Are you feeling pressured to choose your university major?Some high school students are easily frustrated when everyone seems to want to know what they'll be doing after high school. It can be especially frustrating if other students do seem to have plans in place while you don't.

There is pressure to choose your university major early simply because you'll need to take the appropriate prerequisite high school courses. That being said, it's fairly safe to assume that if you choose the advanced level of science, mathematics and English courses, you'll be prepared. Most of these subjects are foundational to university courses.

If you think you'll want to move forward in the sciences, depending on the path, you may need to also take physics, chemistry and biology courses. It is helpful to look through a few course books to see what the requirements are.

If you haven't chosen your major by application time, don't worry. Do try to narrow your path down to the arts, business or sciences, though. First year courses are often fairly general, allowing you to choose your major once it becomes clearer to you.

Here are some tips that might offer clues as to which path to choose:

- Ask what interests you the most in the subjects you've taken so far. Is there a common theme?

- Look at which subjects you consistently score well on. Would you like to continue in any of them?

- What careers have you been exposed to that intrigue you?

- Research careers online to see salaries, job descriptions and to get an idea of what types of positions companies are filling.

Ask others how they chose their majors.

Some universities have similar courses, but specialize differently. For instance, many offer first-year sciences courses that are similar, but then specialize in different majors. One school may be known for archaeology, another for food science and third for biological science. Visit the campuses. Participate in open houses. Ask questions and try to narrow down a choice that seems to fit your interests.

Consider your future colleagues.

Think about what kinds of classmates are pursuing the major you're considering and keep in mind that similar people will likely be your future colleagues.

"Information Technology: You like working with computers, but hate the people that use them."

The best way to choose your university major is to follow your gut. Then start on a path, see how you make out, and feel free to alter your course direction as it becomes clearer.