Considering Changes
Purpose: Students often want to change majors or make sure that they have selected the major that is right for them. This activity is intended to help you categorize what your objectives are in changing majors, your educational experience, or your focus on a particular career. This activity breaks the decision into four distinct options: (1) same major, same focus; (2) new career choice, same major; (3) same career, new major choice; (4) new career, new major.
As a result of this activity you will be able to:
- Articulate how you are trying to select a major (e.g. switch fields, develop a new plan to attain old goals).
- Consider if the same major with different experiences or a different focus could give you the same results.
Process:
- Do I enjoy my current major?
- Do I enjoy the careers associated with my current major.
- Which category best describes my current desire for change:
- Same Major, Same Focus (no change)
- New Career, Same Major (career option change)
- Same Career, New Major (major option change)
- New Career, New Major (major and career option changes)
- What is making me want to change (e.g. performing poorly in a class, struggling to keep up, etc.)?
- What have I enjoyed and not enjoyed in my current major?
- What do I enjoy and not enjoy about my current career options?
* After recording your answers to these questions you can meet with an advisor in our office to make additional connections and gain new insights about your major and career options.
Student Experience:
One student had experienced some very difficult major classes in his second semester. He felt he couldn’t keep up—prompting him to meet with an advisor to discuss switching majors. In the interview the student explained that he loved what he was studying, but felt that he could not keep up with the other students who were getting A’s. After a brief discussion of values he recognized that he really enjoyed his current career focus and that what he was studying would provide that opportunity even if he was unable to obtain the highest grades in class. Understanding that he still wanted the same major with the same career emphasis allowed him to overlook concerns about competing with other students for grades and focus on his desired outcome.