Tag: Career Advice

Choosing a College Major VS Undecided

Choosing a College Major VS Undecided

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While there are over 80 majors and minors to choose from at Loyola, believe it or not, one of the most popular majors in college these days is UNDECIDED! So don’t be afraid or embarrassed if that’s your current major of choice; you have plenty of time to finalize your choice during the first two years.  If you apply as a traditional Undecided student, you will be admitted to the College of Arts & Sciences which is home to most of the majors on-campus (but you can easily do an internal-transfer to the other schools should you choose a different major). Or, if you know you want to major in something related to business, you can choose the Undecided Business major so you’ll be enrolled in the Quinlan School of Business, but you’ll have time to narrow it down from there.

If you apply undecided, there are many different resources on campus designed to help you choose a major:

There is only one major at Loyola that is impossible to transfer into and that is Nursing. So if you are interested in nursing, be sure to indicate that on your incoming freshmen application, as you can transfer out but you cannot transfer in (even if it’s only your second day at Loyola and you started as a Biology major). You are able to transfer into any other major, so again, don’t be hesitant to apply undecided!

It’s more important to submit your application in a timely manner instead of waiting because you can’t choose a major. However, if you are certain which major you identify with, be sure to indicate that on your application, because all of our programs are direct-entry, so you are admitted to them and will begin in that program on you first day of classes.

All of our majors fall under these different undergraduate schools:

Good luck, future Ramblers!

 

 

 

Tips to Choosing a Major

Tips to Choosing a Major

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When I first came to Loyola I had one thing in mind, PRE-MED. Just like everyone else I thought I wanted to be a doctor which meant studying biology. But my journey to what my major now wasn’t smooth. I changed my major 5 times; from  Biology, to Physics, to Political Science, to Philosophy and finally stuck with Biology and Biophysics. I then added minors in math and art. The fact was I had no clue what I wanted to do when I came to school helped me learn something along the way.

Here’s what I learned:

1 – What would you do for free? – This was something that I really did not take into consideration when I first came to Loyola. Sure money is awesome but you can make money in anything if you really love it and you are good at it.

2 – Take advantage of the Core – If the core is frustrating you might be taking the wrong classes for you or looking at it incorrectly. There is so much offered at Loyola and you should always be able to find something that really sounds interesting.

3 – Move away from the parents – I think this is something everyone should do at least one point in their lives. It’s good to fail or flounder on your own. Through those failures you might find what you love.

4 – Don’t be afraid to take something weird – One of my favorite classes I have taken while attending Loyola was a jewelry making class. It was because of this class that I added my art minor and if anyone is looking at Dentistry I suggest this class.

5 – Follow your heart – If you can wake up happy to go to your classes senior year than you are doing the right things!

Talking to My Professors

Talking to My Professors

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Something I recently remembered from Freshman year: talk to your professors in their office hours.

I used to to this all the time. Here’s the deal, professors want to help you. If they had the time and energy they would give everybody one on one attention, they would. Because it is so rewarding for them to give in-depth help to individual students and watch them grow. They have a lot of experience and they are excited to share it with you.

Every professor has office hours, and I’ve never once been into a professors office and walked away unsatisfied. Whether you just want to learn more about something or are struggling with an assignment, professors at Loyola all seem perfectly happy to bend over backward to connect with you and make things work out.

Just this last week I was reminded of that. I used to make it a policy of mine to visit each professor at least once outside of class before the semester ended. It helps you get to know them and helps them get to know you. Recently I’ve been slacking, but now I’m back into it.

I stopped by my capstone director’s office to discuss my project with him and make sure we were on the same page. Not only did we come up with some very good directions for my paper, but I walked away with some really handy career advice from a seasoned PR guru. I’m looking forward to having his guidance as I leave college.

On the way out I ran into a professor from my last semester. She taught me Public Service Communication. In fact, she had just shown my group’s project to her class for this semester as an example. Her and I caught up and I learned more about her work with Africa Circle of Hope Foundation. I had just written a press release for the School of Communications (as a part of my internship there) about an exhibit they’ve co-sponsored at LUMA.

Then I stopped by another professor’s office, who also happened to be in and have a moment to speak. I had taken a class with her previously, and am in her class again now. We talked about the assignment I’m currently doing for her class, and it was really helpful. She also gave me some really good sources and ideas for my capstone project, and we talked about preparing for the future. I have a great rapport with her and always enjoy our conversations.

So seriously, talk to your professors. You will profit in ways you won’t expect, they will be happy to get to interact one on one with you, and your relationship with them will grow. Many professors I have had are still valued contacts, long after class ends.