I stood there in my room, heart pounding and butterflies enthralling my stomach. I had never been so nervous in my life, and could not see the situation ending positively. It was the end of the semester, and I was home for winter break. I logged into SIS to check my semester grades, and was beyond disappointed. I knew there was no way I could continue pursuing a major I wasn’t interested in, especially knowing that I was going to keep pulling the grades that I had been. It was an incredibly tough decision (and believe me, Mom was not happy to hear it) but I decided it was time to reevaluate my interests and see if there was a different major that more accurately agreed with said interests.
I am one of many people that have done this at Case, and I’m happy to say I’m a business major. BME made me nervous, mechanical engineering was just as hard, and I wasn’t ready to be in the “easier major”, but I took it on with full force. I can’t tell you how it’s turned out completely, because it’s only been a little over a month, but for people considering the switch, who are too afraid to switch, or are just interested in what it’s like to take all your classes at PBL, I am happy to inform you.
First off, PBL is beautiful. If DeGuire’s 400 person lectures are overwhelming or Strosacker’s dim lights distract you, you’ll find a pleasant change in the class atmosphere at PBL. The classrooms are state of the art, the seats are elevated on risers, and the classes don’t get much bigger than 60 people. A much more concentrated lecture ideally brings the class closer together, encourages discussion and debate, and quite possibly correlates well with more focused learning. This is something I appreciate much more about PBL and has helped me succeed up to this point this semester.
Your teachers are much less intimidating. It’s obvious that not every professor in the engineering field is as laid back and relaxed as Chris Butler, but I can honestly say that most professors and PBL are incredibly laid back. I speak to most of my teachers on a first name basis, and they have no problem adjusting their teaching to help students. For example, I emailed a professor a couple weeks ago asking to post her lecture slides on blackboard as another study resource, and she happily complied. It’s amazing how accessible these teachers are too.
Also, a lot of the homework is interactive. Hands-on homework leads to a better understanding of the topic, which ultimately leads to better grades. Altogether the atmosphere of the classrooms, accessibility of resources, and hands on assignments have left me with a much better learning experience. I am NOT saying that majoring in business is better than engineering, or vice versa. I am simply offering my observations as someone who has been through both majors to a certain degree. And to anyone who is thinking about switching, know you’re not alone. It’s a scary decision, and can be upsetting at times. My best advice to you is to stay true to yourself, and research the major you plan on pursuing, to find out if it is really something you would like to do the rest of your life. If a business major is really your calling, but you’re currently a struggling, uninterested engineer (or vice versa), I encourage you to switch to the major that interests you and fits you the best, I can honestly say it’s the best academic decision I have ever made, and I now no longer dread going to class or studying for tests, I’m excited and willing to learn.
