Society often expects that a high school graduate who is set on going to college is aware of what their major and future career will look like. Regardless, many college freshmen experience feelings of uncertainty in deciding what kind of degree to pursue, especially considering the numerous career options emerging in recent years as technology expands. 

According to U.S. News and World Report, about 12-14% of students enter college with an undecided degree worldwide. In the United States itself, the University of South Florida confirms that those statistics are dramatically higher at a whopping 20-50% entry rate with an exploratory major. It turns out that it is not as uncommon as society might think it is. Nor is it impossible to attend a prestigious university with an unsure decision. 

Although high school students often spend their adolescence exploring interests through academic courses, clubs, and other extracurricular activities, they still might feel that they have not found something they are passionate or excited about. A multitude of high school seniors believe that they are running out of time when it comes to choosing a major, only making their situation more stress-inducing. 

Yet, students tend to feel pressure to choose a major as fast as possible, which often leads them to rush their decision and choose an unsatisfying major and even worse, a miserable occupation. 

Others might enter with a specific major despite uncertainty, and then end up switching majors later on. In fact, The University Of Tulsa reports that research from the National Center for Education Statistics confirms that an estimated 80% of college students switch majors at least once.

This means that a wide majority of university students, even the ones who thought they were confident with their initial major, change their mind at some point. Being set on a career from early on does not mean that there is not a possibility of coming across a better option. 

Many college freshmen also feel that entering with an undeclared major puts them at a disadvantage. While this can be true to a certain extent, college students usually take general courses and get electives out of the way during their first few semesters even if they have a declared major. This ensures that once they make their final decision, they will be ready to focus on all the requisites for their major requirements. 

Plus, the first year of college is a perfect time to further explore interests when taking various introductory classes. By taking introductory courses, there is time for students to explore different fields while still completing their required courses, ensuring that time is not wasted.

Ultimately, entering college with an undecided major is completely normal.