Last month I began a discussion on students and choosing a career. Actually, I made the argument that it was okay for a high school student to be pretty hazy in the specifics of the direction they might take towards a career. This month, I want to discuss why I think it is okay for a senior headed off to college to be in the same boat.
As a student applies to college, they are usually
asked to select a major on their application. Most colleges list undecided as
an option, but I think it’s bad form to select that. I would hope that students
have some inkling of what they might want to do and I think that choosing
undecided can demonstrate a lack of ambition to the college to which the
student is applying. What the student needs to understand, however, is that
checking this box in the fall of their senior year does not necessarily seal
their fate. I mentioned previously that colleges report that as many as 60% of
their sophomores are in different majors than what they applied to. It’s okay to
change and changing is actually more common than sticking to what you applied
to.
asked to select a major on their application. Most colleges list undecided as
an option, but I think it’s bad form to select that. I would hope that students
have some inkling of what they might want to do and I think that choosing
undecided can demonstrate a lack of ambition to the college to which the
student is applying. What the student needs to understand, however, is that
checking this box in the fall of their senior year does not necessarily seal
their fate. I mentioned previously that colleges report that as many as 60% of
their sophomores are in different majors than what they applied to. It’s okay to
change and changing is actually more common than sticking to what you applied
to.
Sometimes this change will happen over the course
of senior year, sometimes it will happen at orientation when it’s time for a
student to choose classes that they realize are going to be over their head.
For other students, the change happens after the student has been on campus and
had the opportunity to take some introductory classes in a given field. To this
point, I want to tell parents that your child might want to take a class in two
completely unrelated fields during their freshman year. If that is the case, it
is very likely one of those classes will be a complete waste in that it doesn’t
end up counting towards the major they end up in. However, if through those "wasted"
classes a student learns they really like or don’t like a particular field of
study, that lesson is immensely valuable.
of senior year, sometimes it will happen at orientation when it’s time for a
student to choose classes that they realize are going to be over their head.
For other students, the change happens after the student has been on campus and
had the opportunity to take some introductory classes in a given field. To this
point, I want to tell parents that your child might want to take a class in two
completely unrelated fields during their freshman year. If that is the case, it
is very likely one of those classes will be a complete waste in that it doesn’t
end up counting towards the major they end up in. However, if through those "wasted"
classes a student learns they really like or don’t like a particular field of
study, that lesson is immensely valuable.
Sure, you shelled out a lot of money to learn that
but if it means your child learns in their first semester what path they should
be on, or shouldn't be on, isn’t that money well spent? Isn’t it better to find
that out after one or two semesters rather than 3 years or even a career in an
unfulfilling job? Give your child, the freedom to do a little academic
wandering (not a lot, just a little) during their freshman year.
but if it means your child learns in their first semester what path they should
be on, or shouldn't be on, isn’t that money well spent? Isn’t it better to find
that out after one or two semesters rather than 3 years or even a career in an
unfulfilling job? Give your child, the freedom to do a little academic
wandering (not a lot, just a little) during their freshman year.
With that being said, be aware of too many dual enrollment or AP credits from high school. Both of those programs can be great and I think taking some of them in high school is generally a good idea. However, they do effectively work to chop off the front end of college. If you do too much of that, you chop off that opportunity for academic exploration. You’re expected to hit the ground running, sometimes starting college at junior year, at 18-years-old. I do not believe the vast majority of 18-year-olds just aren’t ready to get serious about majors and careers quite yet.
Don’t get lost in the dollar signs and college costs at the expense of giving astudent the chance to make an informed choice. Let them make a choice they feel
at peace with and one that comes from their heart. If you do this, you’re
setting your children up to be happy, working people throughout their adult
lives and you can’t put a price on that.
