How Many Times Does The Average College Student Change Their Major

EL PASO — Choosing a higher major is a difficult decision for students to make because it tin can determine the student'southward career future forth with income level and having to selection a different one subsequently piles on more stress.

"My dad wanted me to become an English language instructor considering he loves literature and reading books," said Victor Chavez, a 29 year-old graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso.

Chavez gave into his begetter's pressure level and started his UTEP college education as an English major in 2004, only a year later he began to question his career path and switched to math after finding his true passion.

"I'd love teaching don't get me wrong, just I really wanted to teach something that I was more passionate about–math," Chavez said.

College students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. (Yuritzy Ramos/Borderzine.com)

College students modify their major at least three times over the grade of their higher career, co-ordinate to the National Center for Teaching Statistics. (Yuritzy Ramos/Borderzine.com)

About fourscore per centum of students in the United States end up irresolute their major at least once, co-ordinate to the National Center for Pedagogy Statistics. On average, higher students alter their major at least three times over the course of their college career.

According to the UTEP Eye for Institutional Evaluation, Enquiry and Planning (CIERP), between the fall 2011 and leap 2012 semesters, 14.4 percent of UTEP undergraduate students changed majors. A modify of major tin can occur within departments, from business marketing to business management, or within the same higher, from mechanical to ceremonious applied science, and sometimes across colleges, for example, from education to wellness sciences according to CIERP.

Some students start college with a major their parents or relatives picked for them, not realizing that if they end up changing majors also far into their education it will have them longer to graduate. In most cases these students struggle to make a decision because they don't know how to face up their loved ones well-nigh a career alter.

"I talked to my father, a man who I admire and respect," Chavez said. "It was hard to face him and tell him near changing majors since he was paying for school. I knew he wasn't going to be proud of me anymore."

Chavez graduated in May 2012 with a degree in math instruction, five years later on than predictable and later taking a two-year hiatus from school to earn money to pay for his own education. He says his decision to change majors wasn't based on the job market, but on where he thinks he will accept more opportunity to teach others what he loves.

"Even though my parent'southward didn't concur at the beginning and it took me a long time to graduate, I did. Today I'm a substitute math teacher and they practise feel proud of me," said Chavez, with a big smile.

Some of these students might have had a lack of academic communication or career counseling. According to CIERP, nearly 21.i percent of freshmen students at UTEP changed their majors, xv.4 per centum sophomores, 15.0 pct juniors and 8.1 percent seniors.

UTEP provides academic counseling resources and communication for undecided students to find out about some of their career choices. The University Counseling Center provides students with career counseling for their career goals.

"The counseling middle is 100 pct confidential for the good of the students," said Dr. Sherri I. Terrell, the Director of University Counseling Center. "Nosotros help students who are stressed out, either because of the pressure level of their parents or lack of communication with them," she said. Terrell said Career Counseling Services for the near office are free of charge to all enrolled UTEP students.

Virginia Segovia, 45, said that when she decided to return to schoolhouse in 2004 after a xv years hiatus she didn't know that UTEP provided students with career counseling.

"I started as a Castilian instructor," Segovia said. "I wanted to piece of work with my first language and with kindergarten children since I love to exist around picayune kids." Later taking classes in Castilian and instruction, she realized she would graduate more apace and save money if she switched to multidisciplinary studies. She graduated in 2012, later taking classes office time for eight years. " I already wanted to graduate; at my historic period information technology wasn't the correct time to be playing games," she said.

"When I started schoolhouse, I was already a grown-up student and I was embarrassed with all the young people around me. I wouldn't talk to anybody or enquire for advice," Segovia said.

The idea of irresolute majors can exist daunting, counselors said. A pupil who is contemplating a change of major should meet with a college counselor to approve the change. "The advisor gives you a petition for the modify of major and the dean of each college for each major has to corroborate and sign," says Fernanda Astiazaran, a 22-year-quondam, who switched from international business to an organizational communication major in 2012.

Astiazaran said when she began at UTEP her goal was to work in hotel management. "After some time I realized that UTEP didn't offer hotel management, plus I didn't like the accounting (courses) and some of the business classes at all," she said.

She said she now feels force per unit area from her parents considering they believe that the communication field isn't in demand and it will be harder for her to find a task.

"In that location were some coin issues as well," said Astiazaran who expects to graduate in Dec of 2014, instead of this May equally she had originally intended.

Like Astiarzaran, some students decide to change majors because they are struggling in basic courses for their intended major.

Chavez said that he is confident in his decision to merchandise alter from learning to teach English language to teaching Math. "To dear what you practice in your profession and in everyday life is really satisfying," Chavez said. "To make your students dearest and enjoy what you beloved is a challenge, but I'yard fix to take the challenge."