Freshman and Sophomore Experiences and Changes in Major Field

This study assessed the influences of the freshman and sophomore years on changes in students’ academic major fields. Ten precollege characteristics and 17 collegiate experience measures were predictor variables in a step-wise discriminant function analysis. Two significant functions were produced, indicating that varying sets of freshman and sophomore year experiences can be associated with each of four groups: “non-changers.” “early changers,” “late changers.” and “constant changers.”