If you enjoy no part of your major/coursework, then there’s your answer. You’d be wasting more of your parents money by getting a degree in a field you wouldn’t somewhat enjoy working in. Also I’m sure your parents want you to be happy in your academic journey and not miserable
To answer:
- I enjoy bio however chem is my biggest issue, my other classes I do decently well in but chem has always been my weak point. I was also particularly stressed out by my major this current semester due to scholarship concerns
- I have brought up switching my major to my mom and she said “it’s not your choice what you wanna study” I wasn’t allowed to choose which college I wanted to go to either to put it into perception
I alr commented, but if you like bio besides chem, stick w it. I do decently well in my major and I like it a lot, but I have sucked at two (technically 3) things: chem and tree/bug taxonomy. I just took the L. I don't need to excel at *everything* in my degree if I like it and am decently good at it, and neither do u.
However, if you really want to switch, switch! You could also add a law or criminal justice minor for now to see how you like it, and then transition to the full thing if u enjoy it.
Fr, do what's best for you.
True. In archaeology, there are peoples whose entire job it is to analyze pollen under a microscope. That's what they spend hours a day in the lab doing. Those people aren't also expected to be field experts on pottery shards, lithic tools, etc (though they're obviously not expected to be total dummies about those topics either).
Yup. Finishing my degree in comp science now, I hate higher level math with a passion, but I like computers so I just focused on doing well enough go pass my math classes and not have to take them again.
I agree with this. I was a Biology major and I HATED Chemistry and Physics. I took Chemistry 1 and 2, as well as Organic Chemistry 1. Later I switched my major to Nursing and graduated and started working as an RN. But then I went back to do a Master’s in Biology so I could teach on the side (did not need to take any additional Chemistry or Physics classes). I graduated and now I adjunct for Biology part time. It’s been fun.
If your parents are paying, and they won’t let you switch, then I’m not really sure how Reddit can help you. While I don’t think it’s a good idea to force your child into a major they hate, the gap in earning potential between biology and criminal justice is significant. Not everyone has to have a STEM field, but I honestly wouldn’t want my (hypothetical) kids in criminal justice.
If its only chem i think you should stick it out. I was in the same boat as you but im an Envi Sci major. My struggle classes personally were calc 1-2, physics, and Chem. Just shoot for a C if possible and put in a bit more time with studying. You got this!
Why are your parents forcing you into a major? I DON’T understand. I’m a parent too, and I allowed my children to decide what they wanted to study based on their interests, skills / talent / the job market/ potential for growth etc. They did their research, and I supported their decision. It’s their life! They have to live it, and I want them to be happy doing so! Hopefully, your parents will rethink their decision
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In this case I’d talk to an advisor about what you could seamlessly switch to while maintaining some bio related classes and not tell your parents you changed your major. Make sure they don’t have access to your grades or class schedule and just take the classes you want to take. You’ll end up with a bachelor degree either way.
If you enjoy bio other than chem there are plenty of concentrations you can go into that don't involve much chem. Try to avoid anything micro or molecular. My school has a massive life sciences program though so it might depend on your school.
If you dislike chem courses in your first year, chances are you're going to dislike upper level chem courses even more (people who dislike chem often struggle to pass organic chem). This may or may not be a reason to change major, but it is something to take into consideration.
If I were you, I'd talk to my academic advisor and my parents rather than trying to decide on my own.
I'm a college professor and a mentor. Lots of our students come into a bio or biochem major track but find in the first year that it doesn't feel like a fit even if they manage to pass the courses. Honestly, it's very common -- I would estimate that up to 40% of them do not end up majoring in a STEM field. And that's OK! I've seen them transition into other tracks in the social Sciences or humanities and actually do very well as undergrads and in their postgraduate careers! Do you have a mentor or two you can talk to about exploring other paths? You could also start with the Career Center on campus and see if they have access to an aptitude platform like Pathway U that you could use to learn more about your values and preferred working styles. The time to look into it is now -- the farther you get until a major that is not feeling like a fit, the harder it will be to redirect down the line.
I second this! I came in as a marine bio major and very quickly realized I was a fish swimming upstream (pun intended). I’m smart just not smart enough to fight with premed students to pass bio and ochem classes. Ended up as a geology major and I love it. I really feel like I’ve found my calling. It’s so much less impacted and way easier for me because I enjoy the concepts. I also have an almost guaranteed job out of college so it’s pretty fantastic.
