First- and second-year students signed up for their chosen majors and got a piece of cake on Major Declaration Day.
Just before spring break, Central first-years and sophomores had more on their minds than just studying and writing papers for midterms. They were also preparing to declare their majors. On March 5, officially Major Declaration Day, hundreds of underclassmen gathered to sign their names on the dotted lines at their chosen major table—with free cake as an added perk!
Nearly two-thirds of Central’s first-year students are undecided about their major when they arrive to campus. This figure is in line with national statistics; 75 percent of American college students start their college careers as undecided or change their major at least once. But no worries, Central has got you covered!
At Central, students who start with the exploring designation can still graduate in four years—the same as the rest of the student body. Students are not required to declare a major until the second semester of their sophomore year.
That’s where Major Declaration Day comes in. Every year, Central gathers all the academic departments in Maytag Student Center. All students need to do is find the right department, declare their major and grab a piece of celebratory Central cake!
“I came to Central with an idea of what I wanted, but I could take my time and explore the options,” said sophomore Elisabeth Swe after declaring her biology major. “For a lot of students, it’s really great for them to have the extra year to figure out what they want to do.”
There are plenty of faculty and staff at the ready to help first-years and sophomores with their decision. It’s easy to talk to the class dean, an academic advisor, professors or even Central’s Career Center about the options.
Figuring out what to do in life doesn’t have to be that stressful when Central is involved—in fact, exploring classes at Central can be the most exciting part of the first two years of college. And it can’t be bad when the big decision comes with cake!
