How do you choose your majors when you get in college?
Macarena, Honolulu, Hawaii
Different schools have different requirements before you declare a major in college.
Some universities have a set of prerequisites that you have to take, such as basic math, science, English writing, etc. before you declare a major. At most liberal arts colleges like Middlebury, the school encourages students to take a variety of classes during their first year in order to explore different subjects before declaring a major during your second year.
When it comes time to declare a major, there are a couple things to keep in mind.
Most college students change their major at least once in their college career. It’s okay if you’re not absolutely positive about what you want to do, and even if you are, you ideas may change after taking just one class in another field that really inspires you.
In addition to your major, you can declare a minor, which allows you a secondary specialty, with less course requirements.
Nobody can/is going to force you to major in anything you don’t want to. It’s up to you completely, and your own personal interests. Declare something you’re passionate about, because you’re going to be taking A LOT of classes in that topic. Don’t let someone else tell you what to major in.
You generally don’t declare a major until your second year. Therefore, ideas about majors and minors are generally going to start developing for you after you have spent a year on campus taking different kinds of classes, meeting different professors, and engaging in different topics.
-Ali
