Changing majors is not the end of the world

After transferring to Bucknell University, Lehigh Carbon Community College alumna Mary Collier realized something wasn’t right.

Originally an accounting major, Collier found that the major wasn’t for her once she reached her upper-level courses. Instead, she opted to pursue something that fell more in line with her passions and changed her major to managing for sustainability.

Like Collier, many students change their majors. LCCC supports students who contemplate and later make the decision to change majors with advisors who are trained to guide them through the process.

LCCC advisor Christine Wargo sees many students who seek guidance for changing their major.

“It’s very common for students to change their major,” Wargo said. “There’s times where students need to change their major and they don’t, so I’m glad when they come to me to discuss it.”

Similar to Wargo’s eagerness to help students find the right career path, Collier found that her mentors and advisor fully supported her decision.

“Luckily, I transferred to a smaller university so I had a lot of support through this process,” Collier said. “Ultimately, this exploration process was guided by several faculty and staff members who helped me choose my new major.”

While Collier quickly changed her major for the better, she understands that some students may feel uneasy doing so.

“I think some students may be afraid because they view switching as they took courses ‘for nothing’ or they may be worried that they might need an extra semester or two to fulfill credit requirements,” Collier said. “However, taking courses outside of your major makes you a more well-rounded student and job candidate and there doesn’t have to be a set timeline on graduation.”

Wargo says she understands students worry about getting delayed, but telling them they don’t have to start from scratch helps alleviate their anxiety.