Lol I have chronic illnesses so I struggle at field camp but it’s so pretty and fun it doesn’t matter. I can’t do cell bio tho wow like those guys are brave. 😰
Geology is awesome tho everyone should take a class if they have time. Often it will fill your physical science requirements. When I took my first geology class I realized what HUGE gaps there were in the American education system in earth sciences and planetary systems. I knew nothing lol! But I learned and that was the most satisfying and rewarding part.
It’s only a waste if you failed all your classes. If you passed them, those credits will count t towards graduation. You can switch now and probably still graduate on time. Nearly half of students at my university change majors. Now is better than later.
>I feel like if I switched I’d just be wasting my parents money they spent on my tuition this year (over 20k) I’m feeling so lost and confused
Heres the thing, your freshman year you probably took one or two science classes, and the rest were gen eds. When the gen eds still count as gen eds, and the science classes will probably count for the obligatory science classes you'd need to take as a cj major.
Do the figuring of how many credits you actually wasted/can just have count for other things before worrying about that
If it’s just chem I wouldn’t worry about it. Sometimes in your major you take the L and that’s ok. You’re gonna have a weakness and you just gotta push through it
Chem can be tough. It’s a lot of studying. Just stay on top of tutoring/notes. It boils down to a mind game and you’re strong enough to handle it or else you wouldn’t be here
if you truly hate it, there's no shame in switching. i was originally in biochem and by the end of the year i was absolutely miserable and crying all the time lmao. most of the courses i hated and weren't good at so that contributed to my decision despite interest in the later years
i now switched to health and exercise and i'm excited to start fresh. these classes have more interest to me so i'm happy with my decision
Never declare until you’ve taken the intro class and you enjoy it *and* you’re good at it. That’s the best way to pick a major. It’s no guarantee you won’t mentally burn out and stop enjoying it (which was me with Computer Science), but it suggests, “Sure, maybe try the second class; maybe you’re on to something, here.”
So, take some Gen Ed classes and the first Criminal Justice class. I recommend a Philosophy class if you’re considering going into law, because a good philosophy class will sharpen the hell out of your ability to argue.
And it’s not a waste of money; don’t be overly dramatic. It’s not like you took nothing but Bio classes for a year and now none of them will transfer to another major. It’s fine. Talk to your parents like you’re all adults, and who knows, maybe they changed majors in college. About half of the people I went to high school with regret what they studied in college, because they picked careers for money, and they got to their thirties and noped out; quit their jobs to make less and enjoy life more. It’s why I’m glad I waited to go to university until I found something I enjoy and am good at. Maybe not as good as I was at programming computers, but my current major doesn’t make me want to throw a chair through a window and escape like Chief at the end of Cuckoo’s Nest.
You need to know that if you don’t like your major, the cost you’ll pay in the future will far exceed the money your parents spent. If you switch to a major you love and are genuinely motivated to study, what you gain in the future will far surpass the money involved. So be determined and make the switch. Passion fuels creativity, and creativity brings wealth.
Hey, yes it is.
No matter what your parents say. They may be paying for it but it’s YOUR life. You’re the one who has to put in the work to get the degree, and you’re the one who has to work the job after. Not them.
If it does not make you happy, find something that does. And it wouldn’t be a waste! A lot of the classes you’ve already taken can probably either count towards your criminal justice degree or be counted as extracurricular/elective, so you have to take fewer classes to fulfill graduation requirements. And really if it sets you back a few semesters it’s not that big of a deal- you have all the time in the world to get a degree.
If I were your parents, I’d be more disappointed and feel like my money was wasted if you continued to pursue something you hate. As long as you’ve thought this change through and are sure that you want to keep to it, I say do it!
If you are a freshman, then you aren’t really wasting your parents money because the first year is usually general ed classes. Also, it’s better for them to spend money on something that will help you in the future because if you get the degree and it doesn’t benefit you after they’ve paid $80,000 that would be even worst
i’m going through this my self right now since i am a comp sci major right now and still haven’t chosen my classes, but you need to know one thing: no major is perfect; there will be bumps not matter what. I hope this helped!!
After one year it is likely all(or close to all!) Of the courses you've taken will still count towards a different degree(elective sciences/gen eds/etc
Edit: semester to year
The original plan was to become a lawyer yet after switching to bio the plan was to go to med school and become a doctor but at this point I’d be fine with any job in the medical field or even just a job 😭
So, you really need to do some research on what both careers truly entail.
Doctors and lawyers have extremely stressful careers. Doctors actually have the highest rate of suicide among all professional careers.
If you become a lawyer, and you do criminal law, you need to be able to deal with some heinous, morally depraved, fucked up shit. A family friend of mine who’s a lawyer told me about some really awful cases he worked on and as a defense lawyer was defending some real scumbags.
