Going to college without a planned or desired major can be dangerous to the wallet. Many students who enter college without knowing what to major in might discover what they want to pursue while in school, but are undeniably at high risk of spending more time - and more money - in college.
While going to college without a clear plan might give students the opportunity to freely explore what courses and majors to take, experts advise being wise about doing so in order to keep studying without incurring high fees, reports U.S. News.
"It's best to conserve as much money early on as you're figuring all of that out in the process," Joseph Orsolini, president of Illinois-based college finance planning consultancy College Aid Planners.
Here are some expert tips for college applicants who still don't know what to major on.
Study at an affordable but good school
Those who don't know what to major in should study "on the cheap at a solid school," Orsolini says. This doesn't mean limiting one's self to public schools, though; another expert says that if a student receives financial aid, some private insitutions can be really good, too.
"Students shouldn't be afraid of the higher-priced school, because if they are eligible for financial aid they can bring their expected family contribution down," Jodi Okun, founder of California-based financial planning consultancy College Financial Aid Advisors, said.
Find a school that offers a variety of programs
Finding a school with a wide variety of programs helps to lessen the chances of losing credits if the student decides to transfer later on, says Orsolini. This will greatly help once a student chooses a major.
Take advantage of school resources
Students should take advantage of school resources aimed at helping the student pinpoint a career or major they will want to focus on. This will help the student declare a major earlier, which lessens the risks for overspending in terms of both time and money for college.
Twenty-one year old Wes Wilbur of Hamilton College, for example, took advantage of one of the school's noncredit courses and finally discovered what he wants. After realizing that his first desired major, psychology, wasn't for him, he spent his sophomore year not knowing what to pursue.
"My sophomore year, I had no idea what I wanted to do," Wilbur said.
After taking the course, he finally decided to major in economics, initially his second choice. He will be graduating in May and will pursue a career in Money Management.
