Downsides of going to college undeclared?

[overst33r]

If i do pick something, can i just switch to something else later?

 

[Whisper]

Not many that I can think of. The first year or two will be mostly general studies-type classes anyways. I'd say it's better to go undecided until you have a decent idea than it is to start with a major, change your mind two years down the road, and then have a handful of classes you've taken that you no longer need.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Just don't major in history.

 

[sniperruff]

there is no down-side. hell all of the people i know end up wanting to do something other than their major anyway.

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: Whisper
Not many that I can think of. The first year or two will be mostly general studies-type classes anyways. I'd say it's better to go undecided until you have a decent idea than it is to start with a major, change your mind two years down the road, and then have a handful of classes you've taken that you no longer need.

yea that's what i was thinking i just wasn't sure if that is the best way to go...thanks for the info

Just don't major in history.

Dont worry i wont

 

[beer]

Downside: Competitive programs don't take 'transfers' from the Liberal Arts program readily. Undeclared = liberal arts. So if you plan on declaring something like business or engineering, you need to apply to transfer into that school (before you can delcare it) and you have a much higher chance of getting in as a freshman than as a transfer.

This is at a very large state school, of course, where business, engineering, liberal arts, natural sciences, etc., run as distinct entities.

 

[RMSistight]

Originally posted by: beer
Downside: Competitive programs don't take 'transfers' from the Liberal Arts program readily. Undeclared = liberal arts. So if you plan on declaring something like business or engineering, you need to apply to transfer into that school (before you can delcare it) and you have a much higher chance of getting in as a freshman than as a transfer.

This is at a very large state school, of course, where business, engineering, liberal arts, natural sciences, etc., run as distinct entities.

I don't know about public universities (unless it's a well known one), it shows that you don't have a clear objective. Some colleges do not accept undeclared.

 

[overst33r]

Originally posted by: beer
Downside: Competitive programs don't take 'transfers' from the Liberal Arts program readily. Undeclared = liberal arts. So if you plan on declaring something like business or engineering, you need to apply to transfer into that school (before you can delcare it) and you have a much higher chance of getting in as a freshman than as a transfer.

This is at a very large state school, of course, where business, engineering, liberal arts, natural sciences, etc., run as distinct entities.

That brings up another question, if i plan to major in some kind of engineering, im guessing it will be tougher to switch in to that line of major?, is that always like that or just some schools? The school in question is the univeristy of south florida.

 

[beer]

Originally posted by: RMSistight
I don't know about public universities (unless it's a well known one), it shows that you don't have a clear objective. Some colleges do not accept undeclared.

I am talking about intra-university transfers, between colleges of diferent studies under the umbrella of the same university.

 

[kogase]

I have a question here too. I'm applying for college right now, and my application essay makes clear my interest in music. However, I'm not sure exactly which branch of music study I wish to major in, so I was planning on putting down undeclared for my major. Is this likely to be a problem considering the content of my essay?

 

[KevinF]

Originally posted by: mariok2006

Originally posted by: beer
Downside: Competitive programs don't take 'transfers' from the Liberal Arts program readily. Undeclared = liberal arts. So if you plan on declaring something like business or engineering, you need to apply to transfer into that school (before you can delcare it) and you have a much higher chance of getting in as a freshman than as a transfer.

This is at a very large state school, of course, where business, engineering, liberal arts, natural sciences, etc., run as distinct entities.

That brings up another question, if i plan to major in some kind of engineering, im guessing it will be tougher to switch in to that line of major?, is that always like that or just some schools? The school in question is the univeristy of south florida.

There's nothing wrong with being undeclared. However, if you think you might want to be an engineer, you should take your school's engineering core as a freshmen -- physics, calculus, and possibly chemistry. If you have those classes taken, you won't have any real problems transferring into engineering or any of the other sciences. It will also put you on a path towards fulfilling the pre-med requirements, if you think you might want to go that option.

Also -- and my personal bias shows here -- look into industrial engineering. If you have no idea what you want to do, but think you can hack four semesters of calculus and two semesters of physics, it's a business degree that actually has job placement and good job placement at that. If you're the kind of person that did absolutely no work in high school and tries to get by doing the minimum necessary, IE is a good choice, as that mindset is encouraged in IE, at least to a certain extent. Feel free to ask more questions here or PM me.

 

[QurazyQuisp]

I'm halfway through my first year as undeclared, and so far I haven't found anything wrong with it. I know quite a few people that have already switched and they two two classes that they no longer need. If anything it's better, less money wasted on classes not needed.