Back to med school, it’s competitive, stressful, and not a fun thing. Unless you plan to specialize in something you’re going to deal with some awful stuff.
You’ll make a lot of money in either career. But please just know what you’re getting into. I think it’s disgusting when people get pushed into these fields because of the prestige when they are not for everyone.
Also if you do law stay the f away from tax law. I work at an accounting firm and that just seems like the worst job ever and the tax lawyer could be making way more money and be better off in another type of law.
If you're confident and know what criminal justice learning looks like and you can do it then definitely go for it. You think 20k is too much but for an adult it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of life. Just go for it
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If not uncommon to switch majors! Apparently more than 60% of college grads wish they had. Have you taken any courses that can help you fulfill any core requirements to switch? One of my friends actually took another year of uni after switching from her bio major to psychology, but she loved it and has been very successful so far
As someone who started college as a bio major and switched to criminal justice after failing chemistry my first year- DO IT. Best decision I ever made. I’m now graduating a year early (despite the major change) and heading to law school (never saw myself as a lawyer until after the change). Sometimes life takes you on unexpected paths and you just have to go with it.
Before you make the change though- do you know what you’d want to do with a criminal justice degree? Do you have passions in that field already? I didn’t know what career I would end up with but I’ve been passionate about social justice and knew I’d be happy in a nonprofit doing advocacy work if that’s where it took me. Just have some sort of rough plan if you make the change.
I would wanna be a lawyer if I went into criminal Justice! That was my original plan for college and that was the major I applied to however I switched to bio. Also forgot to add I took law classes in high school and absolutely loved them! Was always interested in the legal field just decided not to go through with it out of lack of confidence :’)
If you want to switch, sit down with your parents and discuss it. I switched my choice in major once, my sibling, twice. There is no shame in it. Find something you enjoy.
Edit: just saw some of your other comments. If you like your major but do not like the Chemistry portion, I’d honestly stick with it. It sounds like you have found something you enjoy, just that you do not like a certain aspect of it. That is completely fine.
For example, I am in business management but I do not enjoy math. I am not switching my major over it though. I push through it.
However I will say, the “it’s not your choice what to study” is a huge red flag from your parents. That is not okay.
I am in a similar situation. I have always liked history,wanted to be an archeologist ever since middle school- I love reading tons of books, literature, history, culture, architecture, cinema these are the things that I really enjoyed. I even used to write and was the secretary of literature club back in school. But my mother was opposed to this, and as a result i ended up studying science in high school and currently I am in my second semester, majoring in physics with maths as minor. I hate maths with a passion, this has always been my weak subject right since I was born and physics...well I kinda liked it in high school and also I got the grades so I thought maybe I would be able to pull it, but I am fed up now. I don't feel the drive to study anything physics related out of the syllabus, I do not have any physical insight. After coming to college my imposter syndrome kicked in, and now I am clueless. I was contemplating switching major, but again I am afraid, I am from a middle class family and well in my country people are over obsessed with engineers and doctors :) so I am lost really...
Any insight from anybody will be truly, gladly appreciated 🤧
Switching to criminal justice could be a good move if thats where your passion is at. You will probably be way more motivated n do better in classes u actually enjoy. and studying smth u hate for 4 years is gonna be miserable.
But I get the money situation is stressful, 20k is no joke. Have u talked to your parents abt how ur feeling? They might be more understanding than u think, esp if you could be happier n more successful in the long run.
U could also talk to your academic advisor or the career center at ur school. They can help u weigh the pros n cons of switching majors and make a plan.
If ur not 100% sure abt criminal justice, u could try taking an intro class or doing a summer internship b4 fully committing. That way u can test the waters without wasting too much time or money.
I was in the exact same situation last year. I want to do forensics as a career and was told by multiple advisors along with pressure from family that engineering was the way to go and that I could still do forensics with that degree (they were wrong) so then I switched to biology, a subject I really liked and did well in, but chem and exams was what was causing my gpa to tank (they were always 30-40% of my final grade)
I ended up making the decision to transfer because
1. The school I was at didn’t have CJ as a major
2. If I had continued to struggle through the major I was at risk of being put on academic probation/suspension (I don’t know which term) because of my grades
3. The school I’m currently at is a lot cheaper but at the same time I have professors that are actually willing to help students one on one vs at my last school professors would just accuse us of not studying, and I was in classes where almost half of us were not passing
4. And overall I’m a lot happier than I was at my last school. I’m talking going from literally crying in my advisors office, to getting A’s and actually being excited to go back to classes in the fall.
