It is the time of year for upcoming high school seniors to start thinking about which colleges they will apply to. Last year the US News reported on a National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) study that showed students were applying to more colleges than ever, with 77% applying to at least three schools, and 25% applying to at least seven.
In addition to choosing which colleges to apply to, many students will also be choosing a major field of study, and few will stop to think about how important that major decision will impact how long they stay in college or how much it costs before they eventually get out. The common approach for most students is to focus almost all of their energy on where they will get IN to college, and not near enough energy on what they will do when they get OUT.
The result of this approach is that approximately one-third of college freshmen will change majors after they start school, and the average student will change 2-3 times before they graduate. No wonder it is taking most students over 5 years to graduate from college these days. By being so focused on how to get IN, most students fail to concentrate on how to choose a major that aligns with how they are wired and gives them the best chance of finding a job when they graduate.
And they fail to consider that it may be hard to change majors once they start school because the major they want to switch to is already full or it takes a 3.5+ GPA to be considered for a transfer. So, while it is important to choose your school wisely, it is equally important to apply the same rigor to choosing the right major.