Ah, applying to college. The most nerve-wracking thing a high school senior has to do. Where will you apply? How soon will you apply? What major are you applying as?
The last question stumps a lot of people, and if you’re one of those people, I am here to tell you that it is definitely, one hundred percent okay to be in that situation.
A lot of people are afraid to apply to colleges undeclared because it doesn’t make them look as good of a candidate to accept. This is totally untrue – if anything it makes you a better candidate, especially if the colleges you are applying to are known for having a strong exploratory program. Colleges generally want to help you find a major that fits your interests, so it’s somewhat hard to believe that a school wouldn’t accept someone solely because they’re undeclared.
Something that a lot of high schoolers don’t realize is that your degree does not define your career path. Just because you obtain a degree in psychology does not mean your only career path is to become a psychologist or therapist. A lot of times, your master’s degree is what defines what career path you’re going to take – I actually have a success advisor at my school who earned his bachelor’s degree in history but has a master’s degree in counseling. That alone truly shows that you can really do whatever you want for a career path, regardless of what your major is in.
It is also completely okay to be applying with a major while still having doubts about whether or not that’s really the degree you want when you graduate. A statistic that is often passed around is that around forty percent of undergraduates change their majors at least once before graduation, and this could not be truer. It is completely okay to change your major because you deserve to be learning about something you are actually interested in.
The bottom line is, it is completely okay and normal to be unsure of what you want to major in. You're not alone, and you will have plenty of time to figure it all out.
And if you already have a major that you know you’re going to stick with – congratulations, just don’t rub it in.