A Guide to Choosing a College Major
Choosing a college major is one of the biggest decisions a high school or underclassman is faced with–and making this choice can feel overwhelming. But by asking yourself the right questions and utilizing all the resources available to you, this process doesn’t have to be stressful. Here are some guiding questions to consider as you explore your options:
What Are My Interests?
Imagine you have to give a 30-minute presentation on any topic–what would you talk about? What ideas fill you with excitement? Which concepts make you want to learn more? Ideally, your college major should intersect with your core interests and be something you can imagine yourself pursuing beyond college.
Don’t discount interests that might not seem academic at first glance. For example: have you always loved sports, but are also interested in business, or life sciences, or creative writing? You could consider sports management, sports medicine, or sports journalism majors.
At the same time, keep in mind that passions don’t always equal a good career fit. You may love watching Grey’s Anatomy, but if you faint at the sight of blood, a pre-med major is likely not the right match for you.
What Are My Strengths?
Everyone is great at something–consider what your key strengths might be.
If you have a talent in mathematics, you could consider majors from economics and business to computational biology and engineering.
Are you an extrovert with a knack for connecting with others? You might end up in a public relations role or running your own event management company. In that case, communications or marketing might be great majors for you. Are you a whiz with numbers and skilled at helping others understand complex ideas? You might be an excellent data analyst one day, and could consider a statistics or information systems major.
Sometimes it can be hard for us to see our strengths, and to be honest about our weaknesses. Family members, friends, and teachers can all be great resources in figuring out what makes you great, and what might make a great major for you.
What Are My Values?
Knowing what you value most will help you refine your career search and select a college major. Your values include not just what social issues are most compelling to you, but also what you value in your personal life. Consider what is most important to you, whether your core needs are collaboration or independence, adaptability or stability, prestige or contentment.
With a desire to help uplift others across the globe, you might consider majors across public policy, government, global studies, international affairs and development economics.
Perhaps you are a committed altruist who values their ability to improve society, but also values their ability to work creatively. You might thrive as an investigative reporter working to expose injustice, and therefore might choose a Journalism major. If you have that same desire to uplift the most vulnerable but also value connecting with diverse groups of people, you might work for a global NGO one day, and could major in International Relations to best prepare for that career.
Not every major will present a good fit for your key values–but your ideal match is out there. For example, if you highly value work-life balance and a relaxed office environment, a Finance major that would lead you to Wall Street is unlikely to support those values. However, if you value a high income and the chance to excel in high-stakes, high-pressure situations, that same Finance major may be an ideal fit.
What Are My Career Goals?
Picture yourself in five years. Now in ten, and in twenty. What does your ideal life look like? Where do you want to live? What type of work would be most fulfilling for you? Do you imagine yourself happiest making cutting-edge discoveries in a lab? Speaking in front of crowds or managing a team? Independently working on your own creations?
Once you have the answers to those questions, you can investigate which industries, fields, and positions check the most boxes for your ideal life. And once you have those answers, you can evaluate which college majors are most likely to help you achieve your goals.
What Would My Earning Potential Be?
Money isn’t everything–but it’s an important consideration when choosing your college major. Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics to see which jobs that interest you have positive growth rates. Also look carefully at the average earnings for these jobs, and consider whether they fit the lifestyle you intend to have after college. Do you dream of living in a big city with a high cost of living? Do you hope to have a large family one day? Are you willing to sacrifice a high salary in exchange for working in a particular field? These are all things to factor into your choice of major!
What Other Resources Do I Have to Guide Me in Making This Decision?
Choosing a major is a big decision, but you aren’t alone in making it. You might start exploring your options through resources such as a talent-interest assessment. These assessments, which include those offered by YouScience, eParachute, Careers.org, O*NET Online, and more, gather real measures of your aptitudes and interests and evaluate your best matches within over 500 careers.
If you have friends or family members who majored in the same field you’re considering, ask them about their experiences. What did they like about the major? How did it impact their professional life? Would they make the same choice again?
Academic counselors and college deans are also great resources. They have watched many students make the same choice you are now faced with, and therefore have a wealth of experience–and advice–to share with you.
Remember:
You Don’t Have to Decide Immediately
At any given college, between 25-50% of students enter college with an undeclared major. It is both normal and understandable to want to explore your options! While some specialized programs require students to be admitted for that specific major, most liberal arts students can hold off on selecting their major until they feel ready.
You Can Use This Major as a Stepping Stone
For some students, an undergraduate degree is their ultimate educational goal–but for those considering graduate school, your choice of undergraduate major could be a strong step towards your larger plans. For example, you could major in Comparative Literature or History as an undergraduate–reading widely and gaining key critical thinking skills–before enrolling in law school. Or, you might choose to study Sociology at the undergraduate level, where you’d gain the problem-solving and analytical abilities you’ll need to excel in a graduate business program.
You Can Change Your Mind
According to the U.S. Department of Education, roughly 33% of students pursuing a Bachelor’s degree will change their major at least once. It’s quite common to realize that your intended major is not the best fit for you. There may be some hurdles to changing your major–you may need to take additional courses, get your academic advisor’s permission, or sometimes even transfer to a different school within your college or to a different institution. But the result is often worth the effort. The most important thing is to end up with the major that is right for you.
Finally, never forget: your college major can help guide you–but it doesn’t have to define you.