Forcing students to declare a major in their freshman year restricts their freedom and ability to explore other interests or passions that they were not aware of before entering college.
Switching a major in community college can be a handicap to students attempting to progress in their new major field, but it shouldn’t be.
“Major switching can delay or impede college completion through excess credit accumulation, or it can increase the probability of completion due to a better academic match.” stated the The Community College Research Center (CCRC)
The CCRC explains that while major switching increases certificate completion rates, it also decreases the probability of completing a bachelor’s degree for students who started by declaring a major.
“Community college offers a wonderful chance to explore your interests and career goals within the first one or two years of study,” Goodwin University states, “You can take different electives, alongside general education requirements, to explore what you’d like to do with your life ahead.”
Community college offers a great way to explore potential career interests and other majors. Having the ability to explore one’s interests and find what the student truly loves is what community college is all about.
Choosing a major during the freshman year of college can put additional pressure and stress, and limit exploration for an incoming college student as detailed by the Honor Society in the article “Choosing Your College Major Freshman Year: Pros and Cons.”
“Declaring a major early can limit your exposure to a wide range of subject and potential interests.” the Honor Society states.
Honors Society continues to lay out that an incoming student can potentially miss out on discovering a passion for a field that they weren’t initially aware of. The stress of declaring a major early can also distract the student from the excitement of being in a new environment.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) explains that numbers are staggeringly high for students changing their major within three years of starting college not only for bachelor’s degrees but for associate’s degrees as well.
“About one-third of students enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs changed majors, compared with 28 percent of those enrolled in associate’s degree programs.” NCES reported.
While some students come into college prepared to pursue a specific field, the numbers detail that many will switch quickly to a different major. Declaring a major right away can add additional and unnecessary stress to an incoming student. Community college offers a way for students to explore their interests, and they shouldn’t feel pressured to make a career-defining choice right away.
