By Anna Mayes
Elm Staff Writer
The deadline to declare your major is Oct. 12. Picking a major can be tricky. It can effect your entire future. As scary as it is to commit to a certain collegiate path, there are many benefits to declaring your major early.
What is the declaration process? Students get a major/minor declaration form that then goes to the head of the department they want to major in. They talk to the department head and get their signature on the form and then turn that form into the Registrar’s Office. The earliest a freshman can declare their major is in the spring semester.
One thing professor of English Dr. Robert Mooney thinks is a common mistake students make when considering their major is neglecting to keep an open mind. “First year students, especially, should experience widely, observe sharply, consider deeply, and, that done, go with their gut when it comes to committing to a major,” he said.
Sometimes students can feel pressure from their parents to go into a field that they aren’t necessarily interested in. Dr. Mooney said that students should be guided by their interests and passions. “If they love a field of study, and invest themselves in mastering it, they will take that passion and expertise to a happy life,” he said.
Many students like to declare early so that they can meet people who are on the same track that they are and get to see other perspectives and ideas. Senior Molli Cole is a political science major and she declared her major the first semester of her sophomore year.
“I am really glad that I declared early. I wanted to have an advisor that would help me take the path that I needed to be on,” Cole said. She also said that it was nice to meet the other students within her major.
Some students like to declare early for the organization aspect. Sophomore Julia Lado is an English and business management double major and she declared early this semester. “I am the type of person who likes to be very organized. I do my best to line up my distribution requirements with my major requirements,” she said.
Since she is pressed for time, Lado wanted to get to know her advisors early and quell her worries. The earlier your advisers get to know you, the better they can help you not only meet major and distribution requirements, but also help you find courses that peak your interests.
There are other benefits to declaring early. For example, music majors can recieve free lessons in their primary instrument once they officially declare their major.
Additionally, it can help a student can graduate earlier. That means less student loans and a quicker start to grad school or a career. Regardless of your reason, declaring early can allow you to get a head start and take classes that help you fulfill your major requirements.