CHAPTER 3

Selecting a Major

According to a recent Wall Street Journal analysis of data from a dozen randomly chosen colleges nationwide, “the class of 2018 was much more likely to declare an academic major during freshman year than their counterparts before the 2008 recession.”⁴⁷ This increase comes as no surprise since 79 percent of high school seniors who completed the American College Test (ACT) in 2013 indicated their intended major to declare while only 15 percent indicated that they were undecided.⁴⁸ Sadly, only a third of that 79 percent indicated they choose a major in line with their interests.⁴⁹ Interestingly, “the percentage of students who were undecided about their planned major choice increased with ACT composite score.”⁵⁰ As one college student observed: “there is an inherent risk in deciding too early or for the wrong reasons. It makes you more susceptible to getting trapped in a certain field, and you may not necessarily enjoy what you end up doing.”⁵¹

Even though more first-year students are declaring their major, the majority of them will most likely change their major at least once during their college experience. While the numbers vary, it is safe to conclude that between 50 and 80 percent of students change their major at least once during their undergraduate experience.⁵² Changing majors is often a healthy by-product of research. Students have a responsibility to research their options and institutions have an equal level of responsibility to communicate the value of each academic program offered. According to an Accenture report, 82 percent of undergraduates reviewed the job market potential of various employment positions prior to declaring a major.⁵³ As discussed throughout this publication, the job market potential related to any one specific major provides a limited view of career opportunities. ACT president of education and career solutions Jon Erickson observed that students “should be made aware that choosing a college major that reflects their interests will give them a better chance of succeeding and could also contribute to their satisfaction and happiness in school and on the job.”⁵⁴

One common path that many undergraduates follow is community college. The low cost of tuition, proximity to home, and transferability of credits to a 4-year institution are three main reasons why individuals choose to attend a community college. According to research conducted by the College Board, four out of five community college students want to transfer to a 4-year institution, so they can obtain a bachelor’s degree.⁵⁵ Even families in the upper echelon of income are recognizing the value of this path. One study from Sallie Mae reported “22 percent of college students with a family income of over $100,000 opted for a community college prior to enrolling in a four year institution.”⁵⁶ During the 2012 to 2013 academic year, over 1 million associate’s degrees were awarded with about two-thirds (67%) concentrated in three fields of study: liberal arts and sciences, general studies, and humanities (34%); health professions and related programs (21%); and business, management, marketing, and support services (11%). Table 3.1 lists the top five fields of study for individuals that graduated with an associate’s degree during the 2012 to 2013 academic year.

Once enrolled in a 4-year institution concerns over employment,⁵⁷ college loans⁵⁸ and long-term career potential⁵⁹ create a high-stakes game for students to pick the “right major.”⁶⁰ In a growing number of cases, the pressure is so great that students have more than one major, a major and a minor, or two majors and a minor. For those students either absolutely sure or unsure, declaring a second major or minor is also increasing. “Graduating with a double (or triple) major, minor or concentration as a way to hedge bets in an uncertain job market has become increasingly popular; the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded with double majors rose 70 percent between 2001 and 2011.”⁶¹ These concerns and others have contributed to significant growth in what some analysts have declared practical majors such as business, health professions, and law enforcement while social sciences and history lost ground (Table 3.2).⁶² According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about one-fifth of the 1.79 million bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2011 to 2012 were in business.⁶³ The great irony is that this concentration to business has occurred as higher education institutions keep adding programs. According to the U.S. Department of Education, colleges and universities reported nearly 1,500 academic programs 2010, 355 of which were added during the 2000 to 2010 period.⁶⁴ Appendix A lists the 100 plus majors offered by the University of Michigan. Students can choose among a wide spectrum of programs from actuarial mathematics to women’s studies. Even for the most focused of undergraduates, the wide selection of choices for a major can be overwhelming. With so many choices, it is virtually impossible to explore enough academic programs in order to make an educated decision when declaring one’s major. It’s no surprise then that students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career. By lacking any comprehensive strategy to assist students in this decision making process, most higher education institutions only add to the confusion for students. Higher education administrators should take note of the ACT research that revealed “high school students need more help planning for college and career and the majority want such assistance.”⁶⁵

Table 3.1 Associate’s Degree by Top Majors

Table 3.2 Bachelor’s Degree by Top Majors

The research identifying factors that influence a student’s decision to declare a specific major spans a wide spectrum of elements from parents and other family members, high school counselors or teachers, college professors, and friends. It’s common to hear phrases such as “My dad wanted me to become an English teacher because he loves literature and reading books.”⁶⁶ In one survey, over a quarter of college students indicated that they alone choose their major.⁶⁷ A students’ own interest and attitudes toward potential fields of study often direct them to declare a specific academic major.⁶⁸ The research also demonstrates that undergraduates are significantly more likely to major in a discipline if they have an inspiring and caring faculty member in their introduction to the field. This introduction to the field often occurs during their first or second years in college. It is important to note that students are equally likely to write off a field based on a single negative experience with a professor.⁶⁹ Unfortunately, “research has consistently shown that many colleges and universities do little to push their students to make informed choices about what to study.”⁷⁰ Those institutions and departments that can effectively communicate the value of their academic programs will maintain relevance. Those colleges and universities that choose to base their future on hubris, incompetence, or indifference do so at their own risk.

As one report concluded, “far too many colleges require students to select a major without looking at how well the students’ interests fit with their intended program of study.”⁷¹ On those campuses where institutional resources are being used to assist undecided students in choosing a major, it is important to remember that “all students are likely underprepared when choosing a major”⁷² with “75 percent of college freshmen experiencing some level of uncertainty about their educational and vocational goals.”⁷³ This uncertainty makes sense as the dynamics and disruptive forces creating change in today’s global marketplace make it exceedingly difficult to predict future career paths. While the spectrum of student knowledge and confidence in which to declare a major spans a wide spectrum, it is refreshing to note that some percentage of undergraduates echo what one student said “There are a lot of different things I could do with a history major…but I think it’s more important to major in something you’re passionate about than something you see leading to a career path.”⁷⁴ Since that appears to be a minority, it is imperative to recognize that more students are declaring their academic major earlier in their undergraduate experience. Therefore, it is imperative to examine the logic and research behind the college major decision. Upon examination the evidence overwhelming demonstrates the existence of several college major fallacies.