If you’re reading this article, you’re either still in high school, and you want to learn more about your options regarding higher education, or you’re in your first year of college, and you’re considering choosing a minor. Keep reading as we will go through the main benefits and drawbacks of declaring a college minor.
Broadly speaking, a minor is a set of courses (usually around five) that a student can take to enhance or complement their major. Some students choose something related to their field, or that will make them more competitive on the job market. For example, a Physics major might minor in Computer Science or Education.
Other students choose their minor based solely on personal interests. They might study a foreign language, arts, etc. They see this as an opportunity to explore a subject they’ve been interested in for a long time but that they don’t necessarily want to pursue a career in.
Although graduating with a minor is almost always a smart decision, there are a few aspects you need to consider.
Benefits
The most obvious benefits of declaring a college minor are in regards to career options. When you go to college and pick a major, you’re basically choosing a set of skills you want to learn. That set of skills is what you’re going to use to get a job and build a career. Graduating with a minor shows potential employers that you have additional skills outside your major. This makes your CV more competitive.
First of all, no matter if you decided to minor in a subject related to your major or you opted for an unrelated passion, you’re showing that you’re not afraid of extra workload, and you can handle this type of challenge. Furthermore, a minor can make a perfect fit for some jobs and give you more career options.
Another advantage of having a minor is that it can make it easier to get into a master’s program or PhD. When you’re applying, your undergraduate studies will show that you already have some knowledge of these subjects and how well you did. In some cases, you can even transfer the credits, which means you’ll be able to graduate more quickly.
Lastly, if you choose a minor based on passion rather than career goals, you’ll still get something valuable out of it: personal fulfillment. You’ll have the chance to explore a subject you’re passionate about. Let’s say you want to study psychology and become a therapist. It’s doesn’t mean this is the only thing you’re interested in. Maybe you enjoy acting, and you’ve participated in school plays, but you don’t want to make a career out of it. In that case, you can major in Psychology and minor in Theater Arts.
Drawbacks
As you can see, graduating with a minor has many benefits. Unfortunately, it also has some drawbacks you should consider. The most important one is that it may take away from the time you allocate to the courses required by your major. Before declaring your minor, be sure to consult your academic advisor and resources such as 美国留学. More classes means more courses to study for and more homework. You’ll want to get a thorough understanding of what it takes to get a degree in your preferred major and whether it’s possible to allocate resources to a minor.
Since we’re on resources, you need to know that a minor will cost more money. Every course you take costs something, so if you’re adding the courses required for a minor, your total college cost will increase. Again, make sure you look it up in advance so you know if you can afford it.
Lastly, a minor might mean that it will take longer to graduate. This depends on you and how well you can manage your time and resources. The additional courses might delay your graduation, which will raise the total cost of your education. Keep in mind that a delay in graduation also means a delay in finding a job in your chosen field with all the associated costs.
