College is expensive! Tuition is skyrocketing, the population of college students is skyrocketing, and most of these students are taking longer to graduate, adding to the cost.Many of these students have no goal or major in mind.Do most 18 year olds really know what they want to do for the next several decades? While students try to decide upon a major, they blow through their college savings and student loans. When they do graduate, many cannot find jobs, causing the youth unemployment rate to hit 10%. And then they cannot repay their loans.

High School graduates need to stop wasting their money (and their parent’s money) and their time. The growing culture of students attending college right out of high school needs to change. Often students enter college unprepared without a major in mind. We live in a society where many students are expected to attend college before they are ready. College tuition expert, Dan Johnston is one of the biggest advocates of waiting to attend college only when you have chosen a major. He says that starting college undeclared is one of the worst financial decisions a student can make. In a recent interview by Forbes he had this to say; “One of the most frustrating examples of bad college advice is: ‘If you don’t know what major you want, go as an undeclared student. You can decide on your major after a few basic courses.’” (Onink)

Another study done by Mymajors.com discovered that 50% of college students will switch their major at least once. This same study found that 40% of students in a four-year program will not complete that program in six years. (Ronan) This is a waste of time and money!

Going into college undeclared is not all bad. A study conducted at The University of South Florida found no correlation between grades and declaring a major. So, not choosing a major should not negatively affect a student’s GPA. (Kittendorf)

Contradicting some of these findings, my friend Alex changed major’s half way through her junior year at Gonzaga University. She made a dramatic change from biology/ pre-med to finance. Even though these majors are completely different, she was able to graduate on time last May. She discovered a passion for the study of finance that was missing with her initial pre-med track. I believe passion about a subject is what makes a difference.

If more students entered college with a passion guiding them, there would be better grades, better on-time graduation rates, and less unemployment among recent graduates. There would be less wasted time and less wasted tuition dollars. My generation could enter the workforce sooner as contributing members of society, with less financial burdens. Changes need to be made to our current education system. We need to provide more options for students once they graduate High School. Vocational schools, gap years, and helping young people find their passion are all important considerations. The students of the future would be happier and a good example for the next generation to come.

Sources

Kittendorf, Lorie Anne. “An Exploration of Undeclared Students ‘ Expectations of Experiences for Faculty Interactions and Co-Curricular Involvement.” N.p., Jan. 2012. Web. 9 Feb. 2017.

Onink, Troy. “Bad College Advice — the Undeclared Major.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 16 Dec. 2010. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.

Ronan, Gayle B. “College Freshmen Face Major Dilemma.” NBCNews.com. NBCUniversal News Group, 29 Nov. 2005. Web. 09 Feb. 2017.