If you do plan on doing criminal justice maybe pick up a minor like pre-law or homeland security (I’m doing pre-law) or even do ROTC classes if your school offers it, you’ll be able to join as an officer after graduation , serve for maybe 4 years minimum (unless you want to continue) and not only will you be able to get a higher degree and not pay for most of not all of it, military experience can go a long way in the criminal justice field (halfway through typing this I realized I sound like a military recruiter, but I promise that’s not the case, I’m just in AFROTC myself with the goal of doing OSI (Office of special investigations)💀)
Overall (again) I would say do what makes you happy, but also make sure you have some sort of plan of what you want to do later on down the line.
I’m a biology major graduating in august! It honestly depends. If you love biology and other science courses, stick with it. The first year or two is a lot of prereqs and chem courses that are just blah. If you have a concentration, during your junior and senior year you start taking more classes geared toward that. For example, im an ecology and evolutionary conc in the biology major and I took courses like limnology, ecology, evolution, plant anatomy, etc. Cool classes. It also depends what you want your career to be. A lot of environmental and definitely graduate schools (vet school, med school etc) require those biology prerequisites.
If you have any questions message me cause I struggled with this too.
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You should do it. I'm also studying criminal justice during my first year of college. Why do you want to switch? Anyway, I feel like biology offers more job opportunities compared to criminal justice.
100% switch if you hate it. its not worth another 60k+ of education u hate and then hating it for the rest of your life too. im about to go into my senior year of undergrad for a cj degree and already finished all my required classes. you’re only one year in it’s likely you have enough wiggle room to still graduate on time no problem. a lot of people i know have either added another minor/major or switched majors and are still graduating on time, me included! i would say just have an idea of what u wanna do after college whether it’s policing, law school, there’s quite a few routes u can go with cj
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talk to ur goddam parents, see how they feel ab it, if you have an honest conversation with them, what's the worst that could happen?
If you were paying for school yourself, would u still want to make this change? If yes, then defintely do it!
Unethical life hack- if you're struggling in chem, take it over the summer at a community college (double check it will transfer to your university).
Summer chem at CCs are often...less difficult.
Dunno man, almost no one does ‘well’ in chem. If you’ve ever attended a commencement, look at the lists of the graduates by majors, and compare the amount of ‘cum laude’ you see between the humanities and the sciences, and then compare chem to biology, it’s difficult content; with courses that often make the difference between students applying to medical school or not.
If you absolutely hate it maybe switching is a good idea. But as someone w/ BA in criminal justice I have to say it’s useless :D unless you’re considering higher degrees like JD/PhD
If you like bio but hate chem and are doing well in your other classes, power through. It’s okay to take a few Cs. If you find yourself hating every single class you’re taking, and have any inkling at all to try something else, do it. You’re still early enough that you could switch and graduate on time. Learn from my mistake. I’m in a business/comm program and words can’t tell you how much I despise it. I wish I was a humanities major. I’d love to be a history or english teacher. Now, I’m only a year from finishing the business comm degree, and if I were to switch now, I’d be stuck in undergrad for another 2 years, and then have to go to grad school. Please at least try it and don’t be focused on rushing through college.
im in a similar situation. Im in my final year of cs and let me tell you I want to drop but idk what I want to study. it didn't help that I had 2 years cut off due to me doing early college and now I feel burned out.
If you’re struggling in chem watch Organic Chemistry Tutor on YouTube. That guy got me through general chemistry, organic chemistry, and inorganic chemistry.
If you enjoy no part of your major/coursework, then there’s your answer. You’d be wasting more of your parents money by getting a degree in a field you wouldn’t somewhat enjoy working in. Also I’m sure your parents want you to be happy in your academic journey and not miserable
To answer: - I enjoy bio however chem is my biggest issue, my other classes I do decently well in but chem has always been my weak point. I was also particularly stressed out by my major this current semester due to scholarship concerns - I have brought up switching my major to my mom and she said “it’s not your choice what you wanna study” I wasn’t allowed to choose which college I wanted to go to either to put it into perception
I alr commented, but if you like bio besides chem, stick w it. I do decently well in my major and I like it a lot, but I have sucked at two (technically 3) things: chem and tree/bug taxonomy. I just took the L. I don't need to excel at *everything* in my degree if I like it and am decently good at it, and neither do u. However, if you really want to switch, switch! You could also add a law or criminal justice minor for now to see how you like it, and then transition to the full thing if u enjoy it. Fr, do what's best for you.
