Key Takeaways:
- Most students have to declare a college major by the end of their sophomore year or the start of their junior year.
- Students may declare their major earlier to apply for competitive programs or access advanced courses.
- Choosing an intended major in high school helps you find the best college for your goals and interests.
Debunking common misconceptions about getting into college.
As an undergraduate student, you’ll generally have to declare your college major by the end of your sophomore year or beginning of your junior year. However, some competitive programs may require you to state your major before you even apply to the school. In this article, we cover everything you need to know about choosing a major in high school, deadlines for declaring your area of study, and whether you should wait to select yours.
What Is a College Major?
A college major is the area of study a student is focusing on. For example, if a student wants to become an accountant, they’d major in finance, accounting, or similar and take courses related to those subjects as determined by the college. A future biologist might focus on a biology or organic chemistry major.
There are hundreds of areas of study to choose from, and many colleges allow students to design their own major or pursue double majors. The selected major directly impacts the type of degree the student receives.
Intended Vs. Declared Vs. Undecided Majors
There are generally three stages of majors – undecided, intended, and declared. Here’s a quick overview of what they can mean:
- Undecided: The student could have ideas on what they’d like to study, which they may have discussed with the college, or they have no idea what they’d like to pursue.
- Intended: The student thinks or knows what they’d like to major in, but haven’t yet made it “official” according to the school’s procedures.
- Declared: The student has declared the major with the school, allowing them access to limited and advanced courses. They may decide to choose another area of study if they discover they don’t enjoy their declared major.
When Do You Have to Declare a College Major?
Most colleges require students to declare their major by the end of their sophomore year or the beginning of their junior year. At this point in their education, students should be finished or finishing with their general education requirements and ready to focus more on their major and minor courses.
Many students declare their major even earlier, especially if they know what they’d like to study. Colleges often restrict access to advanced courses or classes with limited space – they’re only open to students who have declared for that subject.
However, you might have to declare your major before you even go to a college if you’re applying to a competitive program, such as theater or engineering. These programs often require separate applications, and it’s not easy to switch to them at a later date if you applied with a different intended major or as an undecided student.
When Do You Choose a Major in High School?
You should try to have at least an idea of what you’d like to major in before you apply to colleges, as this information will help you narrow down the list of schools you’re interested in. It also allows the colleges to provide you with tailored information about their degrees, clubs, and other aspects of campus life that might interest you.
High schoolers generally apply to colleges with an intended major or as an undecided student. If you’re applying to a competitive program, such as engineering, you’ll likely have to declare your major before you submit your application.
Should You Declare College Major as Soon as Possible?
When you declare your major is completely up to you. There are some situations where it’s best to wait, while other times you’ll need to choose one quickly.
In most cases, you’ll want to apply to colleges with at least some intended majors in mind. It helps you find schools that fit what you’re looking for. For instance, you don’t want to be on the fence between biology and English, go to a school with a limited biology program, and then discover you’d like to major in biology over English. Instead, you can find a college that has excellent English and biology programs.
You’ll want to declare your major before the school’s listed deadline if you’re applying to a competitive program or it’s required to access advanced classes. Of course, you can also declare your area of study if you’re positive that’s what you’d like to pursue. Keep in mind that, in most cases, you’re not married to your declared major – you can switch, even if you’ve already taken a majority of the required courses. In fact, many students change their major at least once.
If you apply to college as “undecided,” that’s completely okay, too! It shouldn’t affect your admissions chances.
Tips for Choosing a Major
If you’re not quite sure what you’d like to major in, follow these quick tips to help you choose an area of study:
- Consider what interests you. What are you passionate about? Our hobbies and interests don’t always translate directly to careers, but there’s usually overlap. Exploring your strengths and pursuing a major that inspires you keeps you engaged in college and excited about your future career.
- Keep your goals in mind. You might have an idea of what you’d like to do after college, such as opening a business or working with nonprofits. Your goals can point you to the best majors.
- Compare majors and careers. Sometimes a major relates directly to the career. For example, criminal justice is a common area of study for police officers. However, criminal justice isn’t the only major option for lawyers. Consider your intended career and explore what they studied to get a better idea of what you need to pursue.
- Take classes that interest you. If you’re not sure what you’d like to study, start taking classes that call to you. Whether that’s a French 101 class when you know zero French or an astronomy course when you loved astronomy as a kid, signing up for these classes helps you better understand your passions and strengths.
Before you declare your major, you want to explore and compare various areas of study and career fields. It might just help you choose a school, too! Use College Raptor’s Major Search tool to start reviewing various majors, the best colleges and universities for each area of study, career options, and more.
