The Change-up

How to decide on a new area of study

Find out what is out there—what programs are available to you –look at university program calendar

Clarify career goals and work backwards to help find a program that will support your future career vision

Think about your interests—which electives do you like? What did you like to study in high school?

Visit the campus books store- which books would you actually want to read in your spare time?

Take an interest inventory like the Self Directed Search at your career centre to help identify interests

Audit a lecture to get a taste of what the program might be like

Visit a departmental website—speak to departmental advisors and/or to find out about the program

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Information provided by Yvonne Collins and Nathanial Jewitt, career counselors from the career centre at Carleton University

1. Make a Pros and Cons list to help you better decide whether or not switching it up is the right choice

Pros:

-Potentially better grades

-More engagement and interest in university studies

-May be better aligned with career goals sooner

-Happiness

Cons:

-May have to justify to parents and friends why you have decided to make the switch

-Could add time to your degree which may cost more money

-Could add to pressure to stick with new program choice

2. Signs that a student is probably in the wrong program

The Student:

-Has sought academic support (study skills, essay writing, exam preparation help etc) but is still not performing well academically in courses in their program

-Is excelling academically in elective courses more so than courses in their program

-Is not motivated to attend courses in their program

-Is not relating as well with other students (have different interests) in their program as those in their elective courses—feel like a fish out of water

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ARB Team
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