Davidson Honors College Students Prematurely Declare Major Studies Prior to Entering College

Author

Noah P. Hill, University of Montana, MissoulaFollow

Graduation Year

2019

Graduation Month

May

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

School or Department

Biological Sciences, Division of

Major

Microbiology

Faculty Mentor Department

Educational Leadership

Faculty Mentor

Kaetlyn Cordingley

Keywords

Major, Advising, Prospective Students, Davidson Honors College

Subject Categories

Educational Methods | Higher Education | Higher Education Administration | Other Education

Abstract

Choosing a college major is one of the most important decisions a student makes during the course of his or her academic career. While local and national trends suggest that it has become popular for high school students to declare a major prior to entering college, it is unlikely that 17- and 18-year-old students are adequately prepared to make decisions that affect not only their college experience, but also their long term vocations. Data obtained from a small sample of graduating seniors at the Davidson Honors College at the University of Montana suggests students may benefit from waiting to declare their major until after matriculating in postsecondary education. Students who declared a major prior to entering college reported feeling they had declared a major that did not reflect their interests and that they lacked an understanding of which major best helped them achieve their long-term career goals.

Honors College Research Project

1

GLI Capstone Project

no

Recommended Citation

Hill, Noah P., "Davidson Honors College Students Prematurely Declare Major Studies Prior to Entering College" (2019). Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts. 236.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/utpp/236