Finding the right path can take some time

by Lauren Dye, posted Dec. 15, 2009

What happens when students realize they are in the wrong major? What is the process to change a student’s major? How much extra time is needed to graduate?

These are some questions students have when deciding if switching majors is the choice for them.

“I would estimate in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources each semester around 30 to 40 students switch their majors to another track in CAFNR,” said Stephanie Dager, student services coordinator.

When a student decides to change majors within CAFNR, the process is simple. Students need to fill out a form obtained in 2-64 Agriculture Building. This form includes questions asking what their current major is, who their current adviser is and what their desired major is. After filling out the form, students must obtain their personal folder from their previous adviser and take it to their new adviser.

“Students and academic advisers told me to meet with the department chair to figure out the logistics of switching,” said Sami Jo Freeman, previous agricultural education major and current agricultural journalism sophomore. “After sitting down with Sharon Wood-Turley, I knew that switching majors would benefit me, and I had signed the proper forms in no time. It’s actually a very quick and painless process.”

It’s not required for students switching majors to inform their advisers before changing. However, advisers can help students by directing them to the proper contacts. Advisers understand if students are in the wrong major that it’s best for them to change.

“This fall, 57 students switched from CAFNR to other colleges throughout the University,” Dager said.

The process is a little different if students are switching schools within the University. Students need to go to the main office of the college they want to join, fill out a transfer form in their office, and if the major change is approved, CAFNR will be notified and students transferred.

“The biggest challenge with switching out of CAFNR into another college was meeting with both advisers and getting on the right page,” said Elizabeth Crane, previous agricultural education major and current elementary education freshman. “I had already created a four-year plan for agricultural education, but with the change I had to meet with the education department and see which classes would transfer and count toward that degree.”

Some students fear that switching majors will add time towards graduation and not allow them to keep on the four-year plan. Whether classes will be counted towards the new major is also a concern facing students.

“I just didn’t want it to add on a lot of time, but since I switched to agricultural education, which is also in CAFNR, it worked out really well,” said Brooklyn Shearer, previous agricultural journalism major and current agricultural education sophomore.

With so many students entering college with dual enrollment or advanced placement credits, staying on the four-year plan is being made easier, even if students switch majors.

“I only see it being a problem with not finishing in four years if students change majors late in their college career or switch multiple times," Dager said.

Each student has a different reason for switching majors.

“I came to college to further my communication skills," Freeman said. “After a semester, I wanted to specialize my communication skills to writing and photography, and I knew agricultural journalism was where I truly belonged. So, it was an easy decision once I realized what I wanted.”

Some choose to switch because of their interests.

“I felt that parks, recreation and tourism was more of the major for me because I like the outdoors, and I feel I can do this better in parks and recreation than I could with any other major, while still staying enrolled in CAFNR,” said Eran Shelby, previous agricultural journalism major and current parks, recreation and tourism sophomore.

Other students might feel that the major they are enrolled in will not allow them to live the lifestyle they dream of.

“I switched my major because, while I was agricultural journalism, I realized I didn’t want the rest of my life to be a deadline,” Shearer said. “Also, I wanted to do public relations for an agricultural company, but I want to live in a small town more, so I didn’t see the two matching up.”

Having dealt with many students, Dager has come to realize why she believes students change majors.

“I believe students switch majors because coming in they had no clue what they really wanted to do, or once they got into the major, they realized it wasn’t what they wanted to do,” Dager said. “Career choices are the main reason.”

Faculty within certain schools can force students to change majors if the grade point average is not met. Once students have been forced to switch, the chances of re-enrolling into that college are much slimmer.

In CAFNR to be an agricultural education major students GPA must be a 2.3 and an agricultural economic or agricultural business management major must obtain a 2.75.

Unlike other colleges, if students’ GPAs fall below the desired range, students are not forced to change. Instead advisers work with them to achieve the desired GPA. CAFNR faculty do take into consideration students wanting to switch into these majors whose GPAs are not in the desired range though.

On average, Dager said that students change majors four times in their college career, but within CAFNR this number is much lower.

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