Does it look bad if I have attended multiple universities?

If you can complete three majors and three minors I’m really not going to care how many schools you went to if I’m your employer.

I’ve been out of school too long to know the precise answer, but my guess is that if your resume shows which the schools you attend(ed) here and abroad and you have paperwork showing which classes you took and how many points earned, you should have no difficulty.

I think this it makes you look serious about pursuing your education, not “bad.”

It is a little perplexing, but what matters is that you get your degrees. I would just put on my resume the institution that grants you a degree.

It depends. Who do you want to look “good” to? Is this about applying for scholarships for grad school, or about grad school admissions, or about future employers?

The main thing any of these people will be looking for is that you finished your undergrad and that you got good grades – and they will look most closely at your grades in the last year or two years.

Beyond that, yes they will look at your record and how many times you changed schools, but in any application (admissions or scholarship), you will have an opportunity to explain this – do so, and make it sound positive. If you’re creating a CV for job applications, then you can explain it anywhere you wish.

The key is to avoid sounding as if you are apologizing. Explain what happened, and what you learned from the experience. If there were screw-ups involved (bad grades) that are going to be seen when your application is reviewed, then be straightforward about it, and say that it won’t be repeated.

But if your grades are excellent, no one will care about the switches. Promote them as opportunities for learning and experience.

I kind of like the different schools. It shows you can adapt to different things and you have a diverse background.

Unless a potential employer asks to see your transcript, they won’t know. They only school on your degree is one you graduated from. I attended a total of four different colleges over an extended period of time. My employer did ask for a transcript, but it didn’t stop me from getting the job.

Depends on your major and career choice. Most employers just care when you graduated and what school you graduated from. If you studied abroad for a semester or two I think that is a good thing to note on your resume also. Some careers do ask your GPA and for transcripts, but very few. Those are usually careers in the sciences, or that are very competitive in the job market.

I never list the community college I went to on my resume, and only list it on a job application if it specifically asks to list all colleges attended.

I may be off base but I would think that on your resume you would only list the school that you actually got the degree from.

I went to two colleges (a technical school and a state university), but the only thing listed on my resume is the school I graduated from. I wouldn’t think an employer would care that you jumped around a bit unless you were getting kicked out of schools or having some other questionable issues leading to the switches.

Why would one need three majors and three minors? Seems a little excessive. I’d think getting a graduate degree in the same amount of time would look a whole lot better on a resume.

Thanks for all the responses! Definitely helped to soothe my anxiety some :)

@livelaughlove21 I started with biology and neuroscience majors, decided to add chemistry because I know that it’s more versatile (and I like it), and added geology, geography, and psychology just because they were simple additions. I like science and don’t want to limit my options. I’m technically premed, though considering a job in forensic science while I’m in med school (also why I’m not looking to get any of my degrees in grad school). I pretty much just want to learn as much as possible and be able to do whatever I want, haha.

This is a big plus if you do decide to go to graduate school.

…technically premed… Well, that explains the skull avatar.

Congrats by the way on the way you have expanded your options and rounded out your life with your education

@rojo Thanks! The skull is a piece by Damien Hirst (one of my favorite artists) called “For the Love of God.” Morbidly beautiful work—kind of his thing. “The Kingdom of the Father” is another one of my favorites by him. Got to see it IRL while I was visiting the UK (+1). I am a fan of both, the macabre and anatomy, and they just so happen to intertwine often :)

I think you’d still come across as an over-achiever to me even if you took 5 years or dropped down to 1 major, 5 minors. Unless there’s some detail I’m missing about your case, I think what mainly matters is as far as “looking good” is the school that awards the degree, with a plus for foreign study. Personally I don’t think attending multiple universities by itself (nor taking 5 years for 3 majors) looks bad. I wasn’t pre-med, so that may make a difference, but I also don’t think academic record details get much (if any) attention outside of college (except grad school admissions).