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You enter college with a major in mind and a plan to get a degree in it. You don’t let the fine print surrounding general education classes, major classes and GPA get in your way but you still may hit a snag or two. If this happens, seek out a counselor.
There is a difference between a general education (G.E.) counselor and a major counselor. A G.E. counselor is there to make sure you get your G.E.s done, have enough credits to graduate and have successfully completed all classes. A major counselor, on the other hand, will make sure you take all the classes you need to get your intended degree. Getting a degree and graduating are two very different things balancing on a fine line.
The assistance you get really depends on the counselor so meet with a few and select the one who “gets” you best. If you have a counselor who isn’t 100-percent sure of the university’s curriculum or graduation/degree requirements, switch as soon as you can; you don’t want to be filing your graduation petition only to realize you are missing a requirement! A good counselor will make it mandatory for you to meet with them a few times each semester to make sure you are on track. He or she will also help you with an education plan so that you know what is necessary to graduate. A great counselor will even recommend that you get a second opinion on his or her advice so don’t be afraid to do so.
You may have known what you wanted to major in forever but don’t let your pride get in the way of accepting some assistance. You’ll be better off for it even after you graduate...which you will, thanks to your counselor’s expertise!
Radha Jhatakia is a communications major who will be transferring to San Jose State University this fall. She’s had some ups and downs in school and many obstacles to face; these challenges – plus support from family, friends and cat – have only made Radha stronger and have given her the experience to help others with the same issues. In her spare time, she enjoys writing, reading, cooking, sewing and designing. A social butterfly, Radha hopes to work in public relations and marketing upon graduation.