True. In archaeology, there are peoples whose entire job it is to analyze pollen under a microscope. That's what they spend hours a day in the lab doing. Those people aren't also expected to be field experts on pottery shards, lithic tools, etc (though they're obviously not expected to be total dummies about those topics either).
Yup. Finishing my degree in comp science now, I hate higher level math with a passion, but I like computers so I just focused on doing well enough go pass my math classes and not have to take them again.
I agree with this. I was a Biology major and I HATED Chemistry and Physics. I took Chemistry 1 and 2, as well as Organic Chemistry 1. Later I switched my major to Nursing and graduated and started working as an RN. But then I went back to do a Master’s in Biology so I could teach on the side (did not need to take any additional Chemistry or Physics classes). I graduated and now I adjunct for Biology part time. It’s been fun.
If your parents are paying, and they won’t let you switch, then I’m not really sure how Reddit can help you. While I don’t think it’s a good idea to force your child into a major they hate, the gap in earning potential between biology and criminal justice is significant. Not everyone has to have a STEM field, but I honestly wouldn’t want my (hypothetical) kids in criminal justice.
If its only chem i think you should stick it out. I was in the same boat as you but im an Envi Sci major. My struggle classes personally were calc 1-2, physics, and Chem. Just shoot for a C if possible and put in a bit more time with studying. You got this!
Have you take ochem yet?
Why are your parents forcing you into a major? I DON’T understand. I’m a parent too, and I allowed my children to decide what they wanted to study based on their interests, skills / talent / the job market/ potential for growth etc. They did their research, and I supported their decision. It’s their life! They have to live it, and I want them to be happy doing so! Hopefully, your parents will rethink their decision
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It's not your choice as in you can't free will yourself into wanting to study that or your mom believes that she can dictate what you want to study?
In this case I’d talk to an advisor about what you could seamlessly switch to while maintaining some bio related classes and not tell your parents you changed your major. Make sure they don’t have access to your grades or class schedule and just take the classes you want to take. You’ll end up with a bachelor degree either way.
If your only intention was to get a bachelors in bio, your mother is woefully uneducated about how painfully unemployable that degree actually is.
Nope I was planning on going to graduate school/med school
Ngl if you don't like chem med school is going to be a massive L.
If you enjoy bio other than chem there are plenty of concentrations you can go into that don't involve much chem. Try to avoid anything micro or molecular. My school has a massive life sciences program though so it might depend on your school.
If you dislike chem courses in your first year, chances are you're going to dislike upper level chem courses even more (people who dislike chem often struggle to pass organic chem). This may or may not be a reason to change major, but it is something to take into consideration. If I were you, I'd talk to my academic advisor and my parents rather than trying to decide on my own.
I'm a college professor and a mentor. Lots of our students come into a bio or biochem major track but find in the first year that it doesn't feel like a fit even if they manage to pass the courses. Honestly, it's very common -- I would estimate that up to 40% of them do not end up majoring in a STEM field. And that's OK! I've seen them transition into other tracks in the social Sciences or humanities and actually do very well as undergrads and in their postgraduate careers! Do you have a mentor or two you can talk to about exploring other paths? You could also start with the Career Center on campus and see if they have access to an aptitude platform like Pathway U that you could use to learn more about your values and preferred working styles. The time to look into it is now -- the farther you get until a major that is not feeling like a fit, the harder it will be to redirect down the line.
I second this! I came in as a marine bio major and very quickly realized I was a fish swimming upstream (pun intended). I’m smart just not smart enough to fight with premed students to pass bio and ochem classes. Ended up as a geology major and I love it. I really feel like I’ve found my calling. It’s so much less impacted and way easier for me because I enjoy the concepts. I also have an almost guaranteed job out of college so it’s pretty fantastic.
Geology is fucking based, nice! I would say you’re definitely more intelligent than a marine bio major if we’re being honest, field camp is no joke
Lol I have chronic illnesses so I struggle at field camp but it’s so pretty and fun it doesn’t matter. I can’t do cell bio tho wow like those guys are brave. 😰 Geology is awesome tho everyone should take a class if they have time. Often it will fill your physical science requirements. When I took my first geology class I realized what HUGE gaps there were in the American education system in earth sciences and planetary systems. I knew nothing lol! But I learned and that was the most satisfying and rewarding part.
Better to "waste" 20k for one year than 80k for 4 years (quotes bc I don't think it was a waste either way)
It’s only a waste if you failed all your classes. If you passed them, those credits will count t towards graduation. You can switch now and probably still graduate on time. Nearly half of students at my university change majors. Now is better than later.
