High school seniors spend countless hours researching which college to attend and how to pay for it. The hard decisions should be over. But another big question is on the horizon; what major to choose? This decision could have huge implications for the future. For students with a clear career path, choosing a major are much easier. For incoming undergraduates with less direction, the task can seem daunting. Luckily first-year students have both time and resources to help make an educated decision.
Students who enter college unsure of a major and future career shouldn’t worry. Most are in the same situation and few have it planned out. Every institution has options to choose from, with some larger universities offering hundreds of majors. Additionally, these colleges provide many resources that help students make these tough decisions including: career services, college exploratory programs and academic advisors. Prior to meeting with advisors, a good exercise is to look at each individual focus that the school offers and choose majors that sound interesting and then research those fields; most schools offer online resources with information about available majors.
Before meeting with advisors ask the following questions:
- What subject would interest me for many years of study?
- Students will usually complete 60 plus hours of coursework related to their major that will require hours of lectures, homework, group projects and studying for exams every week. If you are not excited by the subject while making the decision, it is unlikely you will be later.
- What type of career can this major lead to?
- While most jobs don’t always require a specific major, it can be a factor during the application process. If you have a specific career in mind but are unsure of what to study, contact your school’s career center or visit job websites and see what is the preferred major on job postings. Also seriously consider earning potential. College is an expensive investment. Make it worth it.
- Do I want to pursue a career that requires certain prerequisites (i.e. medicine, engineering)?
- While you do not have to major in science to become a doctor, you will still have to take the prerequisites adding extra coursework on top of your major.
- What are some career aspirations?
- List a few careers that you have always been interested in and discover what majors could lead you to that career.
- What am I passionate about?
- This is a question with an ever changing answer. Ask it throughout the first two years of college and let the answers guide you to a meaningful major that will make you happy enough to wake up and go to class every morning.
Choosing a major is intimidating for anyone but it is never done alone. Academic advisors are the best resource for students struggling with the decision. “Undeclared students should immediately partner with an advisor,” says Diane Miller, the head of academic advising at the University of Georgia. “Advisors are a great resource and have helped hundreds of students decide on a path.” Such counselors will help students make a plan and find classes that will explore their interests and aid in an educated decision. They can also connect undergraduates with major specific professors who will be able to offer a more in depth look into that field.
Undecided undergraduates can use the first year of classes to gauge their interest in different subjects. Often incoming students will be intrigued by science courses and quickly learn that they do not want to pursue that route after Chemistry I. In the first year, take a variety of classes that are both interesting but still fill core requirements. Students should keep an open mind about academic experiences and allow themselves to be flexible.
Students can also option to double major if multiple subjects interest them. Double majors will often be in two completely different subjects and will require a punishing work load but this may be a great decision for undergrads with a love of learning. Another option is academic minors and certificates. These allow students to pursue multiple academic endeavors but do not require nearly as large a course load.
The good news for perspective students is that there is time to figure out college majors. Advisors say that undergraduates should lock in a major by the completion of their core coursework. For the average student, this will be during their final semester second year or first semester of their third year. The majority of classes taken from that point forward will be major specific. Take time during first year to explore interests and learn about the opportunities different majors can provide.
Deciding on a major is an important decision but a majority of students change majors at least once and many change two or three times. Students who go into college with an open mind and are intentional with decision making, should be able to pick a major with relative ease. Students should also realize that many graduates find jobs that have nothing to do with their specific major and careers are not final. In fact the average person changes careers two to three times. Don’t panic.
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