Unfounded Stereotypes and Stereotyping at State University

Unfounded Stereotypes at State University

Choosing a college major is often a difficult and distressing task for many students. Most individuals attend college to obtain a career that will lead to wealth and success. When deciding on a major, students consider their main interests as well as the opportunities offered by particular fields of study. Many of these young adults, however, never consider that the decisions they make can determine their "status" at a university and can be the source of many generalizations by peers. Especially at the State University, certain majors are believed to be more credible than others. For example, those found in the fields of mathematics and science are perceived to be highly difficult and time consuming, and therefore command a great deal of respect in the college arena. On the other hand, majors found in Arts and Letters and Business are deemed to be quite a bit easier, less stressful, and as a result are often scorned. Because of these stereotypes, students of Arts and Letters and Business command much less respect in the university and receive much less credit for academic accomplishments. In order to eliminate unfounded stereotypes, all majors at Notre Dame should be equally regarded because they reflect a student's interests and strengths rather than define his or her identity and intelligence.

Upon arrival at the State University for freshman orientation, students are immediately sorted into categories. One's dorm provides the initial identity as students march to countless events chanting the cheers that have been handed down from upperclassmen. However, these stereotypes are all in fun and are rather temporary as the welcomes fade and all begin to feel a part of the student bo...

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...etitive learning environment in which students would choose their majors based on their own interests and needs and would refrain from making so many judgments about the fields of their peers. While the solutions are not clear, the goals are, and once achieved would lead to a more enlightened community.

Works Cited

Bundick, Rachel. Personal Interview. 19 November 1998.

Clayton, Mark. "Big Majors on Campus." Christian Science Monitor March. 1998: 1-6.

Gardner, H. Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice (169). New York: Basic Books (1993).

"How to Pick a College Major." USA Today Magazine Sept. 1997: 1-2.

Orndorff, Robert M., and Edwin L. Herr. "A Comparative Study of Declared and Undeclared College Students on Career Uncertainty and Involvement in Career Development Activities." Journal of Counseling & Development July, 1996: 1-17.