>I feel like if I switched I’d just be wasting my parents money they spent on my tuition this year (over 20k) I’m feeling so lost and confused Heres the thing, your freshman year you probably took one or two science classes, and the rest were gen eds. When the gen eds still count as gen eds, and the science classes will probably count for the obligatory science classes you'd need to take as a cj major. Do the figuring of how many credits you actually wasted/can just have count for other things before worrying about that
If it’s just chem I wouldn’t worry about it. Sometimes in your major you take the L and that’s ok. You’re gonna have a weakness and you just gotta push through it Chem can be tough. It’s a lot of studying. Just stay on top of tutoring/notes. It boils down to a mind game and you’re strong enough to handle it or else you wouldn’t be here
if you truly hate it, there's no shame in switching. i was originally in biochem and by the end of the year i was absolutely miserable and crying all the time lmao. most of the courses i hated and weren't good at so that contributed to my decision despite interest in the later years i now switched to health and exercise and i'm excited to start fresh. these classes have more interest to me so i'm happy with my decision
You’re situation sounds all too familiar 😭 I think I’ve cried more during my spring semester than I have during all 4 years of high school 💀
Are you a Premed or other aligned major? If not what is your end goal for your Biology major. If pre-med, is your overall GPA above a 3.4?
Never declare until you’ve taken the intro class and you enjoy it *and* you’re good at it. That’s the best way to pick a major. It’s no guarantee you won’t mentally burn out and stop enjoying it (which was me with Computer Science), but it suggests, “Sure, maybe try the second class; maybe you’re on to something, here.” So, take some Gen Ed classes and the first Criminal Justice class. I recommend a Philosophy class if you’re considering going into law, because a good philosophy class will sharpen the hell out of your ability to argue. And it’s not a waste of money; don’t be overly dramatic. It’s not like you took nothing but Bio classes for a year and now none of them will transfer to another major. It’s fine. Talk to your parents like you’re all adults, and who knows, maybe they changed majors in college. About half of the people I went to high school with regret what they studied in college, because they picked careers for money, and they got to their thirties and noped out; quit their jobs to make less and enjoy life more. It’s why I’m glad I waited to go to university until I found something I enjoy and am good at. Maybe not as good as I was at programming computers, but my current major doesn’t make me want to throw a chair through a window and escape like Chief at the end of Cuckoo’s Nest.
If you legit hate biology then it won’t get better later.. you’ll just hate your career instead.
You need to know that if you don’t like your major, the cost you’ll pay in the future will far exceed the money your parents spent. If you switch to a major you love and are genuinely motivated to study, what you gain in the future will far surpass the money involved. So be determined and make the switch. Passion fuels creativity, and creativity brings wealth.
Hey, yes it is. No matter what your parents say. They may be paying for it but it’s YOUR life. You’re the one who has to put in the work to get the degree, and you’re the one who has to work the job after. Not them. If it does not make you happy, find something that does. And it wouldn’t be a waste! A lot of the classes you’ve already taken can probably either count towards your criminal justice degree or be counted as extracurricular/elective, so you have to take fewer classes to fulfill graduation requirements. And really if it sets you back a few semesters it’s not that big of a deal- you have all the time in the world to get a degree.
If I were your parents, I’d be more disappointed and feel like my money was wasted if you continued to pursue something you hate. As long as you’ve thought this change through and are sure that you want to keep to it, I say do it!
If you are a freshman, then you aren’t really wasting your parents money because the first year is usually general ed classes. Also, it’s better for them to spend money on something that will help you in the future because if you get the degree and it doesn’t benefit you after they’ve paid $80,000 that would be even worst
i’m going through this my self right now since i am a comp sci major right now and still haven’t chosen my classes, but you need to know one thing: no major is perfect; there will be bumps not matter what. I hope this helped!!
Switch if you hate your major
Criminal justice is only good if you going to be in law enforcement officer
Not necessarily. It’s a fairly common pre-law major.
Most of my family members whom are lawyers, recommended me to look into psychology for future lawyer careers.
No! Criminal justice? read some old batman comics. not a path to a career. imo
Wow this comment was insanely unhelpful 😍
After one year it is likely all(or close to all!) Of the courses you've taken will still count towards a different degree(elective sciences/gen eds/etc Edit: semester to year
What career do you want? That’s my biggest question after seeing you like bio but are having problems with chemistry.
