Undeclared, undecided, or open enrolled. These terms all mean the same thing: that you have applied to a school without knowing what you want to study. It’s okay if you start college as an undecided major. In fact, an estimated 20–50% of students start as an undecided major, and about 75% of students change their major at least once before they graduate from college according to Best Colleges. Let’s explore some of the pros and cons of an undecided major.
The Pros of Being Undecided
You can consider all your options.
Entering college as an undecided major allows you the freedom to explore different areas of study while you complete your general education requirements. Taking the first year or two of college to test out classes will help you find what you’re passionate about—and you might even be surprised by what you gravitate toward.
You can boost your GPA.
As an undecided major, you have the chance to raise your GPA in your general education classes before you apply for a selective major. This will make your application to your specific program stand out above those who are entering with a lower GPA right out of high school. Not all schools require applications to be in a major, but for those that do, this is a great choice.
You can research career options.
Maybe you really enjoyed art when you were in high school, but you don’t know if you want to study it in college, or you’re unsure of whether you’ll be able to get a job. Starting as an undecided major gives you the chance to talk to faculty members in your potential department and ask them questions before you commit. You might even be surprised at the job opportunities that await. Plus, having these conversations with faculty members and narrowing down potential post-graduation job fields might even inspire you to get a second major or a minor.
The Cons of Being Undecided
It might take longer to graduate.
Sometimes, major programs at schools are designed to be completed in four years, beginning your first year of college. By entering as an undecided major and taking a few years to decide on a major, you might end up postponing your graduation, depending on when and what you declare. This isn’t a bad thing, but is something to keep in mind as you budget and plan to pay for college. You can also talk with faculty in the program or an academic advisor to make a degree plan to graduate on time, or as close to on-time as possible to avoid wasting your time and tuition dollars.
Getting internships and work experience might be more difficult.
If you’re trying to land an internship in a specific field before you’ve declared a major, you might run into some difficulty. Companies typically gravitate toward students who are established within a related major, since they’ll have the coursework to prove they can handle the position. This doesn’t mean you won’t find an internship, just that it might take longer than your peers.
Some scholarships might be unavailable to you.
Just about every school offers major-specific scholarships that they award to incoming first-year students. By entering as an undecided major, you will miss out on the opportunity to apply for these scholarships. Don’t worry though, there will be plenty of other scholarships you can apply for, even if they aren’t related to a specific major.
When should you apply as a declared major?
If you know you have a lifelong goal of running a business or working as a doctor, then you should apply as a decided major that best fits your career goals. It would be silly to spend a few years exploring options that are unrelated to your career goals.
Applying as a declared major will also allow you to start taking classes in your major as early as possible. Sometimes, this begins the first semester of your first year, and other times, you must wait one or two years to complete general education or prerequisite courses. But, having a declared major when you start college will give you the fastest path to graduation if it remains unchanged.
It’s okay to not know what you want to study when you start college. Though you will eventually have to declare a major, typically by the end of your sophomore year, you can take your time exploring all your options and find what you’re truly passionate about. And if you have a major in mind when you start college, but end up wanting to change majors, that’s okay too. The world around you is constantly changing, and it’s okay to change your major to reflect that. At the end of the day, make sure the major you decide on is one that you are passionate about. Don’t let your parents, friends, or anyone else in your life tell you what you should study. You’re the one who will work in that field after you graduate, so make sure it’s something you can see yourself pursuing for a long time.
