<p>I just have this really difficult time in choosing my majors. So, here is my situation.
I'm an immigrant, and I learned English in basically four years. I fell in love with literary theory and comparative literature after some readings about critical theories and modernist novels. I'm fluent in Chinese(reading and writing). My English proficiency, however, does not seem to predict the prospect of a high achieving English major in college as I only have a 3 in my AP English Lit test and low scores in my ACT English and writing sections (28 and 29). I don't really know why I got such abysmal scores.. I've been studying English really hard, and have done tons of extra readings outside of the classroom. Interestingly enough, I have done very well in social study classes such as history and politics but not in ENGLISH.
In the upcoming fall, I will be a sophomore in my college due to my AP credits; so it is time for me to decide my career path and majors. I want to double major in poli sci and English with a minor in French. But the uncertainty of my success as demonstrated by my various lack-of-achievements in English related tests are worrying me to death...</p>
<p>so tell me my friend, should I major in English? and then maybe go to graduate school in comparative literature! XD
I'd love to be a literature professor one day!</p>
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My English proficiency, however, does not seem to predict the prospect of a high achieving English major in college as I only have a 3 in my AP English Lit test and low scores in my ACT English and writing sections (28 and 29).
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A 28 and 29 is not bad at all! Many of the smarter students get at least a 28 and it means that you must be a pretty smart person. The average ACT at my school was a 20.8 (nationwide average is a 21.2), so you're in good shape.</p>
<p>Don't let the scores from the exams administered by College Board or ACT discourage you--those tests are difficult for someone whose first language is not English (like me). English classes in college are WAY different from those tests. Although I'm a math major (who have done a lot worse on those exams than you did, like 2 on AP Lit), I had to take a year-long literature sequence for my Honors College requirement, and I can spot these differences:</p>
<p>-No multiple choice questions (even if there is one, it's on something you've alread read for the class)
-No timed essay--nothing like 40-minute essay like AP Lit. Some instructors might assign one, but it's likely going to be something you've already read for class.
-Your grade is mainly determined by your essays or research papers. Some instructors may assign reading quizzes or some smaller assignments, but your papers should determine at least 50% of your grade.</p>
<p>Unlike AP or ACT, you're unlikely to be tested on something you've never read before the exam. Of course, because I'm not an English major, the literature class for majors may be different from mine.</p>
<p>For goodness sake, don't take scores from these forums as average! 28 for English on the ACT is far above average, you shouldn't have any problems at all.</p>
<p>I agree with everyone else that I think you should pursue your passions.</p>
<p>If you have a hard time in college English classes, you can still downgrade the English major to a minor and do a single major in poli sci. But if you love literature that much, you can work it out! Enjoy your first year in college :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the supports everyone!
Hell yeah, I'm going to declare English major and add another English class to my fall class schedule!
I will just need to work harder!!!</p>
<p>yeah! i would say go for it!! especially because english is really a more creative major and test scores are not good measures of your ability.
good luck!!</p>