What are the Best Colleges and Universities for Students with an Undecided Major?
It’s common for high school and new college students to be undecided about what they want to major in during college. Even those who start college with certainty about their major often change their minds. Not being sure about what one wants to study is entirely developmentally appropriate! At the age of 18 or 19, students are still young, forming their identities, and have significant learning and growth ahead of them. Students will and should change during college. After all, that is one of the goals of education. Nevertheless, undecided students can experience a sense of uncertainty in the college search process.
I’ve published and spoken widely about my approach to guiding undecided students. My articles The College Search & Admissions Process for Undecided Majors: Advice From a University Dean and Navigating the College Search for the Undecided Stem Student and several interviews and podcasts directly address this question.
In this piece, I’ve tailored my insights on guiding undecided students by answering the question, “How do you select the best colleges and universities for students who are uncertain of their major?”. You can find additional resources to dive deeper at the end of the article.
What features should you look for in a school if you are undecided about your major?
To start, at the most basic level, students should only consider schools that offer all areas of study they may want to major in. After all, it makes no sense to attend a school that doesn’t have all of a student’s potential majors available.
After determining that a school does offer all the academic disciplines that interest a student, it is then critical to determine if all these majors are available for a student a) to explore and b) to formally pursue. Then, it is essential to look beyond the curriculum to see what support you could expect to help you figure out your major.
Feature 1: A flexible curriculum that allows students to explore a variety of subjects that interest them before declaring a major.
The ability to explore academic disciplines may be supported through the curriculum in several possible ways. One way is through flexible general education, distribution, or core requirements that expose students to a broad range of disciplines as they fulfill them. Many institutions have such requirements. For instance, at both Wellesley College and Williams College students must complete three courses in each of the three areas of language and arts, social sciences, and science and math, among others.
A second way a curriculum can be flexible is through an open curriculum: no requirements other than completing a major, a writing course, and a specific number of semesters of study and credits earned. In this model, students have the responsibility to use this freedom to thoughtfully explore their academic areas of interest. Examples of institutions with an open curriculum include Brown University and Amherst College.
There are also “open curriculum-like” schools with few requirements, such as the University of Rochester. At the University of Rochester, in addition to their major, a writing course, and a sufficient number of credits and semesters, students must complete a cluster of three related courses.
Although these are different models, they both enable students to take a range of courses outside their major, which may serve as an avenue for trying out various major fields of study.
Feature 2: Other curricular features, such as interdisciplinary or combined majors or programs and introductory courses that provide an overview of various majors.
Interdisciplinary or combined majors or programs that blend multiple fields of study can be an excellent option for students with varied interests. For instance, Northeastern University offers over one hundred combined majors. Examples include psychology and music, journalism and interactive design, mathematics and political science, and computer science and philosophy, to name just a few. Carnegie Mellon has several interdisciplinary programs, including BXA programs, which enable students to combine coursework in both creative and academic disciplines. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign CS+X program enables students to combine CS and possible major fields, including education, anthropology, advertising, and others. Many schools offer majors in the interdisciplinary field of science, technology, and society.
Some institutions also offer specific courses that students can take early in their studies and which provide an overview of various majors. For instance, the Introduction to Engineering course at Lafayette College helps students learn about the different disciplines of engineering and make informed decisions about their major.
Feature 3: All majors that might possibly interest a student are accessible.
It is critical to be aware that just because a major is available, it does not mean that a student can pursue it.
Be wary of schools that have majors and programs with limited space, usually designated as “impacted,” “selective,” or “limited enrollment,” and where a student may not be accepted into the major directly, requiring them to apply to after matriculation. In these cases, the major has competitive admissions criteria for entry such as specific major preparation or grades. For instance, the University of Maryland designates computer science as a Limited Enrollment Program (LEP) and is upfront that it is extremely unlikely that students will be able to declare computer science as a major at a later date. Likewise, Carnegie Mellon University is not a good choice for students who are not accepted directly into the School of Computer Science but who may want to study CS, and neither is John Hopkins University for students who are not accepted directly into the biomedical engineering (BME) major program but have BME as a possible interest. Another example is Wake Forest University, which limits the number of students who study business in the Undergraduate Business Program through a highly competitive application process during students’ sophomore year. And there are many more examples! Institutions with such programs are generally not a good fit for an undecided student, especially if the limited space majors possibly interest them.
Luckily, there are many schools where students can freely find their way into any major.
Special Considerations for Universities
Not being able to access a major is not often an issue at a small college since all majors offered by the college are available to students. However, at a university, students are usually - not always (see below) - admitted to a specific school, and this may limit their academic choices. For instance, a University’s School of Engineering houses the engineering majors, whereas its School of Arts and Sciences houses its arts and sciences majors. Typically, students are admitted to and enroll in one school with access to all of that school’s majors, but in some cases they may be restricted to a particular major within the school. For example, in 2020, students admitted to the Computer Science and Computer Engineering majors in the Paul Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington could choose to major in Computer Science or Computer Engineering but not a different engineering major within the Paul Allen School.
