How to Choose Your Major in Three Regret-Free Steps
July 8th, 2009
I usually focus on college admittance on this site; however, in the past I have occasionally introduced other college related topics. I got wonderful feedback from my post regarding how to choose your college, so I thought it might be a good idea to expand to even more college related topics.
One topic that is of great concern to many freshmen is choice of major. Choosing your major course of study is extremely crucial. Your choice has implications that carry into your whole life. This is sometimes difficult for high school students to grasp.
The wrong major can:
*The wrong major can severely limit your choice of career. For example, if you choose to major in English, then later decide you want a career in finance, your major will not be much help to you. *The wrong major can restrict your choices in coursework during your college career.
Most of all, IT CAN BE BORING! You may not like the classes, the professors, the studentsand then spend the next 10 years of your life regretting not choosing that really cool-sounding major back in freshman year.
In this article, I have listed some things you should keep in mind as you select your major.
It’s important to discuss these things with your parents too. Most of what they say has a lot of value, even if you don’t realize that yet
The first thing to think about is the type of work you actually want to do when you have finished college.
If you are fascinated with business, be sure to choose a social sciences major like economics. If you are interested in engineering, look into things like computer sciences.
Naturally, if your interest lies in engineering, you should choose your major from the major courses of study for engineering.
For example, an interest in writing and journalism would lead you to choose a major in one of the liberal arts.
You may be wondering why I am pointing out the apparently obvious, but you would be surprised to know how many students choose their major without thinking of these things. Just keep in mind that you choice of major determines the course of your life. It will not just affect your college experience, it will affect your life experience, too.
How will you find happiness in life? What work will bring you fulfillment? What do you really love doing? How can your turn your passions into income?
click here for more on Stanford University admissions.
The second thing you must keep in mind is your personality.
Are you outgoing? Computer science may not be for you
Are you artsy/creative? Try creating your own major, or try an interdisciplinary major
The point is to think about how you work best. If you like numbers, gravitate towards an analytical major. If you like writing, gravitate towards a humanities/social sciences major.
Train to your talents. Choose a major that supports what you do well. If you end up stuck with a major that you are not good at, it will only cause you unhappiness.
Finally, be sure to create a list of the goals you want to achieve while you are in college.
Map out your goals and create a set of objectives to achieve them. This will help you move surely through your college career. Goal setting will get you through from start to finish.
Do you want to study in Italy/France/China? Pick a major that gives you flexibility to do thatThree Steps To Choosing Your Major With No Regrets
Be very clear on your college goals. To have a successful college career, there are a few things that you will need to accomplish during your four years, and there are others that you will simply want to accomplish. Make yourself a clear picture of your goals and the steps it will take to attain them. Choose your major to support these goals. Your choice of major should help you achieve your dreams.
Click here for more advice on choosing an Ivy League degree.
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