Should I change my major?

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After not doing that well on a chemistry quiz last week, I have been rethinking the whole majoring in geology scenario. Maybe I don't have the aptitude I thought I had for the natural sciences.

The only other fields of study that I have any interest in that aren't as math/science-intensive are IT or architecture, but they will take longer to finish than the geology degree. Yet if I continue my geology degree, I am worried that I will keep struggling.

Tim

my advice is to give it at least one semester - it's hard to tell when you are only a couple of weeks in, the really interesting stuff usually doesn't come until the end

Tim feel what is right to do if means changing then so be. My major is heavily social science courses.

Well, maybe my experience can help you.

I wanted a medical degree. I felt that it would take too long, so I settled and opted for psychology. I mean, I didn't know what the heck was wrong with me and I wanted to learn. Plus I saw how screwed up the world was and I thought I could help. I fulfilled all the requirements for the major, then decided it wasn't what I wanted. I've always always wanted to work in a hospital/clinical setting - but not as a therapist or counselor. I had a job as a domestic violence counselor and also worked in addictions counseling. While they were fulfilling in their way, I longed for medicine.

So here I am, in college at 29 with a husband, two small children and half of my sanity from the stress of juggling it all...and my goal is to get that medical degree. To complete the one I was working on, I chose health electives and sciences which would count toward my medical degree, and I'll be graduating in December. It took me a long, long time, but it's worth it.

Think on that. So what if it takes longer? You can say "in X amount of years I'll either have what I want...or I will have settled". Settling SUCKS. Whatever you want, go for it now. What you truly want and what will make you happy. Don't settle. And don't give up no matter how hard it gets.

Have confidence in yourself and don't tell yourself that you don't have the aptitude to do something. You can do anything you put your mind to it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

If you want to change your major then I say go for it. I changed mine and it was the best thing that I ever did. I was a Math Education major but I changed my major because I didn't want to take as many Math and Science courses for years and years to come.

I've had a similar experience like yours as well recently. I didn't do so well on quizzes but i'm going to fight as hard as I can to do better and not give my hopes up.

LOL I can totally relate. I was an A student all the way till I took my first chemistry course, then it was as if I had s**t for brains. I was premed till I bombed organic chemistry. Took several years off, decided I wanted to be a nurse, then looked specificallly for a program that didn't require any more chemistry classes. Then, after I found and started in the one nursing program, they changed their minds and decided we needed to take biochem. I actually went around to my prior biology instructor and nutrition class and gathered transcripts and petitioned the dean to not have to take biochem - and I won! Major relief. Moral of the story for me is that I may be bright when it comes to some subjects, (and I have a minor in biology so obviously science is not anathema to me) I have no ability to comprehend chemistry. Whether you have the same inability or not, I don't know, but hopefully I at least put a smile on your face

Oh there's another moral: I really really wanted to be a nurse and I didn't let chemistry get in the way. And look, here I am now in grad school, which IMO is way easier than undergrad.

I don't think you should change your major just because you are not doing well in one subject. Do you like your major, aside from chemistry? If yes, then I would stick with it. There are very few people who do exceptionally well in all the subjects in their major, and the ones that do spend around 100 hours a week studying. In the long run, nobody will care how you did in one chem class in your undergrad education. Just do your best and major in whatever interests you. BTW, I remember taking chemistry. I failed the first quiz, but then I worked really hard, and ended up with an A-. So don't lose hope because of one quiz, you can still end up with a decent grade if you work hard. Here's something else to consider: I discovered that a lot depends on the person teaching the subject in terms of how well you do in it. I got As in classes where I knew very little, because that's how the grading system was set up. I've also gotten not-so-good grades in classes where I was amongst the best because the prof screwed me over. The grades you get in classes and on standardized tests have very little to do with your actual knowledge/abilities, I find. I.e. even if you flunk chemistry that says nothing about your ability to do well in geology.

Give your self some time to think about what you want. This is only on quiz in one class and a lot of factors could have gone into your preformance on it. I'd recomend finishing the semester at least before deciding to change your entire major.