Sara Bempkins '09

If You're Undecided ...

You’re in good company. About 20 percent of our incoming class (including 45 percent of new students in humanities and sciences) enroll in the Exploratory Program. Aside from the Exploratory Program, Ithaca offers other programs for undecided students.

Thinking about a career in health, health care, health education, or sport and leisure? The HSHP Preprofessional Program gives you up to four semesters to explore all of these areas before declaring a major. 

For undecided music students, the undeclared music major option provides a chance to learn about the many directions your talents may take you.

In any of these programs, you’ll get top-notch academic assistance from a faculty adviser who will help you plan your courses and provide guidance about how to choose a major that reflects your strengths and interests.

• Exploratory Program
• HSHP Preprofessional Program
• Undeclared Music Major

Related Fuse Story

• Undeclared Does Not Mean Undefined

How the Exploratory Program led me to my major

I remember it clearly. I was standing on the edge of the stage, waiting for my name to be called. My white cap and gown reflected the sunny sky above as I watched my high school principal reach into the box of neatly rolled diplomas. My name echoed across the field and into the wind, and I walked across the stage into a new chapter of my life.

Walking across that stage, however, I could think only about the question looming over my head. What now? At just 17 years of age how could I possibly know what I wanted to do with my life? There were so many subjects I had yet to explore, so many ideas I wanted to pursue and discover. My love of literature throughout high school had led me to apply to Ithaca College as an English major, but I wanted more. What about philosophy, or French, or a film class? What about pursuing my interest in photography?

What was I to do with all of these interests? The possibilities were endless.

I was introduced to the Exploratory Program at Ithaca College by my adviser at summer orientation. While sitting in his office sifting through an overwhelming course catalog and questioning what, exactly, I was doing, he gave me the best answer I could have hoped for: You don’t have to know yet. Until this point, remaining undecided about my major hadn’t even occurred to me; I had always been under the impression that the start of college was the deadline for choosing a career path. But on that hot July day I changed my major from English to exploratory, diving headfirst into college without any idea of what I wanted to do and with the new knowledge that maybe, just maybe, not knowing was okay.

This decision turned out to be a smart one. My experience as an exploratory student was one of incredible success. The classes I took encompassed everything from math to biological anthropology to creative writing to drawing. Not only was I exploring my interests, I was fulfilling the general education requirements that I would need to graduate. My adviser guided me through the process of choosing classes and encouraged me to take a wide variety of courses to discover myself as a college student.

During an introductory creative writing class I discovered not only a new passion but also a talent I never knew I possessed. Everyone told me I would eventually find a subject that felt right, that my path would eventually present itself to me. By the end of freshman year, I was almost certain I wanted to major in writing. I received a great deal of positive feedback from my writing professors, who encouraged me and met with me periodically, providing a stronger sense of the major. Even still, I couldn’t help wondering what I would do with a major in writing. Did I really want to declare something so soon? What if I changed my mind?

After meeting with my adviser and writing professors, I was encouraged to wait until the end of my sophomore year to declare my major officially and to register for more writing classes to be sure it was truly for me. They pointed out that if I were to discover another subject I wanted to pursue as a major, remaining an exploratory student would allow for a smoother transition. Then they mapped out what four years of classes would look like as a writing major, giving me a strong glimpse into one potential future.

I took their advice and eased into my potential major, fulfilling other general education requirements while comparing my writing classes to other subjects that interested me. I left each writing class feeling exhilarated, however, and I knew writing was the perfect major for me. By the time I declared my major, I felt confident about the choice I had made.