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4 common misconceptions about picking a major

When you’re headed to college, you might think you need to have a solid plan for your major, your career, and your future life. Take a look at these four common misconceptions about college—they might surprise you.


  • Author: Staff
  • Published: March 16, 2020
  • Author: Staff
  • Published: March 16, 2020

Major misconception #1: “I shouldn’t go to college until I know exactly what I want to major in.”

Calvin is a particularly great place to discover the best major for you. Why? Our approach gives you experience in a wide range of areas. Start off by taking a wide variety of classes in subjects that interest you. You’ll quickly narrow down your interests as you explore different fields. And those classes aren’t “wasted” if you don’t major in their subject—they usually still count towards graduation.

Major misconception #2: “Calvin might not even have what I want to study.”

Calvin is big enough to give you a lot of choices (over 100) and small enough to give you a close intellectual community with a great student-to-faculty ratio (13:1). It’s also easy to mix and match majors, minors, and programs.

Major misconception #3: “I won’t do anything ‘real’ with my major until I graduate.”

You want to get out in the field as soon as possible. Calvin’s Career Center is ready to prepare you for an internship related to your major. Many of your classes will present you with real-world challenges and opportunities. And you can put your skills into practice through our many student organizations.

Major misconception #4: “I won’t have time for music, art, or other interests because they aren’t part of my major.”

You won’t want to miss out on the astonishingly creative community in the arts at Calvin—and you don’t have to. You’ll find psychology majors participating in theater productions, business finance majors adding a studio art minor, and mathematics majors leading worship.

  • Author: Staff
  • Published: March 16, 2020

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