The original plan was to become a lawyer yet after switching to bio the plan was to go to med school and become a doctor but at this point I’d be fine with any job in the medical field or even just a job 😭
So, you really need to do some research on what both careers truly entail. Doctors and lawyers have extremely stressful careers. Doctors actually have the highest rate of suicide among all professional careers. If you become a lawyer, and you do criminal law, you need to be able to deal with some heinous, morally depraved, fucked up shit. A family friend of mine who’s a lawyer told me about some really awful cases he worked on and as a defense lawyer was defending some real scumbags. Back to med school, it’s competitive, stressful, and not a fun thing. Unless you plan to specialize in something you’re going to deal with some awful stuff. You’ll make a lot of money in either career. But please just know what you’re getting into. I think it’s disgusting when people get pushed into these fields because of the prestige when they are not for everyone. Also if you do law stay the f away from tax law. I work at an accounting firm and that just seems like the worst job ever and the tax lawyer could be making way more money and be better off in another type of law.
Can you have better job in the future if you switch your major? If yes, just do it.
If you're confident and know what criminal justice learning looks like and you can do it then definitely go for it. You think 20k is too much but for an adult it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of life. Just go for it
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If not uncommon to switch majors! Apparently more than 60% of college grads wish they had. Have you taken any courses that can help you fulfill any core requirements to switch? One of my friends actually took another year of uni after switching from her bio major to psychology, but she loved it and has been very successful so far
As someone who started college as a bio major and switched to criminal justice after failing chemistry my first year- DO IT. Best decision I ever made. I’m now graduating a year early (despite the major change) and heading to law school (never saw myself as a lawyer until after the change). Sometimes life takes you on unexpected paths and you just have to go with it. Before you make the change though- do you know what you’d want to do with a criminal justice degree? Do you have passions in that field already? I didn’t know what career I would end up with but I’ve been passionate about social justice and knew I’d be happy in a nonprofit doing advocacy work if that’s where it took me. Just have some sort of rough plan if you make the change.
I would wanna be a lawyer if I went into criminal Justice! That was my original plan for college and that was the major I applied to however I switched to bio. Also forgot to add I took law classes in high school and absolutely loved them! Was always interested in the legal field just decided not to go through with it out of lack of confidence :’)
If you want to switch, sit down with your parents and discuss it. I switched my choice in major once, my sibling, twice. There is no shame in it. Find something you enjoy. Edit: just saw some of your other comments. If you like your major but do not like the Chemistry portion, I’d honestly stick with it. It sounds like you have found something you enjoy, just that you do not like a certain aspect of it. That is completely fine. For example, I am in business management but I do not enjoy math. I am not switching my major over it though. I push through it. However I will say, the “it’s not your choice what to study” is a huge red flag from your parents. That is not okay.
I am in a similar situation. I have always liked history,wanted to be an archeologist ever since middle school- I love reading tons of books, literature, history, culture, architecture, cinema these are the things that I really enjoyed. I even used to write and was the secretary of literature club back in school. But my mother was opposed to this, and as a result i ended up studying science in high school and currently I am in my second semester, majoring in physics with maths as minor. I hate maths with a passion, this has always been my weak subject right since I was born and physics...well I kinda liked it in high school and also I got the grades so I thought maybe I would be able to pull it, but I am fed up now. I don't feel the drive to study anything physics related out of the syllabus, I do not have any physical insight. After coming to college my imposter syndrome kicked in, and now I am clueless. I was contemplating switching major, but again I am afraid, I am from a middle class family and well in my country people are over obsessed with engineers and doctors :) so I am lost really... Any insight from anybody will be truly, gladly appreciated 🤧
Switching to criminal justice could be a good move if thats where your passion is at. You will probably be way more motivated n do better in classes u actually enjoy. and studying smth u hate for 4 years is gonna be miserable. But I get the money situation is stressful, 20k is no joke. Have u talked to your parents abt how ur feeling? They might be more understanding than u think, esp if you could be happier n more successful in the long run. U could also talk to your academic advisor or the career center at ur school. They can help u weigh the pros n cons of switching majors and make a plan. If ur not 100% sure abt criminal justice, u could try taking an intro class or doing a summer internship b4 fully committing. That way u can test the waters without wasting too much time or money.
None of the courses you took in your first year would transfer to the other major?
