4 answers
Freya
Student
Patterson, California
1
Question
Updated
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What should I do if the college I will attend doesn’t have the specific minor I wanted? #spring23
Can a reasonable option be to apply for community college and take online classes for an associates, while going to my original university in person?
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4 answers
Adrian Santos
Marine Security Guard
151
Answers
Lome, Maritime Region, Togo
Updated
Adrian’s Answer
Consider making a slight adjustment to your minor, or perhaps explore taking courses at a different college. This can be an uplifting experience and broaden your horizons.
Thank you so much!
Freya
Grant Hogarth
Technical Writer
11
Answers
Longmont, Colorado
Updated
Grant’s Answer
Absolutely that is an option. Just remember to 1) not overwork/over commit yourself (time and energy wise), and 2) consider that your university or college may want you to have a minor with them.
Thank you for taking the time to help.
Freya
Doug Johnson
Project Manager
16
Answers
Orland Park, Illinois
Updated
Doug’s Answer
Freya:
I applaud you for thinking this far ahead and this deeply about your college education. However, I also recommend you don’t overthink this and take into consideration why you want to pursue a minor in addition to a major. Also, don’t stress too much about it.
I don’t know your situation or how dedicated you are to your college major goal. When I started college, I had one area of interest in mind, but during my sophomore year, after taking a variety of classes, I found new interests and settled on a different major.
Most colleges do not require students to choose a minor, I assume this is the case with the college you will attend. Through course selection, you will probably be able to get close to the same depth in that area even without the minor. In addition, not dedicating coursework toward the minor subject will give you course time to also get some depth in other subjects.
A college minor is a credential that indicates you’ve studied more deeply in an academic subject area. For some careers, this might be helpful in landing your first job in that occupation. However, in many careers, the minor will not be a significant consideration in a hiring decision unless it is directly related to the profession or position. After your first job in that career, I doubt the minor will have any impact. If you haven’t already, you can talk to people who are currently in the career area to see if a minor is important.
If the minor you want is in a subject area not offered by your college, pursuing it through a community college might be the best way to achieve both your major and desired minor. However, working toward both a major and a minor at a college is a lot of work, and working toward them at different institutions (with different administrations and different schedules) will be even harder.
Good luck in college, Freya! I can tell by your question that your dedication and forethought will help your success in whatever you decide to do.
I applaud you for thinking this far ahead and this deeply about your college education. However, I also recommend you don’t overthink this and take into consideration why you want to pursue a minor in addition to a major. Also, don’t stress too much about it.
I don’t know your situation or how dedicated you are to your college major goal. When I started college, I had one area of interest in mind, but during my sophomore year, after taking a variety of classes, I found new interests and settled on a different major.
Most colleges do not require students to choose a minor, I assume this is the case with the college you will attend. Through course selection, you will probably be able to get close to the same depth in that area even without the minor. In addition, not dedicating coursework toward the minor subject will give you course time to also get some depth in other subjects.
A college minor is a credential that indicates you’ve studied more deeply in an academic subject area. For some careers, this might be helpful in landing your first job in that occupation. However, in many careers, the minor will not be a significant consideration in a hiring decision unless it is directly related to the profession or position. After your first job in that career, I doubt the minor will have any impact. If you haven’t already, you can talk to people who are currently in the career area to see if a minor is important.
If the minor you want is in a subject area not offered by your college, pursuing it through a community college might be the best way to achieve both your major and desired minor. However, working toward both a major and a minor at a college is a lot of work, and working toward them at different institutions (with different administrations and different schedules) will be even harder.
Good luck in college, Freya! I can tell by your question that your dedication and forethought will help your success in whatever you decide to do.
Alexis Pippin
Auditing
2
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Alexis’s Answer
Hi! I would definitely say that taking classes online at another college to obtain a minor is a possible way. You could do this at a smaller college, a community college, or just another college that has a good program for that field. If you think this might be overwhelming, you don't have to do this while you are taking your undergraduate classes at your original university. You could take these classes in the summer to alleviate some stress as you will likely be very busy with your in person undergraduate classes. Or you could even take them later on in life, rather that is right after you graduate from your original university or a few years later, if you decide you still want/need your minor. Hope this helps :)
Thank you for the advice! Summer is a good option I wasn’t considering yet so thank you.
Freya