Skip to ContentGo to accessibility page
OpenStax Logo
Preparing for College Success

Family & Friends Matter

Preparing for College SuccessFamily & Friends Matter

Family & Friends Matter

Michael has continued on his path to become a physical therapist even though he has struggled in some of the basic science classes. In fact, he earned Ds in Chemistry I and in Anatomy and Physiology. He will need to retake the courses and earn at least Cs in them to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in biology, but even more importantly, he will need to greatly improve his GPA if he wants to be able to get into a graduate program.

Michael has noticed that his enthusiasm for his major classes has waned considerably, especially since he has taken courses such as history and literature. He loves reading and discussing texts and analyzing their historical contexts. When he expressess this to his family, they encourage him to “get that out of his system” and continue on his pathway to physical therapy. In fact, they often share with him news stories about salaries for people who graduate with liberal arts degrees versus science and mathematics degrees, and the data show that his physical therapy degree will be far more lucrative over his lifetime.

Even though Michael knows he needs to be able to land a good-paying job after he graduates, he doesn’t think he has what it takes to get through his science courses. Now he is unsure of how to bring this up to his family as they have made it clear what their expectations are. He doesn’t want to disappoint them—and perhaps they know better what he should do—but he just can’t find the motivation to retake the courses and work harder.

Let’s Think About It

Michael has several options. Think through the consequences of each one, and choose the best option or create your own option.

  • Michael continues on the path to become a physical therapist even if that means retaking classes to earn a higher GPA so he can apply for graduate school.
  • Michael talks with a career counselor and an academic advisor about his dilemma and finds a more viable pathway for himself.
  • Michael has an honest conversation with his family about how he is feeling and why he is not doing well in his science classes.

Let’s Talk About It

Michael’s situation is common among students who think they want to major in something because they like the idea of it, their family supports the pathway, and the choice can lead to a lucrative career. However, it is okay to change your mind or decide to study something that interests you even if you are not sure just yet how to connect it to a career. Here are some suggestions for communicating with others about the dilemma that Michael is facing:

  • “After some thought and experiences in my classes, I don’t feel as though my original major and career plan are a good fit for what I would like to study. I would like to explore other options.”
  • “I have been talking with a career counselor about other options for careers. I have found some interesting pathways that would be different from what I originally chose, but would still be viable ways to use what I am learning in college in a career that makes a difference for others.”
  • “I am struggling with what I want to study and do with my life. I have found some classes are more enjoyable for me—even when they are challenging—and I would like to talk to my professors, advisors, and the career services staff about what this may mean for my degree pathway.”

Whatever choice you would make in this situation, it is always best to communicate clearly your needs, your concerns, and even your uncertainties.

PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution
Reuse and redistribution of this content in digital or print format:
  • This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's prior written permission.
  • This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License, which means that you can reuse and modify the material only for noncommercial purposes, must attribute OpenStax, and must distribute any derivative works under the same license.
  • Any commercial printing of this textbook, including using a local or custom printer, must be approved by OpenStax, and proper citation provided.
  • OpenStax-copyrighted images, activities, assessments, and similar components of this book are subject to the same licensing – CC-BY-NC-SA. They can be used for noncommercial purposes with attribution. Commercial use requires permission.
  • Permission requests: Anyone who intends to incorporate this content (including text, images, and other components) into large language models, use it in AI offerings, use it commercially (including in print), and/or has questions about another use case is welcome to complete our reuse request form.
Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/preparing-for-college-success/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial digital format, then for every page that includes OpenStax content, you must license the derivative work under the same CC-BY-NC-SA license as the original, and include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/preparing-for-college-success/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

The information below includes the information needed to generate citations in most major styles (APA, MLA, etc.); you must reformat and organize the information as needed to fit the requirements of the style. Use the information below to generate a citation. We recommend using a citation tool such as this one.

© Apr 23, 2026 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo, and Rice University name, and Rice University logo trademarks, or wordmarks are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.