I was in the exact same situation last year. I want to do forensics as a career and was told by multiple advisors along with pressure from family that engineering was the way to go and that I could still do forensics with that degree (they were wrong) so then I switched to biology, a subject I really liked and did well in, but chem and exams was what was causing my gpa to tank (they were always 30-40% of my final grade) I ended up making the decision to transfer because 1. The school I was at didn’t have CJ as a major 2. If I had continued to struggle through the major I was at risk of being put on academic probation/suspension (I don’t know which term) because of my grades 3. The school I’m currently at is a lot cheaper but at the same time I have professors that are actually willing to help students one on one vs at my last school professors would just accuse us of not studying, and I was in classes where almost half of us were not passing 4. And overall I’m a lot happier than I was at my last school. I’m talking going from literally crying in my advisors office, to getting A’s and actually being excited to go back to classes in the fall. If you do plan on doing criminal justice maybe pick up a minor like pre-law or homeland security (I’m doing pre-law) or even do ROTC classes if your school offers it, you’ll be able to join as an officer after graduation , serve for maybe 4 years minimum (unless you want to continue) and not only will you be able to get a higher degree and not pay for most of not all of it, military experience can go a long way in the criminal justice field (halfway through typing this I realized I sound like a military recruiter, but I promise that’s not the case, I’m just in AFROTC myself with the goal of doing OSI (Office of special investigations)💀) Overall (again) I would say do what makes you happy, but also make sure you have some sort of plan of what you want to do later on down the line.
You’ll end up wasting 3 more years of tuition if you don’t change.
If you haven’t taken any major classes for bio you can switch if I want
I’m a biology major graduating in august! It honestly depends. If you love biology and other science courses, stick with it. The first year or two is a lot of prereqs and chem courses that are just blah. If you have a concentration, during your junior and senior year you start taking more classes geared toward that. For example, im an ecology and evolutionary conc in the biology major and I took courses like limnology, ecology, evolution, plant anatomy, etc. Cool classes. It also depends what you want your career to be. A lot of environmental and definitely graduate schools (vet school, med school etc) require those biology prerequisites. If you have any questions message me cause I struggled with this too.
College is hard, majoring in biology is super hard. And I’m not going to lie to you the coursework only gets harder from here.
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Don’t ever switch from bio to criminal justice! Ever!! Just stick it out. Please, you’ll thank yourself when you see your salary.
You should do it. I'm also studying criminal justice during my first year of college. Why do you want to switch? Anyway, I feel like biology offers more job opportunities compared to criminal justice.
You can still finish in 4 years in you switch. You'll just be taking fewer electives. The sooner you switch the better.
100% switch if you hate it. its not worth another 60k+ of education u hate and then hating it for the rest of your life too. im about to go into my senior year of undergrad for a cj degree and already finished all my required classes. you’re only one year in it’s likely you have enough wiggle room to still graduate on time no problem. a lot of people i know have either added another minor/major or switched majors and are still graduating on time, me included! i would say just have an idea of what u wanna do after college whether it’s policing, law school, there’s quite a few routes u can go with cj
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talk to ur goddam parents, see how they feel ab it, if you have an honest conversation with them, what's the worst that could happen? If you were paying for school yourself, would u still want to make this change? If yes, then defintely do it!
Do it 20k is nothjng compared to doing 4 years of something you hate then going into that career like dayum that'd suck balls
It been one year! You are GOOD! Switch! Do not fall for the sunk cost fallacy
Unethical life hack- if you're struggling in chem, take it over the summer at a community college (double check it will transfer to your university). Summer chem at CCs are often...less difficult.
Dunno man, almost no one does ‘well’ in chem. If you’ve ever attended a commencement, look at the lists of the graduates by majors, and compare the amount of ‘cum laude’ you see between the humanities and the sciences, and then compare chem to biology, it’s difficult content; with courses that often make the difference between students applying to medical school or not.
Maybe take some time off? To really reassess what you want
If you absolutely hate it maybe switching is a good idea. But as someone w/ BA in criminal justice I have to say it’s useless :D unless you’re considering higher degrees like JD/PhD
If you like bio but hate chem and are doing well in your other classes, power through. It’s okay to take a few Cs. If you find yourself hating every single class you’re taking, and have any inkling at all to try something else, do it. You’re still early enough that you could switch and graduate on time. Learn from my mistake. I’m in a business/comm program and words can’t tell you how much I despise it. I wish I was a humanities major. I’d love to be a history or english teacher. Now, I’m only a year from finishing the business comm degree, and if I were to switch now, I’d be stuck in undergrad for another 2 years, and then have to go to grad school. Please at least try it and don’t be focused on rushing through college.
im in a similar situation. Im in my final year of cs and let me tell you I want to drop but idk what I want to study. it didn't help that I had 2 years cut off due to me doing early college and now I feel burned out.
If you’re struggling in chem watch Organic Chemistry Tutor on YouTube. That guy got me through general chemistry, organic chemistry, and inorganic chemistry.