Don’t freak out — your academic plans may change

Change is constant. I’m sure you have heard that phrase a lot, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less true. Throughout your time at UW, you will change — you will have new interests, overcome new struggles, and learn more about yourself. University is an opportunity to leave your comfort zone and explore. That said, your academic plans may change. No matter what faculty or program you’re in, there is always a chance that you could change your mind on what you want to study or pursue as a career.  

When Matthew Hart and Samantha Alegrid first entered UW in their first year in September 2023, they were both arts and business (ARBUS) students. Now entering their second year, both have found themselves switching into mathematical economics, a stark difference from their original plans. Their first year involved a lot of discovery of what they truly wanted to pursue and where they saw their own futures.  

“I didn’t actually envision switching out of arts and business, because in high school, I had been really involved in business things. I was part of like the specialist high skills major for business,” Hart said. “I was doing a bunch of co-ops in business, so I was like, cool, I guess I’m a business kid now.” However, walking into that first business class on his first day, Hart felt out of place, finding business to be much more cutthroat than he imagined. Originally in economics as his arts major, he switched out of ARBUS to pursue mathematical economics, finding the program to be a much better fit for his newfound future goals of attending the University of Edinburgh in the U.K. for a Master of Arts.  

When choosing her future program, Alegrid was stuck between choosing a program in the math faculty or the arts faculty, despite choosing ARBUS, she did not truly find what she wanted to pursue until she had become a student at UW. Despite choosing to major in English at first, a lingering feeling remained that led to a switch of program during her first year due to her uncertainty. “I pictured myself having to actually do [English] for my whole program and [decided] no, I don’t want this actually. Ok, now what are my options? I really liked economics and it was closest thing to what I wanted before.” Alegrid found herself enjoying her elective economics classes more than her English ones which prompted a change in her major. 

You could also be unsure of what to do, and that’s okay too — many students can relate to that feeling of uncertainty.  

First-year engineering advisor Aleysha Khan commented on the dilemma that students find themselves in. “I think that sometimes students put a lot of pressure on themselves because you’re 16–17 years old when you’re applying for university,” she said. “I feel like there’s no way you could possibly know what would be the best program for you. So sometimes it’s all about coming here, maybe you might take some classes and realize [you’re] currently in electrical engineering, but [you’d] like to be in computer engineering.” 

In the faculty of science, director of undergraduate operations Stephen Woods revealed that 10–20 per cent of first-year undergraduate science students request a program change to other programs within the science faculty. This is further supported by Khan who explained that while these circumstances are not common, they do happen from time to time. 

When you’re in high school, you often spend time deliberating on what job you would like to pursue in the future along with the education that comes with it. This does not stop when you enter university and find more options or change educational goals. Woods noted, “Students consider program changes for a range of reasons, such as having a class in a subject for the first time, wanting a program with more room for electives, or shifting professional program goals, to name a couple of examples.”  

Hart and Alegrid, soon to be in mathematical economics, find that they feel secure in their futures. Hart acknowledges that there will be challenges along the way but remains optimistic for the opportunities mathematical economics will bring. As for Alegrid, she believes that she has made the right choice with a program she feels happier doing, unlike her earlier hesitancy. “I know I want to do this,” she said. “So, I definitely I think I feel more confident.” 

Both cite the fervent support of their academic advisors who aided them through the process of switching programs. Hart was intimidated by the demanding program that was mathematical economics and turned to the academic advisors. “I talked to my academic advisor, and she was really sympathetic. She told me that if anyone could do the thing I was doing, it was me, and I felt very encouraged.” For Alegrid, the process of switching into mathematical economics had been made simple by the academic advisors. They gave her the appropriate information and told her what course requirements she needed to get into her desired program. She found the procedure straightforward and attainable with their help.  

“If the students ever feel overwhelmed, they need someone to talk to, but they’re not sure where to go, I think the biggest advice I would give is just come and see your academic advisor,” Khan said. Woods and Khan encourage students who are thinking about switching programs to visit their respective undergraduate offices to receive the proper aid they need. Khan continued, “We’ll help you. We’ll put you in the right direction, because there’s a lot of really awesome resources on campus, not just for engineering students, but for any student.”