Picking up a minor for my senior year

College Confidential Community
1

So back in Fall 16 I tried picking up a minor (start of my junior year). My advisors were the complete opposite of helpful. I was throwing around ideas of what I wanted to do and what minor would be helpful, they gave me no feedback. Just a “whatever feels right” sort of thing. Did not tell me what minors Journalism students should do/can do, or what minors or even available. So on my second appointment, in search of a good minor, I asked what he personally saw most Journalism students taking as minors. His answer, and I quote, “It’s really all about you and what your interests are.” Like, doesn’t help.

So my third appointment I finally did my own research. I was interested in Marketing. I went to another advisor, who told me that the marketing minor isn’t open to media and communications students. I asked what is similar. They didn’t have an answer.

By this point I’m about a month and a half into my search. I’m feeling hopeless, not sure of what to do, and pretty dejected. I took some more time to look up more minors, when I found the digital marketing minor, which was open to students like me. So, I made another appointment. Online, there is a page that directs students on how to pick up minors. The first step is talking with an academic advisor.

So, with a little more direction, I finally meet with an advisor. They basically say “I don’t know what you want me to do about it, you need to go to career center”. So, another large amount of time wasted. I make an appointment with a career advisor. They tell me, “Well, we don’t have your transcripts so we can’t really do anything.”

Alrighty, more wasted time. So, after making another appointment with my advisor, she tells me I have to go to the school that the minor is in. More wasted time.

I go to that school, and they give me a paper to fill out and that I have to go and make an appointment. Now, we’re in April.

I make that appointment, they put me in the minor program. Great, awesome. Finally! I try to make my schedule, late already, and so I have to take summer classes.

So here is where I need help.

Summer classes are extremely expensive. I did not know that until I got the bill because my advisors who told me to take these in the summer did not tell me that. I’m taking three as pre-reqs for the minor. I’m wait listed for one, so if I can’t get into that then I can’t take my fall '17 classes.

If I do get into that class, then I am also wait listed for one of my two fall '17 classes. I want to graduate on time. and i can, if i can get into these classes.

If I can’t get into the fall class, then it’s basically a dud. Total failure because I couldn’t declare it earlier because I had to do it literally all by myself with absolutely no direction.

If I can get into that class, then I can totally graduate on time. Two in the fall and three in the spring.

So, is it worth it? I’m really thinking about dropping the minor before even starting it. The chances are too high because I got into the program way later than planned.

2

I would drop the minor. I don’t think it’s worth it. Employers can look at your classes and see where your instruction/experience lies.

3

It seems like you really like “the idea” of having a minor and you were willing to add these extra classes on to your academic plan in your senior year just so you can say you have a minor. But ideally you would have developed an interest in an area of study and taken a few classes in it and then decided you liked it enough to be a minor. Or at least started looking into minors before the fall of Junior year. I also recommend dropping the minor as it doesn’t seem like you really have a passion for that minor subject.

4

I would not pay one dollar extra or graduate one day later to get a minor. I’ve never heard of anyone making a hiring decision based on a minor that an applicant has or doesn’t have. You always can list areas outside your major where you have taken classes on your resume (ex. Additional coursework in: X, Y, and Z).

I told both of my kids that having a minor only makes sense if it happens organically (ex. they were going to take those courses anyway). My S graduated with no minor and is just fine – my D ended up declaring a minor the end of her junior year after she spoke to a professor and realized that she only needed one more class (which she planned on taking senior year) to fulfill the requirements of the minor.