It also may not be possible for a student to choose a major offered by another school at their university. Being able to do so might require that the student switch (or internally transfer) to that other school at the university, if possible. It's important to uncover the answers to the following questions in advance of such a decision: If a student can move into another school at a university, what does that process look like? How complicated is it? Do students have to withdraw from their current school and reapply to the other school? What are the grade or course requirements to make a switch? How many students successfully transfer internally? In terms of classes, are students able to take classes in other schools? For instance, can students in a School of Engineering take art classes in the university’s School of Art? Or vice-versa? Note that universities vary widely regarding how restrictive or flexible the academic pathways are.
The most flexible universities offer single-door admission, which means that there is no need to indicate the school at the university a student is applying to at the time of application. Once enrolled, students don’t need to worry about switching between schools or parts of the curriculum, such as inaccessible majors or courses - everything is accessible. An example is MIT. At MIT, students are “admitted to the entire institute” and “free to choose from all of the majors, across all the schools, without any additional requirements or admission procedures.” A second example is Case Western Reserve University, where students “can explore the university's entire catalog of academic offerings across the schools of engineering, nursing, and management as well as the College of Arts and Sciences.”
Feature 4: Academic advising and career counseling services that assist students in exploring different majors and career paths.
Examples include:
Orientation programs specifically designed for undecided students to help them transition to college and explore academic options.
Specialized advisors for undecided students who can help guide them through the decision-making process.
Peer mentoring programs that connect undecided students with experienced peers or mentors in potential majors.
Opportunities to interact with advisors, faculty, upper-class students, and professionals from different fields and who can help students navigate the decision-making process.
Workshops, seminars, or programs focused on self-discovery and understanding personal strengths and academic and career interests.
Events such as major fairs or information sessions where students can learn about different academic programs.
Access to career assessment tools and resources.
Internship programs, co-op opportunities, or job-shadowing initiatives that expose students to real-world experiences in different fields.
Career counseling services that help students understand the connection between academic choices and potential career paths, such as alumni networking events.
Feature 5: Extracurricular opportunities such as clubs, organizations, and extracurricular activities can allow students to explore their interests outside the classroom and help them determine their major.
Examples include: Entrepreneurship clubs, hackathon teams, Debate and Mock Trial, engineering clubs, pre-professional organizations, political groups, and activism and advocacy organizations.
Feature 6: Formal exploratory programs are designed to assist students in their initial college years by providing a flexible and supportive environment to explore various disciplines before declaring a specific major.
Such programs include many of the features highlighted in this article, as well as possibly some additional ones, such as living and learning communities and residential housing for undecided students. Some example exploratory programs are:
The University Studies Program at the University of Delaware ensures that students are given the opportunity to explore the many majors available to them before choosing an academic path.
The Explore Program at Northeastern University includes many resources to help students test out their academic interests, connect with faculty and students in majors, and explore possible co-op and career paths.
The Exploratory Studies Program at North Carolina State at Raleigh is a comprehensive program designed to meet the needs of first-year students who wish to explore their options in order to find a “best fit” major.
The University Exploratory Program at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is intended for students who have no clear idea of which major to pursue and/or those who are trying to decide among majors that are not in a single College.
The First-Year Exploratory Studies Program at Drexel University is also designed to support students whose interests span multiple colleges and provide customized academic pathways.
What is the best college or university for undecided students?
The best colleges and universities for undecided students are schools with a campus culture that supports students’ academic exploration and helps them make informed decisions about their academic and career paths by providing some or all of these features.
If you’re interested in learning more, many other pieces I’ve written also provide insights about important aspects of the undecided college search:
University vs. College: What it Means for the Student Experience highlights the features of colleges and universities that support or inhibit undecided students.
Navigating the Competitive Landscape of Computer Science Admissions: An Expert’s Approach encourages students who do not have a clear direction in CS reflected in their activities, resume, and coursework or are uncertain about studying computer science and are genuinely interested in other disciplines to consider engaging in an undecided student-like search.
Myth-Busting Common Misconceptions about Computer Science Degrees shares the story of one of my former student’s paths from undecided to a computer science major.
Illuminating Your Path to an Engineering Major and Career shares some of my former undecided students’ paths to becoming engineers and provides insights into the features of their institution that supported their journey.
On the July 18, 2023, College and Career Clarity podcast, I answered questions such as: How crucial is it that students know exactly which engineering field they want to study, such as civil engineering vs. chemical or materials engineering? Does when a student starts their college search process help them get clear on their engineering interests? Which engineering programs are good matches for students who do not know what type of engineering they want to major in? I reflected on the podcast in the article Talking Engineering Admissions on the College and Career Clarity Podcast.
