You're Not Alone
Deciding ranks as John Carroll University’s most popular “major.” About 1:5 students enter with this same exploratory and growth mindset — and most stay on track to graduate in four years.
Find Your Fit
You will join other deciding students for College Compass, a semester-long immersion course that puts you in control of next steps.
Make a Stronger Decision
The extra support you’ll receive as a deciding student means that when you’re ready, you will be more certain of your choices.
Available Majors at John Carroll University
JCU offers 70+ majors/minors/concentrations and fifth year options.
Mix + Match
You know best what sparks your passion. Combine majors, minors, research, internships and experiential learning and inspire next steps.
Arts, Education & Psychology
A passion for human growth.
Engineering & Environment
A passion for restorative solutions.
Data Science, Digital Media & Computing
A passion for code and content.
Communication, Cultures, Philosophy
A passion for ideas and meaning.
Business, Politics, Law
A passion for negotiation and human enterprise.
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, & Health
A passion for insights and problem solving.
Skills to Match Employer Needs
Our Integrative Core Curriculum prioritizes the same communication and problem solving skills that employers prize:
• written expression
• oral expression
• quantitative analysis
• technological/informational literacy
Support for Deciding Students
Facetime With Advisors
Once orientation wraps, you’ll meet your academic success advisor and begin one-on-one sessions that give you fresh insights and carry you through freshman year.
Group Projects and Activities
Each College Compass class breaks into small groups during the semester to explore majors, interview professors and connect with new friends.
Assess, Reflect, Plan
Tools like the Strong Interest Inventory and the Gallup Strengths Test give you plenty of insights. From there, you’ll create two parallel plans to further explore a direction.
Deciding Students Profiles
Leah Pritchard '26 walked into her first weeks and months of college more relaxed in knowing that she could sharpen her academic and career focus without having to change her major. Declaring herself “deciding” gave her a bit of breathing room, and plenty of resources. "The (deciding student) program helped me find interests, but it also helped me find things I am not interested in as well," she says. "At first, this was a little defeating, but it allowed me to open new doors again and explore even further. It's comforting knowing I wouldn't have to change my major, just my focus." Pritchard chose education with a business marketing focus — positioning herself for careers in both traditional schooling, online education, as well as corporate training.
At first, Charlie Mitchell ‘26 cringed at the thought of someone innocently asking: “so, what’s your major?” His trepidation has turned to excitement though thanks to the emphasis placed on being "okay" to begin your college journey as an undecided student by those who designed John Carroll’s College Compass course. Mitchell praises the program design for creating a culture of acceptance and encouragement that inspires students to avoid closing doors and seeking their path.
Josephine Lawler ‘26 discovered early in her College Compass course (the foundation of John Carroll’s deciding student experience) that sifting through hundreds of major, minor, and concentration options is akin to ordering from an extensive restaurant menu. Step one — deciding what not to order — enables future choices. Lawler credits input from guest speakers, other deciding students and program advisors for helping her get clear on what majors were “totally not me” and which majors spoke to her passions and skills.
Caoilin Schaeffer remembers picking up a Sociology and Criminology designated lanyard on acceptance day at JCU so that she would have something to say when people asked her what she was studying. However, after seeing “undecided” as one of the major options to choose from at JCU, Caoilin felt a weight off her shoulders. The College Compass course has given Caoilin insights into different majors, and their specific course sequence, which gave her path of deciding more structure, and less uncertainty.
83%
of students who wait until second semester or later to declare their major graduate vs 79% who declare upon entry. (Source: Education Advisory Board).
⅓
undergraduates will change their college major (Source: US Department of Education).
85%
of all jobs that will exist in 2030 have yet to be defined (Source: Dell Technologies/Institute for The Future report)
Our promise to every student:
The future will not surprise you. You will surprise the future.
Whether you see your future self as a teacher, doctor, lawyer, nurse, marketer, chemist, law enforcement officer or engineer, we encourage you to connect STEM and human skills and to create a world of opportunity that serves the many, not just the few.