I have never been one of those people who knew what they wanted to be when they grew up. As a result, I felt enormous pressure when applying to colleges, as most require prospective students to state their majors in the application. This was frustrating for me because it felt like I was being forced to know exactly what I wanted to do when in reality I had no idea. However, as I was researching different colleges, I discovered the Program in Exploratory Studies (PES) here at the University of Colorado Boulder. After looking into it more, I learned that PES provides students with the unique opportunity to explore and delve into different majors before having to decide. This program immediately piqued my interest, as I had not seen this option presented by any of the other universities I was looking at. Because of PES, CU quickly became one of my top-choice schools. Fast forward to me currently finishing up the second semester of my freshman year, and still, I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Therefore, I decided to share a few things that I’ve enjoyed about the program and why you should consider PES as well if you’re finding yourself in a similar situation!
- No pressure to know what you want to do.
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As someone who had no idea what they wanted to major in, I quickly fell in love with PES’s no-pressure approach to exploring the different areas of study at CU. According to this article regarding CU’s Program in Exploratory Studies, PES is “the ‘open option’ for students who are exploring across campus versus exploring within a particular college or school.” When I was looking at other schools, I knew there was always the option of going in undecided, but PES seemed more structured in helping guide students to their majors–and I really appreciated that!
- Freedom to explore unique majors/classes.
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As a PES student, I have taken so many interesting classes and have been able to narrow down what my interests are. My favorite classes I’ve taken so far include Pathway to Space and Modern Paris! The best part is that I went from having absolutely no clue what I wanted to major in to having a pretty good idea of what I want to pursue.
- Supportive PES advisors.
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So far, I have had the opportunity to talk to a few of the PES Advisors and every one of them has been extremely informative and encouraging. They respond to emails quickly and you can really tell they want to see you succeed here at CU and find the major that fits you best!
- Fun event opportunities.
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Even though COVID has put an end to most in-person events, PES still offered a bunch of exciting virtual events this year specific to PES students. These range from academic-oriented events like help with finals prep to fun social events like laser shows! My favorite event I’ve attended so far was a virtual stargazing session!
While starting university during a pandemic has not been the most enjoyable experience, overall, I am still happy with my decision of choosing CU Boulder and the Program in Exploratory Studies. If you’re interested in learning more about PES you can check out their website here.