How often did you change your major in college?

[kib]

I switched majors once, from pre-med psychology to a general business degree, oddly never choosing the area in which I might actually have had some talent - English or perhaps journalism. I then went on to have jobs in science, banking and law. I think I absorbed the idea that you don't want to be constrained (by a boss) in an area you wish to pursue with passion and abandon - like perhaps an artist wouldn't want to pursue a degree in fine arts, fearing being constrained by a career in marketing. Later in life I found this attitude depressing, I came to see it as betting against myself - maybe I could have had a career as a writer that wasn't based on someone else's demands, and in any event I think it would have been easy to feel competent and possibly more assertive if I picked something I actually had confidence about. If ornithology is the passion, I'd say pursue it!

[Chicken lady]

I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, so i got a bs in early childhood education, with honors. Minor in psych, concetrated in learning and child development. Then I didn't get a public school job, and the state I graduated in required two years in a supervised program in a public school to get an actual license. Then i moved to another state where I was considered completely unqualified having never held a license. so I spent four years in training for a job I didn't ever have.

I now teach pottery. I should have majored in art. Or math. Or Plants. I don't even know what "plants" is called. Or marine biology. I took a marine biology course once and it was fascinating. I mean, basically it wouldn't have mattered. I did learn what the "bs" was for in education though! Homeschooled my kids.

Oldest double majored in architecture and art Ed. Dropped the teaching program two weeks into her first public school student teaching.

Second one double majored in some kind of math I don't understand and math Ed. Dropped the teacher certification after his first classroom placement (still has the math Ed degree - he's qualified to write textbooks) got a job in IT starting in june, and is picking up a computer science minor in his next (final) semester as a side effect of learning how to do his future job.

Both graduated in 4 years.

Baby is majoring in graphic design and minoring in business. She actually wants to go into marketing. She wanted to double major, but there isn't enough overlap and she'd have to do a 5th year.

[Williamsmith]

Started in engineering......decision was driven by predictions of high wages and peer pressure. Found out I wasn't technically minded enough, committed enough or interested enough. Floundered around on academic probation and changed majors to a general agriculture degree........farmer. I wanted to homestead. Got a serious case of mononucleosis (probably due to my wild activities ) and quit college. Returned to a different college one year later. Transferred about half my credits and finished with a degree in Resource Management. Park Ranger. Wage expectation.......low. Personal interest....high.
Finished on the five year plan and I am sure like you, my mother was thinking........what is going on.

Then to cap it all off......I spent a 25 year career in a field that I had no interest in and didn't even need a college degree for but I was in need of a paying job that would support a family. Now that I am retired......I am looking back to my roots.

My advice......he will figure it out, it is really normal, and let the slack out on the line. I know it is hard to do. My daughter changed majors three times before settling in accounting where we thought she belonged in the first place.

[Gardenarian]

Once; I switched from Physics to English when I was a junior. Too many uppity men in the physics dept. I wish I had known the term 'mansplaining' then - I was mansplained right out of there :/

[cdttmm]

Started out as an international relations major, changed to biology, then German, then music. Graduated in 4 years with a double major: music and linguistics. Never worked in either field. Went on to get a graduate degree in business and then later a graduate degree in positive psychology. One of my students asked me yesterday what my next graduate degree is going to be in -- I haven't even decided yet, but clearly my love of learning is showing.

[goldensmom]

I never changed majors but added classes and ended up with 4 undergrad majors. Only one graduate major, however, as it was too hard while working full time and I was just tired of going to school.

[bae]

Once. I switched from majoring in physics to a custom major of statistics, electrical engineering, computer science, and physics. With a minor in classics.

[Williamsmith]

I think those who change majors often in college make for better more committed spouses or partners......hey I'm sick of change.

[JaneV2.0]

I never switched majors, but kept adding them: English writing, Spanish, Romance Languages, sociology...If I had stayed for another term or two I would have graduated with all kinds of degrees. Looking back, I just chose to study what came naturally to me--mostly useless stuff. There are so many more interesting courses of study today--and I did go back and get certificates in Technical Writing and Editing--that I would undoubtedly do things very differently. My career, such as it was, didn't require a degree. I'm not sure any job I've done did--maybe my technical editing internship. But I managed to support myself pretty well, and I can't discount that.

[Chicken lady]

Hey williamsmith, some of us just know what we want up front! - 25 years and ticking....