This Feeling Doesn’t Define You
When saying, “I’m in the wrong department,” most people feel two things at once: relief and panic. Relief, because they’ve finally put a name to something. Panic, because they don’t know what it means.
But this feeling isn’t a statement of fact; it’s a question. The question “How does being here make me feel?” is a clearer starting point.
Carol Dweck’s research on the growth mindset (Mindset, 2006) shows that framing a situation as fixed and unchangeable narrows your ability to see options. The question “I’m in the wrong major—what can I do?” represents a very different mindset from the statement “I’m in the wrong major—I’m doomed.”
There Are Things to Sort Out First
This feeling sometimes stems from a combination of factors:
There may be a genuine mismatch of interests. The major’s subjects don’t appeal to you at all, the careers of graduates seem tedious, and talking to people outside your field feels much more engaging.
But it could also be a temporary dip in motivation. A tough semester, a demanding professor, a failed exam, or a personal crisis. These are temporary circumstances; they may have nothing to do with whether the major is a good fit for you.
Distinguishing between the two is the first step before making a decision.
There Are Practical Options, But First You Need to Know What You Want
There are a few legal avenues in Turkey:
Horizontal transfer: transferring to another university or department with the same or a similar score. There are specific application periods, academic performance requirements, and quota limits.
Double major: studying a second major concurrently. A low-risk way to test your areas of interest.
Vertical transfer: moving from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree or from a bachelor’s degree to graduate school. This can be used to explore a different path.
Specialization within a major: At some universities, it’s possible to shift your focus without changing your major.
Withdrawing and retaking the entrance exam is also an option. However, the social and economic costs of this path must be clearly calculated.
These are your options. To know which one is right for you, you first need to know what you want.
When Does the “I’ll Just Stick It Out and Finish” Decision Make Sense?
In some cases, completing the program makes sense. Especially if:
- There are only a few semesters left until graduation, and your career goal isn’t directly linked to your major.
- You can nurture your interests through other means (side projects, volunteering, certifications).
- The cost of dropping out is higher than the cost of staying.
But the rationale “I’ll finish because I’m halfway there” isn’t sufficient on its own. Daniel Kahneman discusses this cognitive bias—known as the sunk cost fallacy—in detail in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011): what’s been spent in the past shouldn’t determine today’s decision.
“Being wrong is not failure. Insisting on being wrong is giving up on discovery.” > Adapted from Viktor Frankl’s framework
Cevvela’s Perspective
- The feeling of “I’m in the wrong program” is not an end in itself; it’s a question. First, you need to distinguish whether it’s temporary or permanent.
- In Turkey, lateral transfers, double majors, and vertical transfers are legal and practical options; they shouldn’t be ruled out without consideration.
- Finishing the program is an option, but the justification “I’m already halfway through” isn’t sufficient on its own (Kahneman, 2011).
- Framing this decision as “I’ll just grit my teeth and finish” or “I’m quitting everything” makes the options in between invisible.
- Clarifying your path through coaching is a different process from making a decision; it starts with understanding what you want.
{{contact}} To discuss this topic with Cevvela {{/contact}}