Shifting majors or courses is a common tendency among college students, especially those who are in their first or second year in college. A review published by an Ivy League school found that freshmen and sophomores tend to shift courses three to four times during college. There are many possible reasons why students switch majors; the most common of which is the realization that they’re more interested in another field than they are in the course they’re currently taking. This often happens when students don’t take time reading through the college’s course offerings before enrolling, or when they are exposed to fields of study that they never before realized they were into.
Switching or shifting majors is a major decision. This will have implications on financial costs, academic orientation, and your length of stay in college. So before you decide to shift out or into a major, educate yourself on the pros and cons by reading the outline below:
Pros and perks
One main advantage of switching majors, especially early on in college, is that you’re able to explore other options instead of staying in a course that you only feel mildly passionate about. If you’re willing to risk losing valuable time and money to pursue a different major, chances are, it’s something that you really want and will be determined to pursue. Shifting majors will also let you gain perspectives into different fields and subjects, allowing you to make the most of your college education and enhance your overall college experience.
Drawbacks and downsides
One of the main downsides to shifting majors is that some of the subjects you have already taken may not be credited in the curriculum of the course you’re transferring to. Aside from having wasted money on those classes, you may also have to spend more time in college. This is true especially when the major you’re switching to has prerequisite classes that you haven’t taken yet. Another drawback is that you’ll have to again adjust to a different academic framework and orientation. This isn’t a problem if you’re shifting to a related major, but if you’re going from Sociology to Computer Programming, you need to get up to speed with the basic theories and concepts of your new major.
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