<p>So has anyone dealt with the indecision of their kids not really knowing what they want to do even though they are in the process of almost being done with college. What is up, or is it just the time we live in?</p>
<p>Mine all switched major multiple times. All happily and productively employed after a few bobbles along the way.</p>
<p>Has yours checked in with career services? Junior year is not too early…</p>
<p>This is all I knew by the time I was a senior in college…</p>
<p>I don’t want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don’t want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed.</p>
<p>My DD changes majors, but since she was smart enough to get her gen eds first, it wasn’t a big deal. If you are on a path you know your not going to be happy with, then don’t be afraid to change, don’t want to live with regrets.</p>
<p>DD switched majors 2nd semester of sophomore year, but still graduated on time. It helped that many of the prerequisites of the first hard-sciences major filled Gen Ed requirements for the 2nd major. One switch? Any parent should be able to support. After all, how many 17- and 18-year-olds have enough knowledge of the world to make an educated choice of career? Two or more switches of major, though, is a little too self-indulgent for my taste – and wallet.</p>
<p>orange, mine all switched more than twice. All graduated in exactly 8 semesters which is what we told them we could finance. All gainfully employed within 8 weeks of graduation. Why is that self-indulgent? Make your limits clear and then back off. </p>
<p>But kids can’t wait until they are driving home after graduation to have a plan in place for employment, regardless of their major. So less time getting aggravated over the major, and more time encouraging those visits to the career center!!!</p>
<p>It helps to plan ahead.</p>
<p>If your child is uncertain about what to major in, perhaps he/she can suggest two or three possibilities that might be of interest.</p>
<p>Then the student (maybe with your help) can go through the requirements for each major and the gen ed requirements and work out a schedule that includes the prerequisites for at least two majors and also meets some gen ed requirements. If it is not possible to include the prerequisites for more than one major, the student should give priority to the potential major that has the MOST structured requirements (e.g., if the choice is between engineering and sociology, engineering takes precedence because it is so structured). </p>
<p>I did this when I went to college. I couldn’t decide between psychology and biology. I took the prerequisites for both – some of which also satisfied gen ed requirements. By the end of my third semester, I was certain that the major I wanted was biology, and even though that is a relatively structured major, I was on schedule to complete my degree on time.</p>
<p>Preparing for a backup major might also be a good idea for students who think they know what they want to study, especially if the planned major is a difficult one. But students may not like this idea. I suggested to both of my kids that they complete the prerequisites for another major just in case the one they thought they wanted didn’t work out. Both rejected the idea, and both graduated in their original majors (computer science and economics, respectively). So what do I know?</p>
<p>My older son knew what he wanted to be when he was 7 and hasn’t waivered. He’s gainfully employed now. Younger son is a junior in college. Last year when he thought he might fail Arabic he looked into what other majors he might switch to that wouldn’t have a language requirement. As it happened he pulled off a B-, and decided to spend his junior year nailing down Arabic by spending it in the Middle East. So far the plan seems to be working. :)</p>