A Major Dilemma

By: Dasha Jackson

Students at the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses agree that time is money when it
comes to switching their majors but are willing to pay the price to follow their
passions.
Ever since the first years of adolescence, children have been asked one timeless question
that tops them all: What do you want to be when you grow up? Dreams of becoming the next
Bruce Lee, Superman or even the worlds first rapping preacher no longer seem feasible upon
entering college. And with tuition expenses increasing every year, all students can do is hope they
pick the right major, one that will reflect their interests and give them a better chance of
succeeding. But what happens when students arent sure about the route theyve chosen? KSU
student, Jordan Lynch, 22, had dreams of following in her familys footsteps to pursue a business
degree, but those dreams soon took a backseat when she changed her major to public relations.
Farther down Interstate 75 South at SPSU, 21-year-old Rodney Dennis switched gears to pursue a
degree in electrical engineering as opposed to his previous study, electronic engineering. To ensure
students start out with the right major, its going to take a nationwide community and institutional
effort to provide students with all the information they need to pick a major thats ideal for them.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a whopping 80 percent of
college students in the United States change their majors, which isnt surprising. For generations
the college system has been twisting students arms to pick a major now that theyll carry around
for the rest of their lives. Whos to say theyll feel sure about this very permanent and very
expensive choice later down the road through all of lifes changes? Imagine choosing one flavor of

ice cream as a child and being confined to it forever based off how tasty it sounded at the time;
sounds impossible.
Lynch, now a senior, didnt pick her ideal major the first time around. I have a whole year
of classes that meant nothing, she said. She entered college knowing she wanted to follow the
same path that many in her family followed, so studying business management seemed like the
right move. My entire family was in business, so I chose that, but I didnt like it because it didnt
allow for creativity, Lynch said. Little did she know, many college students have been in the same
predicament as her in the battle between pleasing the parents while still finding a fulfilling career
path. Tuition has skyrocketed within the last 30 years, so parents have begun advocating for certain
degrees, which is why Lynchs parents were all for a business degree. I didnt even know what
public relations was, but it sounded right up my alley, Lynch said. My parents were concerned
about the kind of money Id make, but they supported me. She has already landed a full-time
position as an executive travel director for Aimia Inc. Im glad I took my own route and found
what I love to do, Lynch said.
Dennis, at the Marietta campus, always knew he wanted to be an engineer, but didnt know
what concentration to pursue. A former student at Savannah State University, Dennis chose
electronic engineering before he heard about the many more opportunities hed have making the
minor switch to electrical engineering. The only dilemma Dennis faced was that he would have to
graduate later, because his new major is a five-year program, which equals more money. I dont
think professors give real-life educational skills for real-world problems, Dennis said.
Merely offering career assessments to align interests with occupations are no longer
enough. High schools should get a jump-start on educating students about job descriptions, their
growth rates and salaries through courses or workshops. Theres not much a transition between

high school and college, so uncertainty about the future sets in, and students are left thinking,
What now? To help them start off with the right major, it would be beneficial for KSU to require
all attendees to see an academic advisor every semester, not just freshmen. This would keep every
student up-to-date with planning their academic futures, and would advise them about their options
and limitations. This way, students would save a significant amount of money, time and effort
instead of sticking with a major theyre miserable with. As Confusius once said, Choose a job you
love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.