> I think that people who go to college decide on what to major in significantly based on two factors: earning potential and whether a field is seen as high-status.
Also laziness, virtue signaling, dilettance, and genuine interest.
Surprised I had to scroll this far down to find this. You're absolutely right. Plenty of people just choose a major based on whimsical interest their freshman year, then stick with it because it's too late/expensive/difficult to change to something else. A lot of my friends at school ended up in this situation.
Also laziness, virtue signaling, dilettance, and genuine interest.