What's Your Major? Correlates and Predictors of Entering College as an Undecided Major Student

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: Entering Factors in the Lives of Colleges Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of incoming undecided students within a nationally representative sample of 137,456 first-time, full-time students who entered 184 four-year colleges and universities in the United States of varying selectivity and type in the fall of 2016. Using descriptive analyses and logistic regression, we found that undecided students tend to report less financial concern and higher income, have parents with advanced college degrees, are undecided about their career, and anticipate transferring colleges or stopping out of college temporarily. The strongest predictors of entering college as an undecided student were: anticipating a change of major in college and being undecided in their career choice.

Authors

• Rachael Orr, University of Missouri

• Casandra Elena Harper Morris, University of Missouri - Columbia

• Ellen Bara Stolzenberg, University of California - Los Angeles