UNDECIDED ? YOU'RE NOT ALONE!

Many college students are undecided about a choice of major or are uncertain of the choice they have made.  Ball State University has an important message for these student: If you are undecided about an academic major, you are not alone!

According to surveys,

• More than forty percent of Ball State freshmen indicate they have not chosen a major or may change their major.

• Nearly seventy-five percent of Ball State students change majors at least once before they graduate.

Acknowledging you are undecided about your major is fine, but you should take advantage of university resources in making an informed decision. Start your search here and share the results with your academic advisor in University College.

IT'S A "MAJOR" DECISION

Selecting a college major is definitely an important decision, but it's not something you have to decide before you get to college.  In fact, there are some really good reasons to wait.  Your first year of college is a great time to explore your options and learn about areas of study and careers you may not have even heard of before.

At Ball State, we've taken a lot of the worry out of selecting a major because we've fine-tuned our environment, our services, and our courses so you feel in control of your path.  Through our successful programming, we'll help you at every stage, with every decision, to help you make the right choices for you.

Whether you have no idea, what major to choose or whether you have so many interests it's hard to pick just one or two, you'll find classmates who share your perspective.  You'll also find an ideal combination of all the choices of a major university-we have 150 majors and pre-professional programs-and a tradition of personal attention that will provide the support you need as you explore.

BALL STATE IS A GREAT CHOICE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE UNDECIDED ABOUT THEIR MAJORS.  WHY?

• We support exploration.  You'll receive tailored advising on your academic path beginning at orientation and at every step in your college career.  Our professional advisors will help you transform your interests into an academic path that is both rewarding and practical.

• All of our students take classes from the Core Curriculum during their first two-years here-so you'll be exposed to a variety of fields.

WHAT IS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

You may encounter the phrase "University College" as you're considering Ball State and wonder what it means.  University College is our name for the home of all freshman academic advising, regardless of major.  You'll receive advising through University College until you declare a major and achieve sophomore standing, at which time you'll be assigned a faculty advisor in your major.

TOOLS FOR SUCCESS

• Create a personal plan of discovery through Academic Advising.  At Ball State, all freshman work with an academic advisor in the Freshman Advising Center.  Our advisors are full-time professionals who have helped thousands of our students understand the "academic business" of college, form registering for classes to learning the strategies of becoming a successful college student.  Our advisors work closely with you to develop a plan for deciding on a major that best suits your interests, goals, and talents.

• It's all about you-learn through Individual Assessment and Feedback.  Need help determining your interests, goals, and talents?  Meet with our Academic Major/Minor Coordinator and learn about yourself.  Our assessments provide feedback on important factors such as your academic strengths, your values and interests, and the fields that might best match these areas.  To set up an appointment with our Major/Minor Coordinator, David Keith Owens, call (765)285-1161 or email  dkowens@bsu.edu

• Enroll in our Freshman Seminar for Undecided Students during your first semester.  Our seven week, "for credit" course includes a strong assessment component, assignments that require research into academic majors as well as a deeper look into potential careers.

WHAT IS THE CORE CURRICULUM?

The Core Curriculum consists of 41-42 credit hours of classes in science, social science, the humanities, and global studies.  Ball State is one of the few colleges in the state that require a full curriculum of courses designed to relate with each other.

 Because these classes are generally completed during your first two years, your can investigate many different fields before you identify the major appropriate for you-all the while taking classes that "count" toward your degree.

MAKING MAJOR DECISIONS: THE "CHICKEN AND EGG" DILEMMA

Which decision should come first- the major or the career. To help you see how challenging answering that question can be, try the quick exercise below.  Attempt to match the celebrities on the left with their undergraduate college majors listed on the right.

Did the answers surprise you?  Try another experiment-ask five people in careers you find intriguing to talk about the majors they started and completed in college.  You'll likely find some surprises in their answers.

Answers: 1. = (e), 2. = (c), 3. = (f), 4. = (a), 5. = (b), 6. = (d)

DO EMPLOYERS WANT A MAJOR?

In annual surveys conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers consistently identify the following as the most important personal attributes for job seekers:

Did you notice what is missing from this list?  College major!

QUESTIONS

• When do most students pick a major?  While this varies greatly by student, most of our incoming freshmen are very motivated to explore alternatives within their first semester.  Most freshmen choose a major sometime during their freshman year.  However, it is not uncommon to hold off on declaring a major until the sophomore year.

• What happens if I don't like the first major I choose?  Not to worry.  That's where our academic advisors can really help you.  Since most of your classes in your first two years are within the Core Curriculum, you will continue to make progress toward graduation.