5 Signs it is Time to Change Your Major

The National Association of Colleges and Employers is a professional organization of college career centers and employers who recruit entry level new college graduates. Here are some of the results from a NACE survey where 1,218 college students were asked about the influences for chosing a major.

- 66% said they’d picked a major based on their career interests.
- 7% chose their major based on its perceived earning potential.
- 6% picked their major following the advice of friends and family.
- 12% said they just sort of drifted into their major.
- 9% cited other reasons, including inspiration from their teachers.

Once you have chosen a major, it is not unusual to contemplate making a change. How do you know when to go ahead and actually make the change?

Consider this checklist:

1. You are struggling in your current major core courses
2. Your core courses are boring and uninteresting to you
3. You realize that you chose your major for the wrong reason
4. You keep wanting to explore other classes
5. You have taken a class in another major that you found really interesting or where you did really well
6. You have developed a curiousity about other careers

Before you make the decision to change your major, connect with your academic department or the career center so that advisors can help you manage the paperwork required to make the transition.

So take some time to critically evaluate your reasons for choosing the major you’ve selected.

If they don’t add up, don’t be afraid to make a change!