What is it like to realize you want to change majors?

Hello Grace. It is VERY common to change your major in college. In fact, some freshman don't select a major right away and are called "undeclared". I was confident I wanted to major in Accounting...until I took my first college-level accounting class. I knew it wasn't for me. So I switched to Finance...not for me. Then I changed to Marketing and finally felt settled and that I was in the right place.

That said, it all depends on timing. By the end of your sophomore year, you should try to narrow down what you are interested in. The problem you want to avoid is having to take more classes to reach your major. Otherwise, you may have to extend your graduation date in order to meet the course criteria for your new major.

However, the most important thing is to be happy. If you are a senior and hate what you are studying, you have the right to re-think your path.

I changed majors mid stream (from Management to Medical). I felt like I could not excel in the current field I was in. I was lucky and able to transfer all of my credits to the Medical field (pre-reqs). Changing majors does slow your progress down and you are in school a bit longer (thereby extending your school loans). You might want to be very careful in your major and make sure the credits you do have can be transferred to your new major (if you decide to change). I did not have to take anything over but just make entrance into the medical field. I loved my new major and happy to finish the program. If you are doing student loans just be careful and pick your major carefully. And, your college years should be fun as well as learning. So enjoy and dont put a lot of stress on yourself. Good luck and God bless

Changing majors can be challenging and fun. Before changing majors, reach out to professionals who are working in the job who want to understand which major to switch to. Also, speak to upperclassmen if you are looking to change majors to fully understand what the work entails. I recommend changing majors within your first year and half at university.

There may feel like a lot of pressure to pick a major and stick with it - there shouldn't be. It's likely in your first two years most classes are pre -req classes. Use that time and your network to explore classes where you may have an interest and opportunities / groups / clubs / internships that fuel fields you're passionate about. Not knowing exactly what you want to do at a young age is a normal feeling. Don't let your first major impact forever. I went from Bio and Med to Finance over a 3 year period. Enjoy the experiences that will lead you to the right path you don't need to try to create it yourself now, be open.