Half of High School Graduates Switch from Their Intended Major by Second Year of College
New ACT Report Suggests Students with Good Interest-Major Fit are Less Likely than Others to Switch Majors
New ACT Report Suggests Students with Good Interest-Major Fit are Less Likely than Others to Switch Majors
Half of second-year college students end up declaring a different major than they had planned in high school, according to a new report from ACT. The report, College Choice Report: Part 3—Persistence and Transfer, is based on a longitudinal study that tracked college outcomes for 2013 ACT-tested high school graduates.
The findings suggest interest-major fit is an important indicator of whether or not students will stay with their planned major in college. Specifically, high school students who named an intended major that was a good fit with their interests were more likely than those who named one that was a poor fit to stick with that major in college (55 percent compared to 41 percent, respectively). While around four in 10 students had chosen a major that was a good fit with their interests, nearly three in 10 had selected a major that was a poor fit.
ACT research has shown that students who choose a major that matches their interests are more likely than those who don’t to remain in that major, persist in college and complete their degree in a timely manner.
“The findings reaffirm the importance of career exploration, counseling and a good decision making process when high school students are making plans for college,” said Jon Erickson, ACT president. “They also reinforce ACT’s contention that multiple dimensions of readiness should be monitored and developed as students prepare for success after high school. The ACT not only measures academic skills but also offers other information critical to the college and career planning process.”
ACT Interest Inventory results provide information about the types of careers and majors that match the student’s interests, using the ACT World-of-Work Map. Students complete the interest inventory when they register to take the ACT® test. The interest inventory is also a key component of ACT Profile®, the organization’s free college and career planning community.
“While experimenting with majors in college is not an uncommon experience for students, it can require a significant investment of time and money,” said Erickson. “The individualized insights provided by ACT Interest Inventory results can be very helpful in guiding students toward a major and career that will suit them as they plan for college.”
The study found that academic achievement level and certainty of planned major also impact planned-declared major consistency. Students with higher achievement levels were more likely than those with lower achievement levels to stay with their planned college major, as were students who indicated a higher level of certainty about their choice of major compared to others.
The findings also show that the frequency with which students actually declare their intended major in college varies significantly by specific majors and college levels.
Among the planned major areas with the highest consistency rates (55 percent or higher) are: business; engineering; repair, production and construction; and health sciences and technologies. Those with the lowest consistency rates (31 percent or lower) are: health administration and assisting; area, ethnic and multidisciplinary studies; engineering technology and drafting; and architecture.
In addition, four-year college students were more likely than two-year college students to declare a major that was consistent with their plans (50 percent compared to 41 percent, respectively).
Part 1 of the report was released in November 2013, while Part 2 was released in July 2014.