Previously
Dispensed
Wisdom
Dispensed
Wisdom
Have a question and don't know who to ask? The Guru can give you in-depth answers to all kinds of questions. The process for university admission can be a long and detailed one - wondering how to get started? Ask away. Or, check out the long list of topics already covered by the Guru to see if anyone else is wondering the same thing.
The Guru on MyCollegeGuide.org is a unique college resource that speaks directly to your questions and concerns - no form letter replies and no generalizations. If you have a question or problem concerning college admissions, the Guru can help!
Ask the Guru a question.Majors in College
What is the difference between priority and regular decision? Also, what are majors and minors? If I want a bachelor's degree does that subject have to be my major or can it be my minor? Do colleges generally offer the same minors as majors? Should my minor be a more specific subject within my major or at least related in some way?
Priority decision is just another name for early action or early decision. In other words, you apply to the school by an early deadline, and you hear back from them earlier than you would if you applied “regular” decision.
When you go to college, you will have at least one major—that is, an area that you specialize in (and what your degree is ultimately in). So if you want to be a preschool teacher, you might major in early childhood education. If you want to be a fashion designer, you might major in study fashion design. Whatever your major, that is the area in which most of the classes you take will be. So if you’re a government major, you may have to take at least 10 government classes (or 30 credits) to graduate.
A minor is a lot like a major, except you take fewer courses in that area—usually 4 or 5. All colleges have majors. But depending on where you go and what you major in, you may not be required to have a minor.
Usually, schools offer the same majors and minors. Your minor isn’t within your major—it’s an area separate from it. That said, students often major in something related to or helpful for their major. So if you want to be a political consultant, you might major in political science but minor in business management. Alternatively, you might minor in something totally unrelated to your major. That’s OK — the most important thing is that you choose areas you’re interested in.
Good luck!
When you go to college, you will have at least one major—that is, an area that you specialize in (and what your degree is ultimately in). So if you want to be a preschool teacher, you might major in early childhood education. If you want to be a fashion designer, you might major in study fashion design. Whatever your major, that is the area in which most of the classes you take will be. So if you’re a government major, you may have to take at least 10 government classes (or 30 credits) to graduate.
A minor is a lot like a major, except you take fewer courses in that area—usually 4 or 5. All colleges have majors. But depending on where you go and what you major in, you may not be required to have a minor.
Usually, schools offer the same majors and minors. Your minor isn’t within your major—it’s an area separate from it. That said, students often major in something related to or helpful for their major. So if you want to be a political consultant, you might major in political science but minor in business management. Alternatively, you might minor in something totally unrelated to your major. That’s OK — the most important thing is that you choose areas you’re interested in.
Good luck!
What is a double major? Are there certain requirements for what you can double major in?
A double major just means having two majors. Sound simple? Unfortunately, it's not. You can pick just about anything you want, from chemistry and physics to biology and English. Keep in mind, however, that a double major in biology and English may take longer than a double major in chemistry and physics because the course requirements are so different. Besides picking your majors, you also need to figure out if you will get one degree (a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, for instance), two separate degrees, or a combination degree (such as a B.A.S. - a B.A. & a B.S.).
If you do choose to double major, make your college counselor your best friend! First, meet with your counselor to find out about your school's policies for double majors and to create a plan for your college career. Then, meet regularly with your counselor from your freshman year on to make sure you are taking all the right classes and staying on the right track. Also, communicate frequently with your major departments (if they are different). Make sure you are prepared for the amount of work and dedication it takes to double major. Good luck!
I have gone to several colleges, and every time I changed universities, they deducted credits to suit their program. I now have about 4 years of classes and no degree. How do I combine the different credits from the schools and obtain a degree without losing more time, credit hours and money?
Unfortunately, losing credits is part of the cost of transferring schools. That's sort of the "way of the world" in this case. The best thing you can do is go talk to your advisor and ask how you can fit the credits you've already got into a degree program there. The next best thing you can do is probably not to transfer again until you've got a legitimate degree. (You might be able to "customize" a major with, for example, an independent studies degree.) Often you can "merge" courses you've taken into a related major. For example, if you've ever taken, say, Bible courses at a private college, you can probably make those count as history, literature, or humanities courses at a public university. Pore over the school course catalog to see if any of the courses you've had are in any way similar to courses listed in the catalog. You'll have to do a little creative thinking, but like I said, lay this out before your advisor and the admissions advising office. Chances are they'll help you if you're straightforward (and innovative!) about your situation.
I'm currently a junior in college and I'm having trouble deciding what I want to major in. I know for certain I want to minor in French, but as for what to major in, I'm stuck. I have a few choices like culinary arts, or something where I can use my creative talents, but I'm not too sure what job(s) that would be. I'm also really good at math, and I maybe wanted to try to major in something where I could combine my love for that and creativity. I was also wondering what colleges would be good for my two desired majors.
Well, it's pretty clear to me that you like French. Here's my question: Why aren't you majoring in French if you know for sure you want to study it? Maybe you could make it your major instead of a minor. The next question is, what is it exactly about French that you love? Do you love different cultures? Do you like communicating with people who are different than you? Do you eventually hope to travel to or live in France someday? Or do you just really love French food? If you think about the reasons for why you're certain about studying French, you may uncover the nuances of the related things you are really invested in and love (cultural studies, communication studies, travel and tourism, etc).
You also said you love math. That's great; we could certainly use more mathematical minds! Of course you can combine that with creativity. You could certainly think about majoring in architectural design--that's a mathematical pursuit that is also very artistic. Or you could go into something like computer animation or creative web development. If you like cooking, that's a total plus for you too... have you ever looked into food science and food engineering? You could learn how to make breakfast cereal with a degree like that! My point is, you have plenty of options. There are more out there than you probably realize. Just do a bit of Google searching and see what strikes your fancy. Or look at a news website and see which articles catch your eye -- then think about why they do (what interests you about them?). You can do the same thing with colleges that catch your eye. A little bit of honest research will get you somewhere. I've started you off with a few suggestions. Take it from here and happy investigating!
You also said you love math. That's great; we could certainly use more mathematical minds! Of course you can combine that with creativity. You could certainly think about majoring in architectural design--that's a mathematical pursuit that is also very artistic. Or you could go into something like computer animation or creative web development. If you like cooking, that's a total plus for you too... have you ever looked into food science and food engineering? You could learn how to make breakfast cereal with a degree like that! My point is, you have plenty of options. There are more out there than you probably realize. Just do a bit of Google searching and see what strikes your fancy. Or look at a news website and see which articles catch your eye -- then think about why they do (what interests you about them?). You can do the same thing with colleges that catch your eye. A little bit of honest research will get you somewhere. I've started you off with a few suggestions. Take it from here and happy investigating!
