Myths seem to come out of nowhere but don’t serve much purpose except to mislead the people that believe them. This definitely applies to college myths. There appears to be a never-ending stream of myths tied to the subject but thankfully, there is information out there to debunk them and get students on the right path.
The Myth: You Can’t Change Your Major Once It’s Declared
The Reality: For some reason, college bound students still think this particular myth is a reality. The next time somebody tries to convince you that this concept is real, shut it down by pointing out the fact that people in college change majors all the time.
Incoming freshmen don’t have to declare a major right away and once they do, they are more than welcome to change it at anytime. Of course the drawback is the process of switching degree programs, which can be tedious and requires approval. In most cases, changing majors results in pushing back a student’s potential graduate date, since they’ll have to backtrack and take new courses to fulfill the requirements of the new degree program.
The Myth: Fraternities & Sororities are Only About Partying
The Reality: Fraternities and sororities unfortunately get a bad reputation for things like hazing and stories of crazy parties. However, the truth is these organizations are first and foremost about promoting a number of positive causes and platforms, such as community service and serve to connect its members to work together for a greater good.
Social events and parties do occur but that is not what joining such an organization is all about.
The Myth: You’ll Encounter the Freshman 15 Because All They Serve is Junk Food
The Reality: The Freshman 15 has some truth to it but these days colleges and universities are offering much healthier food choices in addition to the traditional options of pizza, burritos, burgers and other fast-food type of items. Cafeterias on many campuses have even expanded their menu selections to include specialty dishes suitable for vegetarian, vegan and diabetic appetites.
The Myth: College Doesn’t Allow Pets
The Reality: Not all colleges allow pets. But a good number do. It doesn’t take much effort to do an online search for pet-friendly schools. However, attending a campus that is fine with students having pets doesn’t mean it is a free-for-all. It is important for students to read through the school’s housing policy in order to find out what types of pets are allowed and which ones are not. Certain colleges are more accommodating to some types of pets than others.
The Myth: You Have to Be Poor to Receive Financial Aid
The Reality: Need-based aid is the most common type of financial aid and does indeed help students from low-income families. But that doesn’t mean all students have to be at the poverty level to be considered for assistance in the form of scholarships and grants. Regardless of whether a student thinks their family earns too much, it is worth filling out the FAFSA and getting solid answers.
