FAQ: Choosing a major

Many of you have probably given great thought (and possibly stress) to your major.  Choosing a major is very important!  It's something that is worth your thought and consideration.

With that said, don't worry if you don't know exactly what you want to do as soon as you get to BYU.  You have time to take classes that interest and find your passion.

BYU encourages all students to start into their major classes their first semester here.  Even if you're not entirely sure what you want your major to be, some classes are pre-requisites for several majors.  For example, many science and engineering majors require CHEM 105 and MATH 112.  If you start as a biology major then decide that's not your thing and switch to neuroscience, both of those classes will transfer over to the new major.  Those classes also count towards your GE requirements.  Many classes will double for your GE's and major, so check out the Overlaps chart for more information about your specific major.

You can also find a complete list of classes you can take for each GE requirement here.

Even if you end up taking classes that don't count towards a GE or your major, don't worry about it!  There is no such thing as useless knowledge.  You want to worry about graduating on-time, but don't sweat it if you end up taking elective classes to try and figure out what is best for you.

There are also these super awesome things called MAPs.  These MAPs will map out (ha, dumb pun) exactly which classes you need to take for your major and when.  For example, as a pre-communications student, I should have taken Comms 101 and Writing 150 my first Fall semester.  If I had known about the major MAP sooner, I probably would have!  The MAP gives you a guideline to follow to graduate in four years.  It also tells you how many credit hours you will need to take each semester to get the 120 credits to graduate.  Some majors require more credits per semester, so it all depends.

Here is the major MAP for a BA in Communications: Journalism Emphasis.  This is my major (and the best major).

To find your major MAP, log on to byu.edu.  If you click on the "Future Students" tab on the home page, a drop down list will appear.  From there, pick the Major/Minor list.  That will list all the possible majors to choose from.  If you click on one it will take you to the program requirements.  Right next to where it says program requirements it will say "View MAP."  There you will find a page that looks shockingly similar to the one above.  If you have questions or confusion, call the advisement office that is listed on the bottom of the page.  If you're going into communications, you can ask me questions as well :)

Do you have questions?  Confused about how to pick a major?  Curious how I picked my major?  Ask me in the comment section!

Watch this then reevaluate your perspective.  Seriously, how many problems do we have that we over blow or compare to others?  How can we change our mindset to see the good in every situation? 

FAQ: How to Pay for College

As I've been talking to y'all lately, I've realized a major concern at the moment is paying for college.  Totally an understandable concern.  I'm still concerned with it!

The great thing is, we have options! 

The option that we all want is scholarships.  You already applied for BYU scholarships, and you should hear back from them by the middle of April.  Not going to lie, I've never gotten a BYU scholarship.  The only scholarship I've really gotten was from my college (Fine Arts and Communications) and it was $500.  Those aren't the only scholarships you can get, though.  Apply for local scholarships.  If you don't know how to do that, talk to your counselor because they can help you.  I applied for ten times as many local scholarships and national scholarships when I was a Senior.

Because of my lack of scholarships, I decided to "create my own."  Creating my own turned into a part-time job and even student loans.

1. Everyone wants scholarships.  You should be finding out about BYU scholarships sometime this month.  You can also ask your guidance counselor for local scholarships that may be easier to get and even give you more money!  For more information, look here: http://saas.byu.edu/ebrochure/BYU_Financial_Aid_and_Scholarships_Guide/Step_2__Financial_Opportunities_and_Options/BYU_Undergraduate_Scholarships.php. 
2. Part-time jobs will keep you busy, but may help you in school!  My first term at BYU, I didn't work at all.  I have worked every term and semester since, and my GPA was by far the lowest that first term.  Studies have shown that working can help improve GPA and feeling of belonging while in school.  Not only do you create an instant social network, but you also have less leisure time, which forces you into using your time more effectively.  It's great!  For more information, look here: http://saas.byu.edu/ebrochure/BYU_Financial_Aid_and_Scholarships_Guide/Step_2__Financial_Opportunities_and_Options/Working_Part-time.php. 
3. Finish your FAFSA soon.  To finish, your parents need to have their taxes done and you need to fill out the paperwork.  It doesn't take too long, but the grants and loans you can push you through college.  I personally use federal student loans to pay for my tuition and books.  BYU tuition is so low, I'm not concerned about paying my loans back because it is so minimal.  For more information, look here: http://saas.byu.edu/ebrochure/BYU_Financial_Aid_and_Scholarships_Guide/Step_4__Apply_for_Federal_Financial_Aid/. 

If you have questions about paying for school, check out financialaid.byu.edu.  You can ask me questions as well!

Aims of a BYU Education: Part 3

One of the four Aims of a BYU Education is intellectually enlarging.
This one is probably the most obvious reason why you'd attend a university, right?  We all want to expand our horizons and understand the world more.
But really, we're here because we want to learn.  There are three ways that we learn while at BYU:

1. Skills
In our major and in general education courses, we should be learning how to become sound thinkers, effective communicators, and use quantitative reasoning. 

2. Breadth
Part of becoming a disciple scholar is to have a breadth of knowledge.  We take general education classes to broaden our minds and pursue all truth.  As we learn more about other peoples and cultures, we become better stewards of the gospel. 

3. Depth
Depth comes in our major.  In our major we learn "what is fundamental and what is only peripheral" as we rigorously study and learn in one field.

This seems really uptight, but there are many ways I have "fulfilled" this aim simply by keeping a positive attitude.  When I took Physical Science 100, I felt like the knowledge was totally unapplicable to me and generally hard.  I had to find someone, i.e. my physics major roommate, who was passionate about the topic to talk to about it.  I feed off of her passion and was able to at least apply to concepts to my own life.  Not only did I learn more of the concepts from talking about it, but it also fueled our friendship and brought us closer together.

How have you kept a positive attitude in difficult classes?  How do you find the worth in topics you're uninterested in?