For me, the college decision process had two distinct parts. Of course, the obvious questions about what type of campus, what student atmosphere, and which city were an important part of my choice. Trying to decide what type of college experience I wanted was challenging in itself. However, I was also not a student who knew what career I wanted to pursue in high school. I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to study in college, and I think my answer changed every time someone asked me, “What major are you looking at?” during my senior year. Thus, this made the first part of the decision process significantly more difficult. How could I decide where to study when I didn’t even know what I wanted to study?
My indecision led me to search for schools that had more options and flexibility in major declaration and academic programs. I knew I needed time to experiment and figure out my passions, rather than commit to a subject I might end up hating or waste my freshman year on a core curriculum that wouldn’t allow me to take classes I found interesting. One of the first links that appears when you Google “flexible college curriculums” is the University of Rochester.
For some background, the Rochester Curriculum, which every undergraduate student must complete before graduation, has three main parts. First, the primary writing requirement is one class intended to prepare all students to write at a collegiate level, regardless of their major. The other two aspects are entirely individual, but URochester students do need to complete courses in three areas: natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. One of these must be completed through a major, while the other two can be through any combination of minors or clusters, which are usually groups of three courses. Essentially, there is truly only one required course.
The flexibility of this structure is an important factor for many students, including myself, in choosing to attend URochester because it benefits every type of student. For those who have known since age five that they want to go to medical school, the curriculum can give them room to pursue other interests in addition to pre-med requirements. For those like me who are still figuring it out, URochester gives you the entirety of you freshman and sophomore years to make that important decision.
Another bonus about the few requirements of the Rochester Curriculum is how easy it is to double major. During high school, I took every science class available to me. I loved to conduct experiments and analyze data, particularly in the field of psychology. On the other hand, I was a part of Model UN, loved art and writing, and always saw myself pursuing a creative career. Therefore, it is no surprise that my academic journey led me to two different fields of study. This semester, I will officially declare two majors, and I can confidently say I am studying not one, but two subjects I love. During my freshman year, I took a history class, a neuroscience class, an economics class, and an environmental studies class. I remember looking at my course load and being so worried that I had no direction for the next four years, and I would never be able to choose one major. In fact, I couldn’t choose one, but I did pick two: Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) and Business.
I started my freshman year by literally taking classes that sounded interesting; two of them led me to my majors. The neuroscience class confirmed that I wanted to study how people think and act, but a psychology major felt too specific for me. BCS at URochester combines neuroscience, psychology, technology, linguistics, and anthropology, resulting in a perfect mix of subjects. The University also offers a BA in Business, a pathway intended specifically for students with a second major. Through this option, I can pursue my passion for writing and social sciences while also earning a BS degree. My research on what major to choose, of course, led me to discover some career options for BCS and business majors. Last year, I discovered UX design and research. UX stands for user experience, and a UX researcher or designer’s job is to discover and create the most effective way for people to interact with a product, usually digital. To me, UX combines the research I enjoy and the study of cognition with marketing a product or business. Nowadays, UX often incorporates AI technology, which is another field I have lots of interest in.
However, I still felt unsure about my majors and career path. I decided to reach out to alumni in the BCS program through URochester’s vast alumni network. I had an incredible experience speaking to someone in the field who graduated just a few years ago. Her advice was that the best way to be confident in your major decision is to seek out real-world experience in your area of interest. Our conversation helped solidify my confidence, and I started looking into jobs and internships. This summer, I am so excited to work as a digital experience intern in New York City, where I’ll do user research and design with AI digital products for a financial firm.
My major journey was not straightforward at all, but URochester was the perfect place for me to learn and grow as a student and person. Whether you’re ready to start on your career path in your first semester of college or you’re more inclined to take your time, URochester has the structure and culture to support you in whatever path you take to your major.