Student Perspectives: Being Undeclared

Hi! My name is Aviva. I’m a rising Junior and I am studying Cognitive Science at USC Dornsife with a minor in Cinematic Arts at the School of Cinematic Arts… that is… only as of a couple months ago. To my friends I’ve been formerly known as Miss Undeclared. So, I’m here to tell you that declaring your major at the start of Freshman year and never changing it is propaganda you DO NOT need to fall for.

I started my time at USC as an English major, with the intent to explore other options as much as I could. After a single semester in that major and one English class, I switched my major to Undeclared Humanities so I could meet with an advisor familiar with more than one department.

And, an Undeclared Humanities “major” I remained for over a year. I took classes in the USC Marshall School of Business, the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, the School of Cinematic Arts, and even the Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. I took many classes in Dornsife, our liberal arts school, as well. I was able to satisfy General Education and other requirements. In addition. I gained elective credits thanks to my explorative agenda. By the time my sophomore year reached its end, I had satisfied all of my GE credits altogether. Only issue: still no major decided.

However, at that point, I had narrowed things down. Cognitive Science, Psychology, Communication, Public Relations and Advertising, or Cinema and Media Studies. Transferring within Dornsife would be simple, but I had to think ahead for SCA, which required an application with essays and letters of recommendation back in February of that year. Unfortunately, it was May, and the deadline had already passed.

So how did I decide my major? I set up many advising meetings, had extensive conversations with family and friends and sat in my thoughts for hours. However, the decision ultimately came when I was able to fully evaluate my experience at USC up until that point and what I wanted it to look like going forward. It was taking what I knew about the classes I taken and enjoyed or didn’t enjoy that brought me to my final decision.

So, what is my advice? To be honest, there’s not any one way to go about discovering your passions and ambitions. After all, the main reason I was undeclared for so long was that I wanted to set myself up to succeed in life beyond college and was afraid to commit to a pathway I’d later regret.

So, the first thing I can recommend is to EXPLORE! USC allows students to take courses in different schools, which I was not even aware of when I applied. It means that you can and should take as many classes as you want in any subject that piques your interest. As a graduate of a very small private high school, I never really got to explore the many niche subjects that had always interested me, but I have since being here. And even the classes that won’t ultimately count for my major are ones I am glad to have taken and learned more about. Because, if not for anything else, isn’t learning diverse things about the world the purpose of higher education?

Second, TRUST YOURSELF! It took me a long time to realize it, but your college major is not a make or break for the rest of your life. Trust your gut. You can always take advantage of a minor, elective classes or even student organizations to get involved in other subjects that interest you outside of your major. Just because I decided to major in Cognitive Science does not mean I plan to limit myself to learning outside of that topic–and that’s why I not only am minoring in the School of Cinematic Arts but also am part of a sustainability fellowship through USC Marshall. Your major doesn’t have to be entirely career-oriented; and, even if it is, it’s equally important that the classes you take in college are ones that you genuinely enjoy.

Lastly, know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. As an overall indecisive person, the most intimidating part about choosing a major was feeling that I couldn’t possibly decide on my own. Throughout my time as an undeclared student, I learned that I had plenty of support around me: academic advisors, professors, family, colleagues, friends, and peers. One of the biggest blessings about being at USC is that our student body is incredibly diverse, not just in background but also in passion. Being surrounded by future doctors, engineers, politicians, filmmakers and more has been an incredible source of inspiration in discovering my own passions. Ask the questions you have, send your email or set up that meeting. You’re not the first person to seek guidance and certainly will not be the last.

Ultimately, your USC experience is what you make of it. Don’t be ashamed of not knowing what you want. Nobody knows. They’re also trying to figure it out. So, take pride in what you learn in every single class, because, who knows, maybe you’ll actually learn more about yourself than you would’ve imagined.

Written by: Aviva Clauer, class of 2027