There is a perception within higher education that students who start college without a declared major are less likely to persist. This article includes a brief summary of the literature related to persistence and undecided/exploratory students.

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undeclared, undecided, David Spight

Perhaps one of the biggest student misconceptions is that choosing a major locks students into one career for the rest of their lives...Rather than picturing the selection of a major as locking them into one career, students should be encouraged to see it as unlocking a number of career opportunities.

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career advising, major choice, undeclared, Kyle Bures

At Georgia Southern University, Peer Academic Advisors (PAAs) help make the major exploration process more enjoyable and less stressful for students.

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decision-making, intrusive advising, proactive advising, major choice, undeclared, undecided, first year students, peer advising, Ellen Murkinson

With retention and graduation rates increasingly a part of the conversations on our campuses, the question as to whether an early choice of major will lead to timely graduation keeps surfacing... So, what is the answer?  Does an early declaration of major mean that a student is actually more likely to graduate “on time?”

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retention, graduation rates, career advising, major choice, undeclared, undecided, David Spight

Many advisors work with students who are exploring, either initially or after a first (or second) choice of majors doesn’t work out; other advisors work with students who have chosen their major.  It is common that both of these types of students don’t know what career they wish to pursue.  How can advisors adequately help students explore and commit to a major or career choice?

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theory, undeclared, undecided, Kyle Ross, career advising

Undeclared, undecided, exploratory:  whatever we call it, students often feel pressured to “be” a major, make a decision, clear a clean and direct path to a career, and become what they were “meant to be”… As advisors guide their advisees throughout the process of declaring a major, it can be helpful to ask the right questions, as well as be a source of support.

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major choice, undeclared, Sarah Kyllo, undecided