Lauren Mabrie
The Corsair
The word “major” in college is probably known to be one of the scariest words in college, or is it? What is all the hype about?
According to Dictionary.com, the definition of a major is “a subject or field of study chosen by a student to represent his or her principal interest and upon which a large share of his or her efforts are concentrated.”
“Choosing a major is probably one of the most difficult tasks I had to do,” said freshman at Pensacola State College, Jordan Hayes.
Hayes chose the Radiography- AA so she would know what prerequisites she would need to take in order to get in to the program.
Hayes contemplated her whole senior year of high school on what major she should choose so she would know that she was not going to be wasting her time on classes she did not need.
Monique Collins is the coordinator for the Center for Advising and Career Services and she said, “Yes, students need to choose a major for two reasons. Number one is financial reasons.”
If you are attending Pensacola State on scholarship then you must choose a degree so the state or whoever is lending the money knows that the student is not wasting the money they are given.
“The second reason is that choosing a major gives the student direction,” says, Collins. If the student comes in with no direction they are considered “anglists”, and that does not help the student to get in to their desired job or career.”
Collins and her team understand that choosing a major is a big decision and a really hard decision too, but in order to help pin down a major for financial and directional needs, Pensacola State offers career planning to students. Career planning is “to help the student to make an informed decision earlier.”
According to collegeparents.org, 60 percent of students will change their majors at least once. Like Hayes, entering students should start researching the majors and meeting with the Career Planning Center that Collins and her staff have provided for the students.
Spencer Fulton, Pre- Physical Therapy major, said, “I chose this major to fulfill the prerequisites of my career choice.”
Many students make the choice themselves to go in knowing what they are going to be needing because they do not want to spend longer than they have to at school.
So what about the students that do not choose a major? Most students that are non-degree seeking students said Collins, “are here for either their career, maybe just taking a class to help them to expand on their career or refresh their minds, or they are transient students just taking a class to take back to their school.”
Word to the wise: Choose a major you are comfortable with and run with it.