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The Majors They Wish They Hadn’t Chosen By Audrey Williams June May 23, 2022

What would people change about their higher-education journey? A new report from the Federal Reserve Board, released on Monday, provides some answers to that question.

The report, “Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2021,” details the findings of a survey that was conducted in October and November of 2021. Among the higher-education issues respondents were asked about were online education, the value of college, and student debt.

Several questions in the poll, officially the 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking, asked respondents to identify things they wish they had done differently: 67 percent of adults with some college or a technical degree said they would have liked to complete more education. About 37 percent of people who had some college or a technical degree said they would have attended a different institution.

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What would people change about their higher-education journey? A new report from the Federal Reserve Board, released on Monday, provides some answers to that question.

The report, “Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2021,” details the findings of a survey that was conducted in October and November of 2021. Among the higher-education issues respondents were asked about were online education, the value of college, and student debt.

Several questions in the poll, officially the 2021 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking, asked respondents to identify things they wish they had done differently: 67 percent of adults with some college or a technical degree said they would have liked to complete more education. About 37 percent of people who had some college or a technical degree said they would have attended a different institution.

Perhaps the most interesting response was to a question asking adults who had completed at least some college whether they would have chosen a different major. Here’s what they said:

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