“If there was a more clear path for people who had decided their major…if there’s a clear cut path for what classes you should be taking, [It would be easier for the college and students]” (Quote from a Skyline College Student)
In March, Skyline College students participated in seven student focus groups to share insights into how our students choose majors and select courses. These 51 students identified four keys concerns:
- Choosing a major is hard
- Taking the right courses is challenging due to class scheduling and waitlists
- Campus resources are effective, but not everyone knows about them
- Students want more community and connection at Skyline College
One student shared, “I know a lot of people who have been here for 5 or 7 years, and they switched their major so many times, and that is why they are here for so long…and I think that happens so often because there isn’t really someone to sit down with them and say, ‘Here, these are your strengths, these are careers that would be really good for you, and these ones aren’t.’ So, that’s why they keep jumping around… I think we definitely need a program [to help with] that.”
This feedback illustrates the challenges our students face as they navigate college and Skyline College is using it to inform the college redesign. Moving forward, to ensure that students remain at the core of the college redesign, the Design Team has invited two student representatives to serve on the Design Team and will provide more chances for students to contribute their ideas and insights through focus groups.
The complete student focus group report can be found on the Meta Majors & Guided Pathways website: http://skylinecollege.edu/metamajors/resources.php
Article written by Jessica Hurless | Photo by Skyline College PR & Marketing
