By Andrea Candrian
If you haven''t declared a major yet, then you are not alone.
Even though 2,509 students have an undecided major, that does not include those students who are still unsure about their already declared major.
Nathan Walch, 21, a sophomore majoring in psychology, from Burbank, Calif., said now that he is back from his mission he is rethinking his major.
'Go on a mission,' Walch said. 'Grow a little, so you can come back and realize that what you started with isn''t for you.'
The Career Learning Information Center and University Advisement Center, both located in the Wilkinson Student Center, have valuable resources that can help those students narrow down their search for a major, said Rachel Murdock.
Murdock, 21, a senior majoring in psychology, from Austin, Texas, recommends people who are unsure of their major should come in and look at lists of all the majors on campus.
'If they have no idea what they want to do, then they can just go through the whole list of all the majors,' Murdock said. 'If they decide they are interested in them, they can highlight them. If they don''t like them at all they can cross them out.'
Murdock recommends students do further research with the academic MAPs.
'The MAPs are the main academic plans,' Murdock said. 'It has a list of all the classes to take to graduate in that major. If you don''t like the classes, then you won''t like the major, and you won''t like whatever job you do with it.'
To further aid students in the searching process, the CLIC holds a workshop titled 'Choosing a Major and Career.' The next workshop will be held Feb. 5 at 10 a.m.
The workshop is aimed at helping students use resources to understand the career development process and the steps necessary to make informed decisions about their major and career, Murdock said.
Students can also take a variety of tests to assist in their decision.
Discover, one of the most popular tests, helps students assess their interests, values and abilities through an online test.
Students can call the CLIC and receive a password to access the test from any computer with the Internet.
From that they can discover the career, major and job information that is suitable for them.
Student Development 117, a career exploration class offered every semester, allows students to earn credit while seeking a career.
Alberto Puertas, academic and career adviser, encourages students to come talk with an academic counselor if they have questions about what to major in.
'We don''t choose for them,' Puertas said. 'It''s their own decision. Nevertheless, we provide guidance and structure in a way that they can work with to make an intelligent and wise decision.'
An average of four or five students come in every day to get council on their majors.
However, that number has reached as many as 30 at the beginning of the semester, Murdock said.
'Choosing a major is not a decision that you should make in five minutes,' Puertas said. 'It is a decision that requires patience, gathering good information and more important, knowing who you are and the divine potential that you have.'