Deciding on a college major when you’re still in high school can be a daunting task. As a high school senior, you may feel pressure to have your life plan figured out before you submit your college applications. But the truth is that plenty of students don’t know what they want to major in, and many students change their major at least once during college!
Still, some colleges do ask about intended major on the college application. What should students do if they aren’t sure? Will it hurt their chances to apply undecided? In this blog post, we’ll explore scenarios where applying to college without a major may or may not benefit a student.
The Truly Undecided Student
This student has yet to decide what they want to major in. I see this scenario most often in seniors who haven’t thought much about college planning before beginning their applications. There’s still time to explore your options and do your research on potential majors that interest you, but maybe you’re still not sure about a college major. What should you do now?
For the Truly Undecided Student, applying as an undecided major may give you a better support system to continue exploring when you arrive on campus. Look for colleges with a strong academic advising program in place for students without a declared major. The Exploratory Studies program at NC State is a great example. Academic advisors for undecided students usually have a broad knowledge of the different programs at a college and can support students as they chart their academic path.
Pro-Tip for Applicants: How does the Truly Undecided Student write a “Why this major?” supplemental essay? While it’s okay to be undecided, it’s definitely not a good idea to say you haven’t thought about it! Make sure you have a clear understanding of the school’s academic major offerings and how the college supports undecided students before they declare a major. The Truly Undecided Student can explain how they will take advantage of these support systems.
Pro Tip for All Students: It’s not too early for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to think about potential college majors. Beginning college planning earlier in high school gives students time to explore their interests, strengths, and potential. While applying as an undecided major may still be the best step for some students, they will enter college with some idea of what they do and do not like.
The Multi-Potentialist Student
Multi-Potentialist Students have genuine interests in a few different academic areas. Their interests might be similar—like a student trying to decide between architecture and civil engineering. Or maybe they are interested in academic fields that aren’t directly related—like business and computer science. Or perhaps they’re considering a double major, but the college application only lets students choose one on the application.
These students have some possible major options in mind, but they aren’t committed to a single one just yet.
There are some scenarios where I’d recommend the Multi-Potentialist Student indicate a specific major on their application (and I’ll discuss those next). Still, this student is often a great candidate to apply undecided, especially if the college does not admit by major. Like the Truly Undecided Student, this student can benefit from extra support and specialized academic advising to help them explore all options before declaring a major.
Pro-Tip for Applicants: Consider adding liberal arts colleges to your college list. They usually encourage academic exploration and often don’t require students to declare a major until the end of their second year.
Pro-Tip for All Students: Have more than one possible major in mind when planning for college! Again, many students change their major at least once during college. If your chosen major ends up being the wrong fit, make sure the colleges on your list have other potential majors that interest you.
Colleges that Admit by Major
While many colleges encourage and support academic exploration, some colleges do consider a student’s major as part of the admissions process. At colleges that admit by major, some majors will be more selective than others. Students might think they’ve found an admission “trick” by applying as an undecided major with the hopes of switching majors once they enroll, but that plan can backfire.
If a student is applying to a college that admits by major, they should research that institution’s major-change process. It can be difficult to transfer into selective majors after enrolling. Students may have to meet specific prerequisites to change their major, and there may even be a limited number of students allowed in that major. Policies will vary from school to school and from major to major.
Pro-Tip for Applicants: It can be challenging to switch to a competitive major but much simpler to switch from a competitive major to a less selective major. If that’s the case, consider applying to the more selective major rather than applying undecided or with a less selective major. This will give you the most options if admitted.
Pro-Tip for All Students: Exploring more than one potential major option while still in high school will give you more pathways as a college student, but it can also benefit you when applying to college. Many colleges ask for a second choice major on their application that you may be admitted into if your first choice isn’t available.
The Major that Takes Time
It’s totally okay to change your major in college, but there is a potential drawback. Sometimes it’s difficult to switch majors and still graduate on time. Students may add more time (and cost!) to their college experience depending on when the major change happens and the new major's requirements.
Some students change majors late in the game. Some majors take longer to finish. They may be designed to take all four years, either because students start taking major courses in their first year, must meet licensure standards, or complete out-of-the-classroom placement in the junior or senior years.
If a student is torn between a few majors and is thinking about applying undecided, it can be helpful to understand how much time each major takes to complete.
Pro-Tip for Applicants: If one of your major interests takes considerably longer or has more requirements than others, applying directly to that major may be in your best interest. You will probably have more flexibility switching out of it than trying to switch in.
Pro-Tip for All Students: Visit department websites for insight into the time commitment for specific majors. See if they have any example four-year plans. Does their website discuss how easy it is for students to add a minor or double major, or do they discourage it?