Murillo 1

Jasmine Murillo

Professor Batty

English 101

26 May 2019

The Indecisive

There is much importance placed on to the suggestion of going to college right after high

school. Whether it be a community, Cal State, or UC one is constantly reminded that college will

benefit their future. When applying to such colleges some students will find themselves

stumbled upon the question “What is your major?”, there is a variety of choice to choose from

which is significant, because it's what a student will center their college years on.Having to

second guess what to decide from is tough, which leads to the option of choosing undecided

major. Being an undeclared major student has its difficulties. Undecided major students may

believe that they'll figure out their major along the way and they'll be fine, but the inevitable can

occur and the process may take longer than expected. Although some students may feel that there

is plenty of time to make up their mind, there is risks that come along with waiting for so long.

For instance, students may bombard themselves with classes which can affect not only their

personal time but have them face financial debt. It is a troublesome decision but there are

methods to speed the process and assist to come to a final say.

Students who are undecided believe that while they are attending college will figure out their

major. Adding on there are many that enter college as undecided and eventually make their

decision. For example, in an article it stated that “ According to surveys, an estimated 20 to 50 %

of students enter college as undecided, and an estimated 75% students change their major at least
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once before graduation.”( Lexi Lieberman). This shows that many students are not always set to

what they originally chose. They can be influenced or enjoy other subjects, more than what

they're actually studying and eventually change their mind. This is helpful for the student

because they get exposed to something different, which can assist them to a final answer.

Furthermore, a method like so can benefit the student but can also be troubling because they

may have already taken classes towards the major they first started of with, leading them to take

a new set.This becomes a problem due to the fact that classes require textbooks as well as other

school materials, meaning they'll be spending money.The expenses at first may not seem much

of an importance because a student may be convinced that they won't take longer that what they

planned for. For example an article said , “ GOing to college as an undecided major often leads

to students having to spend extra semesters or years in college to get the classes that they need

for the major that they eventually choose. Often those students take on more debt as a result.”

(Troy Onink). This statement adds on to the reason why being undecided major has its

difficulties because of the expenses that come along . They are so focused to finding their final

choice that they don't become aware that their school expenses can accumulate leading to debt.

Although piling classes to expose oneself for their decision is one way , there is the risk of

wasting time and money by doing so. Taking other courses can be helpful at the start but there

are other ways to help shorten time and school expenses. Taking a semester break or even a gap

year can be very beneficial. Even though leaning towards taking a gap year can be hard, because

of the time you're spending without attending college, it might make one feel as if they are

behind. It is a tough move but there is a positive to choosing this. For instance , “Some students

may take a gap year because they are undecided about their subject choice or career path and
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need some more time to ensure they are making the right long term decisions.” (college raptor

staff). This expresses that the choice of taking a gap year can assist one to sort things about

themselves. One might even work to save money for school or use the time to create a career

plan before going back to college. By doing these, one is capable of shortening their time

attending college and even avoiding a great financial debt by planning out their goals and taking

time.

Lastly, there are other ways for undecided major students to help come to a final say, without

having to spend so much time attending college. By following suggestions to choose a major also

may lower the chances of one to spend money on classes, textbooks and other school necessities.

There is a solution for the indecisive to come to an agreement towards their career plan and

major in college. Students don’t need to set their while attending they can take a step back and

take a break to find what they feel is best for them without facing too many inconveniences.
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Work Cited
https://studybreaks.com/college/undecided-how-to-pick-college-major/

https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/college-search/pros-and-cons-of-taking-a-g
ap-year-before-college/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/troyonink/2010/12/16/bad-college-advice-
the-undeclared-major/amp/