Congrats on applying to college! You’re one step closer to becoming a Gamecock. As a first-year student, the pressure of choosing a major can be very overwhelming. As a senior in high school, I felt obligated to have a plan, and know what I wanted to do coming into college. Because South Carolina offers hundreds of areas of study, I felt completely lost and struggled to pinpoint what I wanted to do. I got accepted into USC planning to major in something that I wasn’t really passionate about.

Thanks to my advisors and orientation leaders at New Student Orientation, I learned that I not only had options, but most importantly, I wasn’t alone. About 80 percent of college students across the United States change their major at least once throughout their time in college. Becoming an undeclared major allows students to find their right academic path and learn more about everything the university has to offer. In other words, it’s taking time to find yourself and learn what passions you really want to pursue in life.

As an undeclared major, you will be assigned an undeclared academic advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences. Your advisor is there to answer your questions and help you stay on track to graduate on time. They will help you choose from hundreds of classes and find a schedule that benefits you. It’s a requirement that you meet with your advisor at least once each semester, but they are always available and willing to assist you with anything you may need along the way.

All undergraduate students are required to meet the Carolina Core curriculum, which will allow you to find potential majors that span throughout all of the colleges at the university. Carolina Core is designed to give each student a wide variety of exposure ranging from scientific literacy to aesthetic and interpretive understanding. So, with all of this being said, choosing the undeclared major is always an option to you. The choice allows you to get out of your comfort zone and explore majors that could be your right fit. Good luck on your admissions journey. Go Cocks!