As seniors looking to attend college, we have had to make many difficult decisions over our last year of school. First, it was: Where are you applying to college? What scholarships are you applying to? What is your college budget? And then: Where are you going? And finally: What’s your major? Now that the year is finally coming to a close and all of these questions have been answered, we decided to take a look at the class of 2025’s major decisions. For this study, we interviewed 216 out of 256 graduating seniors; of those 216, 179 are attending college and are represented on this pie chart.
By far, the largest category shown on this pie chart is “undeclared,” with 22 students. Many people consider this to be a smart choice, as it gives you many options for your undergraduate degree. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 1/3 of undergraduates change their major at least once. Starting college as an undeclared student could be beneficial, as it will allow for more flexibility when exploring potential paths.
While there were many majors with only one or two students, 15 seniors are pursuing business, making it the most popular major. “I want a wide range of job opportunities.” Said senior, Madeline Chatfield, when asked about why she is choosing to pursue a business degree. “I can go into finance, marketing, entrepreneurship, etc. I just have the flexibility to work in multiple industries.” Business may be the perfect degree for students who want their degree to give them options.
While some students like to keep their options open, others have much more specific careers in mind. Senior Kaia Caldwell is planning on going into automotive technology. “I’ve always loved cars, the way that engines work just makes sense to me, and I wanted to do something that I knew I would always enjoy.”
So juniors, sophomores, and freshmen, what will your major be?
