{"id":1778,"date":"2020-10-30T21:29:15","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T20:29:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.englishforums.com\/blog\/?p=1778"},"modified":"2020-10-30T21:29:15","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T20:29:15","slug":"10-tips-for-changing-your-major-mid-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/10-tips-for-changing-your-major-mid-year\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips For Changing Your Major Mid-Year"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Changing a major is not an uncommon situation. In reality, it is quite the opposite \u2013 many students understand that they need a change during their studies.<br \/>\nWhy is this so common? Well, many students go to college right after high school, which means they are from 17 to 19 years old. And it is pretty difficult to make such a huge decision at such a young age. No one is particularly mature at this point in life.<br \/>\nSecondly, people change. And their interests change, too. It is better to switch courses mid-year than end up with a degree that you won\u2019t use. We\u2019ve gathered tips and tricks based on personal experience, stories or friends and relatives, and professionals\u2019 from the <a href=\"https:\/\/essaypro.com\/\" rel=\"dofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">best essay writing service<\/a> advice. Here is what to consider when changing a major.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Risks You Might Face<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although many students do it, it doesn\u2019t matter that the process is easy and fast. It will probably be tiring and sometimes annoying, but the result is worth it. According to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nces.ed.gov\/pubs2018\/2018434.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the report<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the National Center for Education Statistics, about 33% of students change their major at least once during their Bachelor\u2019s studies. And 10% of students do it twice. Ohio University<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/exploration.osu.edu\/Breaking%20Up%20Is%20Hard%20to%20Do\/Changing%20Majors%201.14.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> statistics show<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the same percentage.<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the reasons is the growing <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2012\/11\/04\/education\/edlife\/choosing-one-college-major-out-of-hundreds.html?_r=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">number of possibilities<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Only in the US, there are more than 1,500 educational programs one might attend. The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.apu.edu\/undergraduate-admissions\/majors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">number of majors<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has grown significantly in the last 15 years. And college is the place that broadens one\u2019s worldview and helps to learn about other opportunities. Maybe you didn\u2019t even know that there were other options when you declared the major. The common risks of such a decision are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Losing scholarship if it was major-specific;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spending more time in college (depending on when you are choosing another program, you might need to do a couple of additional semesters);<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additional tuition costs. If you\u2019ll have to extend your college stay, it will result in more expenses. Each new semester means more money to pay;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you apply to highly competitive program just for sake of it, your request may be declined;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might not meet the minimum academic requirements for a particular program in your university and then you\u2019ll have to transfer to another college.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But if you feel it in your guts \u2013 then it is time to make a move.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tips on the Process of Changing College Programs<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1. Try to find the real reason.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not an easy choice to make. That\u2019s why it takes a reasonable time to consider. Make sure that you do not do it because of stress or anxiety. Maybe this particular university is not suitable for you, but the program is what you actually want. Give yourself time to think about it in detail.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2. Explore the possibilities of the new major.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you dive in, be sure to learn more about the major you\u2019ve selected. Ask industry experts about their experiences, research online, and maybe look for any practical experience in the field. Of course, you can change the major once more but it is better to be sure.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3. Talk to your advisor.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As soon as the decision is final, consult with the advisor. They can help with the deadlines of declaring a new major (you\u2019ll have to fill in documents and file a request). They also will help to create a new schedule and meet educational demands. It is the most effective way to smoothen the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4. Prepare to talk to your parents.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They probably won\u2019t be very enthusiastic about it, especially if they paid a part of your tuition. Prepare an argumentation of why it is vital for you. Eventually, they will understand and accept your choice, just be aware that this conversation wouldn\u2019t be easy<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5. Check out scholarship requirements.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are the scholarship requirements related to the major or not? If you lose the scholarship, start searching for a new one to apply for, even if it\u2019s next year.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6. It is fine to change your program mid-year.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main rule to remember here is you have to apply before the deadline. Each university has its own rules and regulations in this regard, so learn them on the website or through an advisor.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7. Make sure that your credits will transfer to the new program.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the time, the first 60 credits (about two years of college) are general subjects that are often transferred completely. If you are transferring to another college at the same time, request a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) and degree audit. It is necessary because the programs differ in various schools.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">8. Consider graduating in this subject as a minor.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will be especially useful if you\u2019ve already finished a course paper. Your Advisor can help you with this, too. There is no need to waste years of hard work. If you are changing majors after you\u2019ve finished the paper, make it your minor.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">9. Do not stop attending classes in the transferring process.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They still count and you might lower your GPA, which will impact whether you are approved or not to the new program. Even if you do not feel like it matters anymore, it sure does.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">10. Get excited.<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019ve filed all the paperwork and got your application approved, it is time to get excited. Now you are going to pursue the desired degree, meet new people, and have fun!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Summary<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Transferring to a new program might be a difficult and tiring process. But if you\u2019ve made such a decision, you know exactly what for. Make sure to prepare all documents in time, check scholarship requirements, talk to an advisor, and transfer all previous credits.<\/span><br \/>\n<em>Please be advised that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog are solely that of the author or his\/her sources and do not necessarily reflects those of English Forward. This includes, but is not limited to, third-party content contained on or accessible through the English Forward websites and web pages or sites displayed as search results or contained within a directory of links on the English Forward network.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Changing a major is not an uncommon situation. In reality, it is quite the opposite \u2013 many students understand that they need a change during &#8230; <a title=\"10 Tips For Changing Your Major Mid-Year\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/10-tips-for-changing-your-major-mid-year\/\" aria-label=\"More on 10 Tips For Changing Your Major Mid-Year\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1779,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_generate-full-width-content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[293,295,297,305],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1778"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1778"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1778\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.englishforward.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}