Major Problems: Talking About Changing Majors

The human brain is still developing during the ages 18-24, and yet society generally encourages individuals to pick a career path that will shape their options for the rest of their future. Picking a major can sometimes feel like flicking the first domino in a pattern that will continue to fall infinity with no way to stop it. No pressure, right? 

Part of going to college is learning, an opportunity to hear from and sometimes take on new perspectives, and to improve oneself and one’s circumstances. It should not be surprising that such growth may result in reflection and change. When a student shares their plans to go in a new direction, those who love and support them commonly respond quickly. Often students are bombarded with objections, questions about what is going wrong, and reasons why they shouldn't change majors.

There are many reasons a student may want to change majors: 

• They don’t actually enjoy the content as much as they expected.
• They found a different area of interest that they feel passionately about exploring.
• They hadn’t really known what they wanted and their original choice was made by someone else or at random.
• They made their original choice based on priorities for the long term which have changed for them over time.
• They found a path to their long term goals that goes in a less well known way.
• They aren’t academically successful in the major and have to find a different way to meet their goals. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it’s a start at understanding the student’s perspective. Protestations usually come from a well-meaning place, intended to encourage students through a challenge or help them reach the “best” future.  However, they can also easily seem negative, unsupportive, or focused on ways the student is failing to meet the expectations of the person objecting. 

On one team of eight university staff, less than half completed the undergraduate degree they originally declared, and only one is working in the field they originally planned for their career. Anecdotally, this is not significant, but looking at data, it is well established that changing majors, sometimes more than once, is a common practice - especially for students in their first two years. Many students begin college thinking they know exactly what they want to do with their lives and what path leads directly there. However, part of college is learning that there are parallel and alternative paths or even destinations. Sometimes a student may not realize this until later – a common sentiment in many of the students returning to school after a break or for a second degree. 

The best way to support a student who brings up changing majors is to listen and ask questions focused on the new goals. Positive and productive ways to approach discussing a major change with your student include asking questions like: 

• That’s not a major I’ve heard of; can you tell me more about it?
• How did you learn about this major?
• Do you know what career options you will have with this major?
• What do you like about this subject?
• How will this fit into your long term plans? 

The most important part of asking these questions is listening to the answers the student shares.  Maybe they will talk it through and change their mind, or not. Often, a student will get pushback on their decision because the person they are speaking with thinks they know better what is best for that individual. However, it is far more likely that the student has a better understanding of themselves, their needs, and their desires now than they did upon originally declaring a major. Respecting something like a change in major is an indication of respect for the individual and their new maturity and growth. When the student’s degree has been awarded, they will walk through whatever doors their major path has opened for them, and they must choose from the lives made available by the path they selected.

For some major exploration and discussion resources check out the resources provided by the https://theacenter.arizona.edu/major-exploration/parents-families-and-supporters.