Deciding what you want to do in college is a big decision, especially at a young age. That’s why it’s actually no surprise that a lot of people change their majors or even think about dropping out. Of course, there are some signs you can look for, if you think your major isn’t right for you. But today we want to talk about what you can do to make an informed decision about changing your major or not.
5 Steps to Help You When You Realize You’re in the Wrong College Major
1. Manage your expectations
This might sound harsh but especially in the beginning you can’t expect to immediately fall in love with what you are studying. You will need time to adjust to a new environment and a new way of learning. Give yourself some time to get into the whole university experience first. Of course, there are still people who immediately know that it’s the wrong college major. In that case make sure to still follow step 2 and 3 before moving on to another major.
2. Talk to your professors
When you realize that your major isn’t the right fit for you make sure to talk to your professors first. You need to know what you can expect from your future studies and your professor will know best which topics they will cover or not. If you have already in mind where you want to go in life, feel free to share your goals and to ask them how you can benefit from their courses.
3. Visit the student office
After you have talked to your professors and you have their opinion on the content of your studies it’s time to check out the administrative aspects. Your student office will know what the easiest way to change majors is, maybe even without having to study longer. They can also give you their insights on your situation and if they think you are making a well-informed decision.
4. Get in touch with second or third years
After you have talked to the “officials” make sure to also use your network and talk to third or second years. Other students with similar goals to yours will be able to tell you how your major progresses and how it “really” is. An unfiltered opinion from another student can either help you to be even more sure about your decision or they might have an insight that changes your mind. People who study the same as you will be able to give their opinion without any hidden motivations. They are most likely to tell you if you are really in the wrong college major.
5. Explore your options
Before you actually change majors or drop out make sure you have explored your options. Are there any ways for you to add an interesting minor to further your goals? Can you sit in on other lectures to figure out if the topics are more to your liking? Or might it even be the case that you actually still need to figure out what you even want to do? Doing an internship to clear up your mind can do wonders. Or sometimes your university simply isn’t the right fit for you and that’s ok too. Don’t be afraid to challenge your choices.
To sum it up, make sure that your decision is well-informed and thought through. While you should never stick it out in the hopes it gets better, I’d recommend you also never change a major or drop out without another plan of action. Nevertheless, don’t forget it’s important that you enjoy what you are studying and that it will help you to reach your goals and your goals only.
If you wanna read more about university life make sure to check out 15 things nobody tells you about university. In case you want to hear the story of somebody who dropped out of university because of their major, click here.
Be right back,
Ally
