Baker College uses website to help students pick majors
(WJBK) - Deciding a college major can be a tough decision. If you change your major halfway through - it can be costly, in time and money.
Now, one Michigan college is trying to help students make the right choice, right off the bat. Students at Baker College are seeing results because of it.
"I wanted to go into teaching or maybe criminal, a police Officer, along that line," said Lisa Callahan, Baker College student.
FOX 2: "And you ended up in the medical field?"
"I ended up in the medical field doing something that I enjoy," she said.
Lisa Callahan is on her way to becoming a respiratory therapist. As a student at Baker College, she found what she wanted to do thanks to a program that's being used here called MyMajors.com. It's a site that helps match interest and ability together.
"We were finding there was a significant number of students changing their majors at Baker College," said Denise Bannan, Baker College provost. "We put an ad-hoc committee together and we went out and researched."
They did their homework and found that the MyMajor.com site could help students find a major that fits them. And in two years, there's a 50 percent drop in the number of students who are switching.
"I think this tool really help me personally just reaffirmed what I'm going into," said student Maria Tortorici and I think without the tool I would've been a little more confused maybe I should be going towards business or something else, but this really affirmed that you're going to do well in the medical field."
She's on her way. It feels better and it makes sense. Time and money, both saved.
"Time is everything when it comes to education and higher ed," said Bannan. "And certainly a cost savings of not switching majors or switching programs and really taking credits don't go toward a major that you choose at Baker College."
"I think this is really helpful especially for people graduating high school or people who want to go back to school," Tortorici said. "This is a really good tool that will show you exactly where your personality would best fit, because there are a lot of choices and they can be very overwhelming."