Navigating Academic Waters: Exploring the Trends of Switching Students in Higher Education

Numerous factors influence the major choice, encompassing peer influence, preparedness for coursework, personal preferences, prevailing labor market conditions, and prospective earnings. Research indicates that the decision-making process regarding majors is dynamic and evolves over time. Despite the extensive body of literature addressing the topic of major choice, relatively little is known about the patterns of major switching. Our objective is to investigate if patterns towards students’ graduation after a major switch are gendered or they rely on the field of study of origin and destination, which could provide opportunities for the timely delivery of educational interventions, aiming to reduce the neg￾ative effects of a course switch, and favor students’ graduation reducing the delay.