What to Know About an Undeclared Major

As you prepare to go to college and think about how to choose a college major, you have probably heard the term undeclared major. Like many prospective students, you might have an academic interest or two, but you haven’t narrowed down a career goal enough to decide on a major. You’ve come to the right place.

In this guide, you will learn more about what it means to be an undeclared student, what some of the advantages and disadvantages are to being an undecided student, and how being undeclared can affect your academic goals.

What happens if you don't declare a major?

Can you go to college undecided? Yes. There are many points in time when a college student can declare an academic major. Prospective students can do it on their application, first year students can do it after taking a course or a few, but ultimately you don’t have to declare a major in order to enroll or start your general education courses. 

Deshan Mendis wrote about what being undeclared means for Shorelight, saying, “Enrolling with an undeclared major indicates that you have not yet chosen your major and are currently exploring your options. With an undeclared major in your first year, you will usually have to enroll in general education classes in different disciplines. In addition to learning about a variety of topics, you will gain prerequisites and credits in these courses that can count toward your major after you have selected one.”

While you do all that, you should take advantage of academic advising to help you make up your mind. The advising office will normally contact you to set up a meeting, but you can also find contact information for an academic advisor in the campus directory. 

Many colleges and universities offer a career exploration program, often through a university advising center, career development center, or office of career services, to help undecided students decide on a major. Programs and advisors like this can help you figure out your career options and which declared program will best ensure your student success and, eventually, your professional development.

Is it smart to go undeclared?

Let’s weigh some advantages and disadvantages.

Pros for Undeclared Majors

• Boost your GPA: Bradford Holmes and Caroline Duda wrote about a potentially big plus of starting out undeclared for U.S. News and World Report, saying, “If you have a competitive college concentration in mind, your academic profile – your GPA, in other words – will be key. If your high school GPA does not reflect your full potential and you would like to use your first year of college to correct this issue, it likely makes sense to apply as an undeclared major” 
• Get a head start: Mendis wrote, “You can prepare for your desired major earlier by taking prerequisite or related courses, helping you become more familiar with your major before you officially declare your degree program.”
• Explore the space: You may not have had enough time before applying to figure out if, say, social sciences is a better path for you than going into the health profession. Being undeclared gives you time to sort out your interests and aspirations and dive deep into what your college has to offer. 
• Looks better than you think: Choosing not to declare on an application can send a positive message. Admissions committees don’t necessarily expect every applicant to have their entire college career path mapped out, and they’ll appreciate that you are still curious enough to want to consider every option.