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Abstract & Works Cited For Final Research Paper

Abstract:   This final research paper explores the fact that an increasing number of students are choosing to enter college unsure of what major they are going to pursue. To better understand the students who make this decision, the paper explores the underlying causes and backgrounds of undecided students, and how their futures are impacted by their lack of decision at time of entry. It highlights the monetary, educational, and professional setbacks that an individual forfeits when they postpone their decision of a major to a later date proving that this choice is only an option for affluent students. The term “phase-adequate engagement” is used to describe how individuals engage in their own transitions including what goals and strategies they apply and the effectiveness of their strategies being categorized as adequate or inadequate. Undecided students are said to have inadequate phase-engagement because they lack the necessary tools to make an informed decision. This paper further
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Research Blog #9: Argument & Counter-Argument

With the privatization of public universities today, the price of a college education is at an all-time high. This being said, students cannot afford to waste time and money taking courses that cannot be put towards their major requirements. Undecided students are at a loss when they are still in the process of choosing a major because they may be taking classes that will not translate to their intended major. This means that they may have to spend extra semesters making up for the lost time, which is an additional cost to the student. This problem lead to the development of my research questions:  What are the underlying causes that push a student into being undecided? and Can being undecided in college impact the way that a student transitions into adulthood? My thesis is that the "undecided" pathway is essentially only an option for extremely affluent students. Some factors that contribute to a student being undecided are anxiety, career undecidedness, and
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Literature Review #5

Research Confirms an Urgent Need to Improve How Students are Supported When Choosing College Majors Authors William Hansen & Johnny C. Taylor Jr. MLA Citation:    Taylor, Johnny C, and William Hansen. “OPINION: Research Confirms an Urgent Need to Improve How Students Are Supported When Choosing College Majors.” The Hechinger Report , 13 Nov. 2017 Summary: This article addresses the fact that there is a growing number of students who lack advice when making decisions regarding their choice of major, which often results in them changing their minds along the way. It was found that the most effective forms of advice came from work-based sources such as employers, colleagues or experienced professionals. However, only about 20% said they had sought out information from these sources. The problem with this is that first-generation and minority students depend on these outside resources to aid them in their decision, because they lack these resources in their informal soci
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Research Blog #8: Case

Case: Armstrong and Hamilton's "Paying for the Party" I will be using the examples of Emma and Taylor and other characters in Armstrong and Hamilton's "Paying for the Party" to further drive my argument concerning Undecided students and the detrimental effects that it can have on a student's education. It will help me further develop my argument in the following areas: Parental Resources: One of my arguments is that parental resources and involvement is a major factor in their child's education. When a student has a parent who is an active participant in their education, they are more likely to make an informed decision and have support in following out tasks that support their decision. This relates to the term  Developmental Task Theory: When young people are more engaged in their academic domain, they are more likely to actively engage in their career choice. Taylor's parents were able to help her find information about the requirements
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Research Blog #7: Frame and Project

Phase-Adequate Engagement Found in: Phase-Adequate Engagement at the Post-School Transition What is Phase-Adequate Engagement? Phase-Adequate Engagement is the attempts of an individual to maximize the benefits of their transition and to minimize the opportunity cost present in their individual transition. This term addresses how individuals engage in their own transitions and what goals, strategies they apply and the effectiveness of their strategies being categorized as adequate or inadequate.  How does Phase Adequate Engagement Relate to Undecided Students?  Understanding the term phase-adequate engagement is important when discussing undecided majors because during the transition period from high school to college, an individual goes through a major transition in which they must decide their future in a short amount of time. Individuals who are undecided are considered as having inadequate phase engagement because they are not maximizing the benefits of their time. While
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Research Blog #6: Visual

A Major  Decision The picture to the right illustrates the growing epidemic of college students who are deciding to be undecided in their first year of college. With the pressure higher than ever to find a major and stick to it due to the high cost of a college education, we still find students choosing to remain undecided. This growing number is concerning because indecision among students means that graduation rates will begin to lower. However, this number is not  a clear estimate of how many undecided students there really are- most first-year students pick a course of study that they believe they are interested in, only to find themselves switching to a different discipline later in their education. This statistic has caused pressure for many four-year public universities to decrease the time-to-degree completion rates, which is displayed in a national ranking. This presents an interesting question: are colleges really  concerned about the financial being of their students
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Literature Review #4

Phase-Adequate Engagement at the Post-School Transition Author, Julia Dietrich MLA Citation :   Dietrich, J., Parker, P., Salmela-Aro, K. (2012). Phase-adequate engagement at the post-school transition. Developmental Psychology, 48, 1575- 1593.  Summary:    This article is about the transition from High School to College or career pathways. The transition presents developmental challenges that are handled differently by every individual. Coping with these challenges differs depending  on the individual, their social network and cultural  conditions. Once an adolescent choses a vocation, they must do all necessary tasks to fulfill their goal. How these individuals deal with the necessary steps of completion will determine their post-school transition patterns. Information About Author:   Julia Dietrich, is a research associate at the Institute of Educational Science in the Department of Educational Psychology. Philip D. Parker specializes in Developmental Psychology an
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