Weirdly enough, I have never changed my major. I applied to USC as an International Relations major, made it through the heinous, irritating fundamental courses, and am now almost half-way through my junior year. The narrative seems quite different from my other friends though -- one switched twice before she even set foot on campus, one switched halfway through sophomore year, one switched five times total and still graduated on time, and at least a dozen other instances that I can't remember right now. So, why does everyone change their major?
The college application process seems to prize students that know what they want to do, and strongly encourage prospective students to declare what they want to study before they walk onto campus. In high school, it seemed like college was where we were supposed to know what we want to do and how to do it. High school was meant to be exploratory, a sandbox to try things out and know what major and school you're going to by graduation. Yet, it seems like college pushes this sentiment even more, where students (at least at USC) are pushed to explore and figure out a good fit for them. Although this is reassuring, it also makes me wonder, why are we pushed to decide a major by the end of high school even though we'll probably change it? Is this case of major-changing as widespread at USC as it is at most other colleges?
From my perspective, it seems that USC might have a slightly higher frequency of major changing than the average school, and our slightly lower percentage of students graduating within four years seems to prove it. Some schools have incredibly rigid general education requirements, where everyone is required to learn from the same book, get the basics, and then continue on their specialized studies. However, USC's general education requirements span across all its schools, from liberal arts to STEM, to the music and cinematic arts. Students are given the opportunity to learn about things completely unrelated to their majors, which I believe sparks the high frequency of major-changing at this school. Although I haven't taken part in this myself, I appreciate the flexibility that USC gives in comparison to other institutions. Allowing students to try out new things seems to optimize this exploratory period the most, and gives people the opportunity to tap into new passions and skills they might not have known about before. Despite not choosing to change my major, this general education system has bolstered my interest in international relations, and at the same time, given me the space to explore and even add a minor in STEM (something that I, a woman not in STEM, would have never expected).
Seeing people switch their majors as they find new interests and passions feels like a breath of fresh air after experiencing the precedent of "having it all figured out" that high school set. Even though it seems like graduation sets "deadlines" for us to decide what we want to do, it seems like that may not be the case (thankfully!).
I’ve switched majors three times since starting here, recently settling on one more due to graduation timelines than passion. Before USC, I was stressed about not knowing what to study, but I've since learned that college is more about the skills gained than the major's name.
Your journey in International Relations, coupled with a STEM minor, highlights the benefits of USC's broad curriculum. It’s less about the degree title and more about exploring diverse interests and developing various skills. This approach has taught me that it’s okay not to have everything figured out initially, emphasizing personal growth and discovery over a fixed academic path.
This is honestly so relatable...I always thought that I would continue with a piano performance major, but recently I have become more interested in the business world. The pressure of picking what is "right" for us is real. I feel like it's mainly due to the struggle of finding the spot in the world that is best for us. It's really not an easy decision, but I am glad that our school allows to explore many areas.
That's such a relatable take on college majors! I remember feeling the pressure in high school to pick the 'right' major too. It's great that USC encourages exploring different fields; I think more colleges should do that. It's funny how we're expected to have our whole lives figured out at 18. Your journey, sticking with International Relations and adding a STEM minor, is really inspiring. It shows there's no one-size-fits-all path in education or life.
As someone who switched their major, honestly I don't think it had anything to do with SC itself. I think I was already ill-prepared in the college process and my high school did not do a well enough job in describing to me what job paths lay ahead. I first started as a biochemistry major and although I was performing well in the classes, I ultimately decided that the job paths ahead did not pique my interest at all. I switched to Psychology and immediately fell in love. I think what should be done instead is the 'undecided' declaration should be encouraged more as it has a sort of negative connotation to it. The fact of the matter is it's…
I am also a student who has never changed their major. I think USC is a great school for making it so easy to change or add a major. Trying many things is apart of life and it's apart of the human experience. I think USC is different from other schools simply because the student's joy is prioritized over graduation. So many people choose to stay longer or take on extra programs because of how lenient and helpful the administration is. I think its good that people are given the chance to change their minds, and I also don't think that high school is good time for people to make such a grand decision.