Going Undecided Can Be The Right Path

Do any students really know what they want to do after college? 

Of course, some people come out of high school with a singular dream and ambition, but most people are undecided. 

As time goes by and people change, so do their interests. Currently, the style of enrollment benefits those who declare a major right away and stick with it. Seldom are students able to experiment and change without drawbacks in terms of their graduation timeline. However, focusing on CORE classes, and starting with an undecided major gives students the necessary tools to make the most of their college experience before they pick a career path. 

“Undecided” is a somewhat odd way of labeling people who are taking careful consideration of their future. “I came to college uncertain of the path I wanted to take in life and unsure of my career goals,” Whitney Robertson, a sophomore who is now in political science but was undecided for her first year of college said.

She reflected the sentiment that many incoming freshmen likely face when they enter higher education. Instead of treating the CORE classes as chores to simply cross off, Whitney said, “[CORE classes] gave me insight into what I wanted to learn.” In Robertson’s case, it took a year to learn what distinction to choose. However, every student should have the option to take even longer. 

Many colleges already give students extra time to declare a major. Colorado College students declare their major at the end of their sophomore year, according to their webpage. This approach to education ensures that most students make a decision that they themselves are happy with. It can take away a lot of the stress and anxiety associated with the decision because each student has two years of experience personalizing their learning experience. 

Hopefully, in the process of finding interests and passions, the school will create students who become lifelong learners and leaders in their field. Psychologically trapping students into choices they made in high school is a specialty of the current college system. Being undecided is natural and should be encouraged. 

College is used as a place to arm students for the individualism and decision-making of the real world, but all too often the decision of a major is rushed and ill-informed. Reforming the entirety of the education system at MSU is not plausible, but you can utilize the CORE classes as a way to prolong your decision.