By the Numbers: Focus on the Facts

Abstract

Fickle & capricious students? Exploring Student Major Change Patterns (February 2007) Editor's Note: I can’t tell you how often I hear stories of how frequently students change their majors. To hear some tell it, students change their majors as often as they change their clothes! This issue debunks the myth that students are whimsical and inconstant in choosing their major field of study. Data from two UW-L new freshman cohorts for whom graduation rates can be calculated is also provided to show the possible impact of major changes on graduation outcomes.