Best Colleges for Undecided Majors– While some students in college are so certain about their career path in life, some are so confused and don’t know what they want to do. There are so many factors that could make a student to be undecided like environment, peer pressure, etc.
If you fall into the category of the undecided ones, there is nothing to worry about. You will be getting to know about 10 best colleges for undecided majors where you could study and get your career path straightened out too.
What is the Meaning of “Undecided”?
Undecided is simply a college student who has not yet chosen a major.
A major is simply that aspect of study which a student focuses on during their coursework in college. For example, a student choosing a major in engineering will take a lot of course work in engineering subjects, etc.
Undecided major is meant to serve as an interim between the time the students get admitted into college and when he/she finally decides the Major.
As a student, you must choose a major before you graduate from college, because it is what will determine what you will be doing with your life after college.
What kind of college is best for Undecided Majors?
Both research universities and liberal arts colleges are good for students that are undecided about their majors. Great opportunities are available for students in those colleges.
Liberal arts college runs flexible curriculum; such helps students develop basic skills needed to succeed at any career. Some of those skills include organization, planning, critical thinking skills, etc. After sometime in college, students can then decide on their major.
Research universities offer pre-professional programs and courses that prepares students for majors. Also, research universities offer a lot of majors, giving students lots of options to choose from.
10 Best Colleges For Undecided Majors
#1 Brown University
It is a private research university established in 1764 in Providence, Rhode Island. The university constitutes the college, graduate school, medical school, school of engineering and school of public health. Admission into this university is selective with an acceptance rate of 8%.
The university introduced open curriculum in 1969 which allows students to take courses of their choice. Students with undecided majors thus have opportunity to explore lots of options until they arrive at a major.
Brown university has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and is ranked the 5th best college in 2021 rankings by Times Higher Education.
#2 University of Rochester
The university was established in 1850 as a private research university in Rochester, New York.
The school comprises College of Arts, Sciences and Engineering, School of Music, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Business School, Graduate School of Education and Human Development.
The school is one of the best colleges for undecided majors. Undergraduates are usually required to complete a coursework in each of humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.
Students in their first year do not have to take general education courses, rather they take a writing seminar for a whole year! Students can thereafter choose a major and select two clusters, each cluster containing three related courses.
#3 North Eastern University
Northeastern university was established in 1898 as a private research university in Boston. The school offers both undergraduate and post-graduate courses on its main campus in Boston and satellite campuses in North Carolina, Washington and others.
The school offers undergraduate majors in 65 departments and 125 programs at graduate level. The university is categorized into colleges and schools and they include: College of Arts, Media and Design, School of Business, College of Computer Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Health Sciences, College of Professional studies, College of Science, College of Social Science and Humanities and School of Law.
The system of education at this university is interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial. Classroom studies is being integrated with experiential learning opportunities which includes; student research, service learning, cooperative education, studying abroad, etc.
The school’s Explore program furnishes the undecided students with all the resources that will aid them to make good decisions about a major. These students also get to receive mentorship from academic advisors, student’s leaders, alumni, etc. on choosing a major.
#4 University of Toledo
The university is a public research university established in 1872 in Toledo, Ohio. It is the 6th largest university in terms of enrollment in Ohio. The school offers more than 250 academic programs in a diverse and comprehensive range of studies. Admission into this university is open with an acceptance rate of 95%.
The university employs several methods to ensure the students have a total and complete academic experience. Some of these methods include study abroad, service learning, Honors college and undergraduate research.
The school has different opportunities to assist students in deciding on a major. One of such is the Undecided program, that allows students check out different courses through a custom course plan with their academic advisor. They receive guidance on different career possibilities and how they can achieve their dreams.
#5 New York University Gallatin School of Individualized Study
The school is a small interdisciplinary college established in 1972 within New York University.
Admission into this prestigious school is selective with an acceptance rate of 15%. Students of this school can get to design their own inter-disciplinary program that suits their interest and career goals.
Coursework can be taken from any of the schools at New York University in addition to the school’s courses too.
Students aside academic learning, participate in experiential learning like internships and study abroad, which helps broaden their thinking and connect classroom learnings to the real world.
#6 Amherst College
Amherst College was established in 1821 as a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. The college is the oldest higher institution in Massachusetts. It solely runs undergraduate programs for a duration of 4 years. Admission is very selective with an acceptance rate of 13%.
The college operates an open curriculum where students are at liberty to choose courses from the 38 majors offered in the college. Students are not required to take any mandatory course or fulfill any requirement. Students under the supervision of their advisors and instructors can get to design their own interdisciplinary major.
The college belongs to the Five College Consortium, which allows its students take lectures at 4 other pioneer valleys institutions; Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
#7 Grinnell College
The college was established in 1846 as a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, United States. It ranks as the 13 best liberal arts college in the United States.
In the first year of study, students take up a writing course which helps them develop presentation, writing and critical thinking skills. The open curriculum operated in this school gives students the opportunity to sample different disciplines till they can decide their major. And peradventure the opportunities presented are not satisfactory enough, students are free to create their own major.
At this college, classroom studies is being integrated with experiential learning opportunities which includes; student research, internship, service learning, etc. In fact, students receive funding for summer internship (unpaid and underpaid ones) and also professional development like conferences and so on.
#8 Hamilton College
Hamilton College was established in 1793 in Clinton, New York. It is a private liberal arts college that runs solely undergraduate programs. Admission into this college is selective with an acceptance rate of 14%.
Students have the liberty to choose from 57 areas of study or design an interdisciplinary major for themselves if unsatisfied with the available courses.
Hamilton college operates a flexible curriculum which allows students to select courses of their interests. However, students are required to take up three intensive writing courses and also a quantitative and symbolic reasoning course.
The college also offers study- abroad programs.
#9 Smith College
Smith college is a women’s only college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It was established in 1871 as a liberal arts college. Admission is fairly selective with an acceptance rate of 32 % and open to only women.
The college is a member of the five consortium colleges with other 4 colleges; Amherst college, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Students of each of these colleges are free to attend classes and also use facilities at any of the 5 colleges.
The school operate 41 academic departments and programs through an open curriculum. The open curriculum allows students to select courses of their interest without any basic requirement.
#10 Wesleyan University
It is a private liberal arts university established in 1831 in Middletown, Connecticut. Students do not take any compulsory courses. Students in their first year take First Year Initiative Seminars, that prepares them for higher courses. These seminars are centered around writing, analysis, discussion and critical thinking.
Students in their first two years of study are encouraged to take least two courses from two different faculties in each of these areas: humanities and arts, natural sciences and mathematics, and social and behavioral sciences.
Students can graduate with two or more majors or even a custom-designed major.
Final Note
It is not an offence to be undecided, but when you remain in that indecisive position, then there will be issues. You don’t have to stay back at home after high school wasting away in years because you don’t know what to do.
You can choose one out of the 10 best colleges for undecided majors that have been discussed in this article and get your career started.
I wish you all the best!
Reference
- Collegevine.com
- Wikipedia.com
Read Also
