For many people, whether you are going to be heading to college or are already there, choosing a major that best suits you is really hard to do, and can sometimes even be frightening. This could be because people are scared of being stuck on a path they find out they don’t like, it could possibly be they just don’t know what subjects they like and want to learn more about, or they just have no idea what career they want to pursue. But for those that are having these fears, it is quite normal. In fact, about 50-70% of college students change their major at least once. What can be even more disconcerting for someone who is trying to find a major is the fact that most college students change majors at least three times before they graduate. But in all reality, it makes sense that students struggle so much with trying to choose a major.
Schools in America push students at a very young age to find a subject path that they like and a career that they want to pursue. I remember at the age of thirteen, being bombarded with career and personality assessments on a regular basis, and having teachers and counselors constantly jumping down mine and my peers’ throats about finding a career. Fortunately, in an unfortunate situation in the eighth grade, I found my calling. A calling that I am still currently pursuing in college. But unfortunately many other students at that age have no idea what they want to do in the future. Most of the time, many students are at a disadvantage because they don’t have the opportunity to have a personal or life experience to help them decide what career path they want to follow. This decision can be very scary to think about for a young person, especially since college is such a huge investment.
Having this kind of pressure at such a young age can be really hard on a person. Tools, such as career and personality assessments are meant to help one understand their strengths, weaknesses, and preferences to help one become more confident in the decision-making process. But it’s hard to expect a middle schooler, or even a high schooler, to have a set decision because they are still growing up and maturing. It’s good to have them thinking about possible future careers, but they should not be pressured into making a set decision that is meant to decide their whole future.
For high school students, the stress of needing a plan for college can leave one frazzled, and lead one down a path to a degree that they don’t even want. It can be overwhelming to decide what major to pursue because at most colleges there are hundreds to choose from. It’s even possible at some schools to design your own major. Though choosing a major isn’t necessarily a life sentence that you are locked into forever, it is a big commitment and is a decision that should be taken seriously to best fit you. By choosing the wrong major it can result in not graduating in four years, or even worse, could result in dropping out. That within itself is a good reason to be scared to make a choice, for the fear of making the wrong one. Now if we would put less of a stigma or fewer consequences for switching majors, then students may feel less pressure when making future college decisions.
For students that have somewhat of an idea of what major they want to pursue, go for it. Even if you aren’t so sure the major you are pursuing exactly relates to the career you might want, it could possibly still work out. Many graduates, in fact, pursue careers that aren’t directly related to their college majors. For example, a math major could go on and get a Masters in Business Administration, which can lead to a career that isn’t directly correlated to math. Or a business major can go on and get a graduate degree in psychology. So, it really doesn’t depend on what your major necessarily is, but more on the graduate schooling that decides your career options. An exception to this is if you are interested in a major that requires a lot of classes, or classes limited to students in that specific program. In that case, you would want to declare a major early.
For those who are undecided, I advise you to take a variety of courses in various subject areas. If you are working towards a degree, the school will require you to take general education and electives. Take advantage of this opportunity to use these courses to explore new areas. When choosing a major there are a couple of aspects that you should really take into consideration. First of all, if you already have an idea of a career that you want to pursue, choose a major that will prepare you for that specific job or advanced study. Next, earning potential is definitely an important aspect to consider because college is a huge investment. But also, keep the quality of life in mind. Even though a three figure salary would be nice, it may not be worth it if you’re not happy with the job. But my biggest tip when trying to choose a major, is to talk to professors, advisors, department heads, and other students. Their experience in the field of study will help you learn more about the majors that interest you. You could even try doing internships to explore different options. Exploring your interests will help you find your best fit major, and possibly a future ideal career.
Though deciding on a major for college is important for your future, it shouldn’t be something that is forced or pressured. For some people, it just takes some time to find their passion, and we definitely shouldn’t expect young people to know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their lives. This part of a person’s life shouldn’t be made into something that is discouraging or feared. Instead, it should be what motivates and inspires our youth to do great things and to build a great future.
