<p>Is it possible to change my major prior to attending this fall? I have been accepted into emory as neuroscience major but in the past few months after sending in the application, I realized I had no true passion for the subject. I'm looking to changing it as "undecided".</p>
<p>you don't need to change anything, since you aren't truly a NBB major.</p>
<p>They just ask you to get an idea of how many kids want to do which majors. In order to be a major, you'll have to fill out some forms when you get here with whatever dept you want to major in.</p>
<p>Don't worry about it you can do that stuff when you get here</p>
<p>You don't need to have your whole life planned out as a senior in high school.</p>
<p>My son is a freshman at Emory. For years, he was certain that he wanted to major in biology and become a doctor. His HS summer ec's/classes were heavily weighted in that direction. He applied to all his colleges as a bio major, swearing up and down that he was going to be a scientist or a doctor. By the time son graduated from high school, he was beginning to have serious doubts. He felt locked into something he didn't really want. It took him two months in an Arabic language class at Emory to decide on a major in middle eastern studies. </p>
<p>There is a tremendous amount of pressure on kids to "grow up fast": to have your major and career goals defined before you even set foot on a college campus. I've been both a parent and a professor, and I've seen some students thrive and others struggle under that pressure. Get to campus, try out some things, and see how you feel then.</p>
<p>Cami215,</p>
<p>Well put... your comments are representative of somebody who has experienced enough of life to know that it is more a marathon than a sprint. I agree with you that the option to "try out some things" is a good one that will stimulate one's mind and possibly, passion. The liberal arts foundation that Emory encourages, by its General Education Requirements alone, serves this purpose well. </p>
<p>Glad to hear your son's getting traction on a major!</p>
<p>Just to add some extra information, you are not expected to have a major declared until the end of your sophomore year. </p>
<p>I definitely agree with Cami215. Take your freshman and sophomore years to explore. Afterall, I truly believe that is one of the purposes of the GER's. Sure, they will be a pain every once in a while, but they truly provide students with the opportunity to take courses in areas that they probably wouldn't have if they came to college with a set track in mind. For example, I came here set on majoring in marketing and international business. After taking courses in related areas, I realized that they weren't my true passion. Then I took courses in political science and Latin American history that I absolutely loved and decided to declare as a political science and Latin American & Caribbean studies double major. Granted, I am barely finishing my first year, so I may end up changing again somewhere down the line. Just allow yourself the ability to be flexible and you will be fine. Congratulations on your acceptance, by the way. :)</p>
<p>what if I'm deciding between medical and business route? I understand both fields have their prerequisite classes and programs for applicants prior to applying for med and business school, and applicants usually start them (pre-med, pre-business) as early as thier freshmen year. So here's my question, if I'm not sure about my future career route and want to go to college to check out some info first, will I be able to finish the required classes on time to apply for med and business school?</p>
<p>Betterday,</p>
<p>You're right that if you have dual interests (perhaps a double-major scenario), you're faced with prerequisites and classes that are programmed as a series, sometimes to be taken sequentially over 4 semesters. It may force you to make some difficult choices, but I don't think you need to concern yourself with those choices right now. Really, enjoy the rest of your senior year and your summer and when you arrive on campus for Freshman orientation, you will be immersed in academic preparation, including FAME (Freshman Advising & Mentoring at Emory). You will have both student and faculty advisors who can walk you through the process of making these decisions.</p>
<p>What you'll find is that there is friendly disagreement even among Emory faculty about the idea of a double-major. My own conclusion, based on my daughter's experience and also a discussion with the Dean of Undergraduate Education, is that double-majors are limiting and constraining. They limit your experience for academic breadth, and they constrain you by forcing you to satisfy dual sets of major requirements. You may think you've settled on a direction and then change your mind... and then change your mind again. It happens. If you approach your educational experience with an open mind, you'll know what is most passionate to you when you encounter it. Quite candidly, I wouldn't expect that 17- and 18-year olds would know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. If you have a sure interest, though, then run with it. </p>
<p>More specifically, when you arrive on campus in the Fall, you'll be able to get all your questions answered -- just start writing them down now. In the case of somebody who wants to combine a pre-med track while taking the prerequisite courses for Goizueta's BBA program, AND fulfilling your GER's, I think you'll find that you won't be alone, and there will be enough flexibility to accomplish your goals for each so long as you plan for it and stay focused.</p>