Undeclared Major (Meaning, Benefits, Best Majors, Colleges)

An undeclared major is a student who is yet to choose an actual major in college. A major is the degree program that students focus on in college and graduate with honors if they complete assignments and pass examinations.

Being an undeclared major does not last till the end of college because, at a point, you will have to pick a degree program you would major in.

Nevertheless, becoming an undeclared major allows you to take general education and choose a major that best interests you, grant you access to the mentorship of seasoned professors, and reduce the stress of becoming a fresher to a large extent.

Also, becoming an undeclared major has other intriguing benefits that will be discussed in this article.

However, we will also provide information on the best majors for undecided students, the ten best colleges for undeclared majors, and the cons of enrolling as an undeclared major.

Who is an undeclared major?

Undeclared majors, popularly called undecided students, are college students who have not affirmed their majors right away after gaining admission into the university.

A major specifies what students study, the degree they will graduate with, the job prospects they will be qualified for after graduation, and the professional career route they can choose.

However, undecided students take various courses in different fields before choosing the one that interests them in their first or second year. The undeclared status is accepted in most schools across the United States.

Benefits of being an undeclared major

Entering college without a career focus may be seen as a dreadful thing for anyone to do.

However, becoming an undecided major comes with many exceptional benefits that make it even better than settling on a major immediately after entering college. These benefits include;

Complete the general courses early:

In all colleges, students must complete some general courses before graduating from school. Enrolling in general courses, especially when deeply focused on your major, could be daunting and stressful.

However, becoming an undecided student will allow you to complete general courses early as you are not mandated to take special courses right away.

Avoid changing your major:

According to an online survey, up to 75% of American college students change majors because they fail.

Becoming an undecided student allows you to pick a major that interests you to avoid the pain of changing majors at some point.

In addition, changing your major requires you to take more courses, which increases your workload and decreases your chances of graduating early.

Hence, starting college as an undecided student is highly recommended because you will have more time to reflect on your options and decide the best one, saving you from the stress of switching majors.

A CGPA booster:

Starting as an undeclared major allows you to boost your CGPA to the critical point needed for enrollment in a professional degree program.

Because an undeclared major allows you to take your time and focus on producing exceptional outcomes, it increases your chances of getting into a professional degree program.

Exposure to academic mentorship:

Most schools provide professorial mentorship to undeclared majors. These counselling services help to shape the career decisions of undeclared students.

With an undeclared degree, you can get useful advice from renowned professors and seasoned experts who can coach and guide you to a credible career path.

Prevents wastage of time and money:

When you repeatedly fail at a major, the university will ask you to switch majors. Most times, you will be required to start afresh in your new degree program.

Becoming an undecided student first before choosing a major will help you choose a major that suits your abilities, preventing wastage of time and money in pursuing a degree that you will abandon.

Read this: What does a Prospective Student mean? (Major details)

Best Majors for undecided students

The undeclared major status does not last forever. After your freshman or sophomore year, you will be required to select a degree program based on the subject area that interests you.

However, while learning many general courses can increase your curiosity in numerous subject areas, the following ten majors are highly recommended for undeclared majors;

Biology:

Biology may generally be regarded as the study of life; however, a degree in biology offers more than that.

You will learn about numerous aspects of nature and healthcare by enrolling in a biology degree program.

Biology will empower you with sufficient knowledge for careers in biochemistry, botanists, microbiologists, and other relevant career paths.

Education:

An education major is another spectacular major for an undecided student. It has lots of specialization and offers you an opportunity to receive a magnificent teaching experience that boosts your teaching abilities.

An education major allows you to discover the most remarkable teaching techniques, especially if you are interested in imparting knowledge in the lives of future generations.

More majors for Undeclared Students:

Business:

A business major is concerned with topics on money, book-keeping, advertising, and finances. Hence, if you love engaging in multiple subjects, a major in business is the ideal choice for you.

A business degree will teach you the ins and outs of business as well as crucial concepts like leadership and critical thinking.

Moreover, pursuing a business major will offer you career opportunities in stockbroking, business ownership, and economic consultancy.

History:

A history major is an amazing degree for any undecided student, especially if you have developed concern about the significance of past and present events.

A history major will boost your analytical skills, thinking abilities and, above all, increase your knowledge of national and global events.

Moreover, job opportunities for historians are great as museums, colleges, and social organizations always have job openings for historians.

Communication:

If you are interested in broadcasting, movie making, and journalism, a major in communication is the ideal choice for you. A communication major will also enhance your public speaking skills and boost your writing abilities.

However, to graduate successfully, you must pass all required courses and successfully defend a project.

Read this: ACT Math vs. SAT Math (Meaning, Similarities, Differences)

Mathematics:

Mathematics is a major that is recommended for undecided students that have good calculative abilities.

Mathematics major will expose you to the knowledge of geometry, trigonometry, calculus, algebra, logarithm, indices, the measure of central tendency, statistics, and number theory.

Economics:

Economics is the study of man and his society as a relationship between ends and scarce means with alternative uses. It is a social major that deals with realistic challenges and issues.

An economics major will teach you about statistics, fiscal policies, and public finance.

Moreover, economics will improve your management and financial consultation skills.

Hence, if you have developed a curiosity for the efficient management of finances, an economics major is highly recommended for you as it offers many career potentials.

In addition to the majors above, psychology, sociology, and business management are other majors that are highly recommended for undecided students that want to select a major final.

10 best Colleges for Undeclared majors

Being an undeclared major allows you to discover your interests and choose a major that will help you develop a fantastic career in your field of interest.

However, some colleges have built outstanding reputations for providing remarkable professional guidance and mentorship to help undecided students settle in a major that suits them best.

Hence, the following schools are highly recommended for undeclared majors;

Brown University:

It offers a program system that allows undeclared majors to plan their educational journey before choosing a major. Brown University also offers private guidance and mentorship from seasoned faculty members for undeclared majors.

Ohio State University:

An outstanding public university in the US, Ohio State University remains an ideal choice for undeclared majors. This university allows undecided students to learn numerous courses and consider their choices before selecting a major.

Drexel University:

Drexel University offers positive strategies for undeclared majors that prefer online learning. However, in this college, students must declare a major at the end of their freshman year.

University of Florida:

The University of Florida also permits students to be undecided for the first three fall and spring semesters, allowing them to chose a major that interests them.

However, majors are available in Science and Engineering, Humanities and Letters, and Social and Behavioural sciences.

Boston University:

Boston University is an exceptional university that prepares undeclared majors for a competitive world and provides them with general education until they pick a major in their sophomore year.

In addition to the schools above, Arizona State University, University of Rochester, Northeastern University, Georgia State University, and Rice University are other outstanding institutions for undecided students.

Conclusion

Although the undeclared major status in college is highly beneficial, you could miss out on scholarships and forfeit required courses for your degree by becoming an undecided student.

Nevertheless, the benefits of beginning college as an undeclared major supersede its disadvantages. Hence, an undeclared status is highly advisable for anyone looking to get into college.

Awesome one; I hope this article answered your question.

Undeclared Major (Meaning, Benefits, Best Majors, Colleges)

Who is an undeclared major?