I, like many other students, remember overcoming the hurdle of college applications just to later stress over the selection of a college major. However, more often than not, students are closer to selecting a major than they think. Students often forget that suitable majors can be academic subjects that they like or do well in, or fall under careers or jobs that appeal to them.
Anyway, most college students end up changing their major before graduating.
You don’t need to know your major yet.
The only annoying thing about not knowing your major straight away is that people love to ask “what’s your major?” as an ice-breaker. However, you don’t need to know your major when you enter college! You can choose to be undeclared. Most colleges have a core curriculum, where you will need to complete some general education or liberal education courses before you graduate. The first year is a great time to get those requirements for graduation completed, because you won’t be “wasting time” and in the process, you may find a subject that fascinates you.
Experiment with different majors.
Knowing whether a major seems like the right fit is just as important as knowing that it is not. Enrolling in an introductory course, spending a day shadowing someone who works in a field you may like, speaking to professors in your desired field, seeking help from academic advisers and career counselors or reading about the career could help you distinguish whether or not a major is right for you. Thinking about how your passions, interests and values align with career paths can also help eliminate possible majors. However, your major and your future occupation are not necessarily identical. Many people end up working in careers different to what is typical for their major. Liberal arts majors have the freedom to choose an occupation beyond their major’s subject matter.
Another thing that you could consider are your abilities in certain fields. Generally speaking, this means your capabilities in understanding and carrying out work in specific fields. Understanding what areas you have skills in and which areas could use improvement is a good way to eliminate options. However, discounting the fields where you lack ability is not the way to go; that’s the whole point of taking classes in college.
Know your requirements for career paths.
Usually, a bachelor's degree is sufficient for most careers. However, some professional roles require additional training and education. Future doctors and lawyers should know that their undergraduate degrees in college are just the beginning and graduate school is a necessity. So while majoring in pre-law or pre-med may be the right step at the undergraduate level, those students should be aware that an additional degree will be required to practice their desired subjects. Therefore, you should look at your end goals to understand if you will need a graduate or professional degree to land the job they want.
By Donte
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