For some, going to college with predetermined goals and aspirations is easier said than done.
Even with the traditional expectation of graduating in four years with a bachelor’s degree, more students are switching paths to decide where their passion truly lies.
When art exploratory sophomore Michelle Campana graduated high school, she believed she was better off than most students. With dual enrollment credits, which satisfied the majority of her general requirements, already on her transcript, she was able to focus on classes she believed to be necessary toward her future.
“Initially I went into college a semester ahead,” Campana says. “I wanted to do museum studies, but I would be in school much longer and would never be able to pay off all the student loans by myself.”
Student debts also play a role when determining whether to attend a community college or a university.
“To avoid taking out a student loan, I originally went to Scottsdale Community College and received a Pell grant, which covered the entirety of my tuition,” says Abigail Lynch, another art exploratory sophomore. “Now that I have transferred to ASU, I had to take out a student loan because it no longer covered the tuition fully.”
Tuition expenses are beginning to take a toll, says Lynch, stressed about debts from the upcoming semester. She goes to school all day, then works each night, and free time throughout her day is limited — a common routine among ASU students.
Students who are unsure about what they want to focus on in college may discover that less expensive alternatives, such as community college, are more rewarding.
However, Casey Self, University College's director of academic advising, says that students who enter college undecided generally have the same success rate as those who are declared.
“We usually get seven to 10 percent of the ASU freshmen class who begin as exploratory students,” Self says.
Exploratory students are required to declare a major by the time they complete 45 credit hours.
Instead of becoming undecided, Campana decided to look at her future from a more realistic perspective.
Originally a studio arts major, Campana says, “I just did not feel the passion in what I was doing anymore. I always thought a business degree would be useful because I would be able to do anything with it.”
It is not unusual for students to switch their focus, but as the semesters progress, they may discover it's more difficult to recover the lost time.
“Since I am switching to become a photo major from a journalism major, I am required to take all my studio classes at once to graduate on time,” Lynch says. “Usually students in photo take two studio classes a semester... My days are going to be a lot longer because all studio classes are three hours long.”
Although the process may cause a headache, “I am now more likely to go to class and enjoy what I am learning,” Lynch says.
Reach the reporter at mptanabe@asu.edu
