Do Undecided Students Retain at Lower Rates? Here’s Why Colleges Should Find Out.

At a previous institution, we found something that changed how we thought about retention: students who started as undecided were less likely to stay enrolled than those who declared a major.

It made sense. Students who entered with a major felt connected quickly to faculty, advisors and peers in their academic area. They had a clearer idea of their path. But undecided students? They often drifted, unsure of where they fit and many didn’t return.

This wasn’t a national study—it was our own data. But it made me wonder: Is this true at other institutions?

What the Research Says

National data on this topic is mixed.

✔ Some studies suggest declaring a major early improves retention.

• A study at Western Michigan University found that students with a declared major were more likely to be retained and graduate than their undecided peers.. (Anderson, 2007)

• The University of Massachusetts Boston reported higher first- and second-year retention rates for students who entered college with a major.(UMass Boston, 2019)

But not all research agrees.

✖ Other research suggests no major impact.

• A 2020 NACADA Journal study found no significant difference in persistence between students who entered with a declared major and those who didn’t. (Graunke & Woosley, 2020)

So, is declaring a major the key to retention? Maybe. But maybe not. What really matters is how well an institution helps students—whether they have a major or not—find academic and career direction.

Is This Happening at Your Institution?

The only way to know is to look at your own data.

If undecided students aren’t persisting at the same rate as their peers, then the issue isn’t just about choosing a major. It’s about how well your institution helps them find direction.

The good news? Enrollment and admissions teams can help—before students even step foot on campus.

How Enrollment Can Help Students Discover Their Path

Choosing a major is a big decision, and many students don’t feel ready. But that doesn’t mean they should enter college without a sense of direction.

One of the best ways to support undecided students before they enroll it to engage them in fun, interactive ways to explore careers and majors.

1. Use Career and Major Exploration Tools

Most students don’t want to wade through dense career reports or take outdated personality tests. They need a fun, low-pressure way to discover potential career paths.

Some options include:

✅ Turn Career Discovery Into a Game – Instead of a generic “What should I major in?” quiz, design a Buzzfeed-style assessment that helps students see their strengths in a creative way. Think “What’s Your College Superpower?” or “Which Career World Do You Belong In?” These playful but insightful tools build self-awareness while naturally leading students to related majors.

✅ Use AI-Powered Career Pathway Tools – Platforms like MyMajors, O*NET Interest Profiler, and PathwayU allow students to answer questions and get tailored recommendations based on real career data. Instead of just listing possible fields, these tools map interests to job opportunities, salary expectations and required degrees—making the connection between major and career more tangible.

✅ Create a “Match Me” Major Finder – Most colleges list majors in a very basic way. Instead, build a dynamic tool that lets students select interests (e.g., “I like solving puzzles” or “I want to work outdoors”) and then matches them to real programs at YOUR institution. If a student selects creativity, for example, the tool could highlight graphic design, digital media and marketing—not just “Art.” If their result suggests analytical strengths, it could connect them to business analytics, computer science or economics.

By making major exploration interactive and tied to your institution’s offerings, undecided students can begin college with a sense of direction instead of uncertainty.

2. Build Exploration Into Yield Communications

For students who apply as undecided, don’t let them stay in limbo until they get to campus.

Ideas for yield strategies:

• Share student stories of those who started undecided and found the right major.

• Offer faculty spotlights from different academic areas.

• Host virtual or in-person “Explore Your Future” events where admitted students can learn about different majors.

The more students see possible paths, the less likely they are to arrive without a sense of direction.

Final Thought: Undecided ≠ Unprepared

A student who starts college undecided isn’t doomed to drop out. But if your institution’s data shows that undecided students aren’t staying at the same rate as their peers, that’s a problem worth addressing.

So, is this happening at your school? Look at your retention data. If undecided students are struggling, enrollment teams can help—long before they arrive on campus.

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Citations:

Anderson, S. R. (2007). Retaining exploring students: A comparison study of decided and undecided college students (Doctoral dissertation, Western Michigan University). ScholarWorks at WMU. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/850/

Graunke, S. S., & Woosley, S. A. (2020). Early declaration of a college major and its relationship to persistence. NACADA Journal, 40(1), 94-106. https://meridian.allenpress.com/nacada-journal/article/40/1/94/436948/Early-Declaration-of-a-College-Major-and-Its

University of Massachusetts Boston. (2019). Declaring a Major and Student Success Measures for the Undecided Students. Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning. https://www.umb.edu/oirap/reports/retention-graduation/