue a lot of debt in school since the starting wages right out of school isn't as high as other fields. Don't be discouraged, my earnings are very competitive and I've been in social work for over 20 years.
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
I went to a 4 yr university straight from HS and stuck with my first choice of major - Sociology. But, school was much more affordable 40 yrs ago, and, because of this, many middle class families were able to pay the cost of their children's education. Nowadays, that is not the case, and I'd recommend going from a junior college to a 4 yr university. You might also look for jobs that offer tuition assistance as part of the benefits package.
Other reasons to change schools? School is too easy. That lowers the value of your degree, once it becomes common knowledge that degrees are easy to get at that school. Changing majors? Although it is expensive, I'd say it's better to change majors than to stick with something that you totally hate! The more you can do to determine with some degree of certainty what direction is right for you, the less likely you will be to change majors. So, watch job videos, do some job shadowing, take some interest surveys.
Elizabeth DuVal
Elizabeth’s Answer
I changed majors once. I went from HR to Business Administration. I did this so I could obtain a degree faster. I also went to two colleges, once right out of high school. After high school I went to community college then after getting an associates degree a few years later I went back and went to a college online. I went online because I was raising a child.