When you first chose your college major, you might not have been sure about what kind of career you wanted. Keep in mind that you’re not necessarily stuck with the major you originally picked. You might find that a different course of study seems more appealing or that your career goals have changed. You might also discover that your skills are better suited for a different career path.
However, there are certain factors to consider before making this decision. How do you know if you should change your college major? Thinking about these factors can help you decide what to do.
The first factor to consider is why you want to make this change. Have you lost interest in your current major, or are you discovering that it’s not what you really want to study and pursue for a career? Are you considering this change for more practical reasons, such as a better job outlook in a different field?
Before deciding whether or not to go ahead with changing your major, it helps to understand your reasons for doing so. Taking time to explore why you’re thinking of switching majors can help ensure that you make the right decision. For example, you might want to avoid making this change over something minor, such as not liking one or two classes.
Changing your major might lead to a more satisfying educational experience and career path, but you should consider the overall cost involved. Switching to a different major could end up costing you significantly more in terms of tuition and other college expenses. Consider whether or not you want to take on these added expenses, especially if you might be switching to a major that leads to careers with lower pay.
If you recently started college and want to switch, you might not be facing these additional costs, or they might be very low. In this case, you don’t have to worry so much about being able to afford these added expenses.
The amount of time you spend in college can factor into the overall cost, as well, so take a look at your timeframe for graduating if you change majors. This shouldn’t be much of a concern if you’re in your first year of college. However, you might end up pushing your graduation back a couple of years or more if you’ve had your current major for a while.
Switching to a different one, especially if it’s in a completely unrelated field, could lead to a much longer time spent in college. If your new major is related to your current one, your timeframe for graduation might not change much or at all.
It’s important to think ahead when you’re considering changing your major. While graduation might seem far off, you might be worried that changing your major will give employers a negative impression. Will they assume that you’re not really sure about what you want to do, or will they think you might change your mind about the job they’re offering after you’re hired?
Changing your major isn’t likely to make you look bad to employers, so you shouldn’t let this concern stop you. Instead, employers might appreciate that you focused on figuring out what you really want to do and took the time and effort to study a different major.
One of the more practical factors to consider is what steps are involved in changing your major. Look into what you’ll need to do at your school, or even explore other colleges if another school offers a better degree program for your new major. Making sure you know what needs to be done to change majors can help you decide if you want to go through with it.
Changing your major might be a simple process or a more complicated one depending on certain factors. For example, are you a junior or a senior? What is your level of matriculation? Is your new major related to your current one? Is it completely different?
You might have discovered that you have a strong interest in a certain field, but will it lead to enough job opportunities? Before you make a decision about changing your major, look into the job outlook for your new major.
You might find that jobs in this field aren’t on plentiful as you would like or that there is fierce competition for fewer jobs. You should check whether your new major has a job outlook that’s expected to grow, decline, or stay about the same for the next several years. This can help you decide if you want to make the switch to your new major.
When you’re considering changing your college major, you might not need to complete an entirely new set of courses. You should look into whether or not you’ll be able to transfer credits for courses you’ve already taken that might satisfy the requirements for your new major.
Being able to transfer credits already earned can help you graduate on time or keep any extra time required to a minimum, which can also help you save money on college expenses. This is more likely to happen if you’re switching to a new major that’s related to your current one.
If you’re considering changing your college major, contact Geneva College to learn more about our available degree programs. We can assist you in finding the right major based on your interests, skills, career goals, and other factors. Our university offers many undergraduate and graduate degree programs that take a Christ-centered approach. With our help, you can look forward to having a rewarding career after college.
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
Mar 23, 2021
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