Most programs require students to declare their majors by their junior year. By that time, most students will have sampled a variety of disciplines by virtue of the general requirements, and they should have some indication of their academic strengths and interests, Fry said.
Students may choose to delay the declaration of a major until after they have had enough time to sample courses from across different curriculums. However, the more time spent sampling from different fields also decreases the amount of time available to complete an undergraduate degree within four years. Also such delays complicate the possibilities of second majors, minors, or studying abroad, Fry said. The difficulty experienced in changing majors altogether typically mirrors the academic distance between the first and second major.
A change from a history major to political science may not delay one's graduation because there are some similar course requirements, but a switch from history to biology could be complicated, Fry said.
Typically the greatest stresses about choosing a major are familial or cultural. Many students and their family and friends believe that future professional or financial success is dictated by the choice of major, Fry said.
"Simply put, this is not true. Rather it is one's happiness with and particular enthusiasm for a major that drives that success," Fry said. "The best advice is to study what you enjoy and let your professional ambitions develop from there."
Kathrins found her family to be a source of support rather than stress. Her parents work in health care and have been her support system throughout college.
"In choosing such a small and directed major I had reservations about whether or not I would regret studying something so specific, but after three years with the major, it has never ceased to surprise me and capture my interest," she said.
Because the job market is changing so much, the undergraduate degree is no longer such a rigid indication of which job a student will land after graduation, Wade said.
"Our culture has created the stress behind picking a major, but it is no longer as clear which majors yield which jobs," Wade said. "Recent research suggests that people of this generation will probably have five or six careers - you can't go wrong with a liberal arts curriculum if you follow that trend."
Students may choose to delay the declaration of a major until after they have had enough time to sample courses from across different curriculums. However, the more time spent sampling from different fields also decreases the amount of time available to complete an undergraduate degree within four years. Also such delays complicate the possibilities of second majors, minors, or studying abroad, Fry said. The difficulty experienced in changing majors altogether typically mirrors the academic distance between the first and second major.
A change from a history major to political science may not delay one's graduation because there are some similar course requirements, but a switch from history to biology could be complicated, Fry said.
Typically the greatest stresses about choosing a major are familial or cultural. Many students and their family and friends believe that future professional or financial success is dictated by the choice of major, Fry said.
"Simply put, this is not true. Rather it is one's happiness with and particular enthusiasm for a major that drives that success," Fry said. "The best advice is to study what you enjoy and let your professional ambitions develop from there."
Kathrins found her family to be a source of support rather than stress. Her parents work in health care and have been her support system throughout college.
"In choosing such a small and directed major I had reservations about whether or not I would regret studying something so specific, but after three years with the major, it has never ceased to surprise me and capture my interest," she said.
Because the job market is changing so much, the undergraduate degree is no longer such a rigid indication of which job a student will land after graduation, Wade said.
"Our culture has created the stress behind picking a major, but it is no longer as clear which majors yield which jobs," Wade said. "Recent research suggests that people of this generation will probably have five or six careers - you can't go wrong with a liberal arts curriculum if you follow that trend."
