How to Choose a College Major
What’s your major? The question that every college student will hear thousands of times during their academic career. The system is built so that students are told to pick their future careers when most are still finding out what interests them. From engineering to business, law to medicine, the options are numerous. Plus, there isn’t much time to waste as tuition is expensive. So how do you begin to find a major that works for you?
Remember, the goal of college is to learn a skill set to earn an income. Your major is the skillset that most interests you. If you’re already enrolled in school and are stressed out about making a choice, don’t worry – at least 80% of students will change their major during their academic careers. Here are a few tips that can help.
Look for Options
Interests change over time. What you thought you wanted to do at 20 may not be what you want to do at 40. It’s this potential shift that stalls students into analysis paralysis and prevents them from choosing at all. The best way to counter this fear is to choose a major that will give you options. Choosing a very specific topic in a niche market limits your opportunities in the job market. Try to pick a general major within a particular industry, such as a general business degree rather than economics, to help you be successful after school.
Pro Tip: The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides projections on employment and income performance for various jobs. Visit their website to see how your interests perform over the next few years.
Look for Interests
It's true that the adage "follow your passion" doesn't work. Instead, follow your interests and work on cultivating it. You work on and develop your passion – it doesn't just find you. Did you prefer English or math in high school? Science or social studies? Start by choosing a topic that you enjoyed learning. After nurturing and feeding this interest with research and ideas, you may soon discover that it’s the best major for you.
Pro Tip: The best way to find new interests is to take action and try new things. Before enrolling in a class, talk to students, join a club, or meet with professors in the subject you’re interested in to learn more about it.
Look for Support Services
How can your college help you learn about your major or find internship opportunities in that field? Your college is a tool for helping you start your career. The more you learn about your major, the better your chances of finding a job after graduation. How competitive are you as a candidate if you don't know how to be successful? Making sure that your college is well-equipped to help you learn is a critical, but often overlooked, step in choosing the right major.
Pro Tip: Before declaring your major, research different resources available to help you learn the material and prepare for class. The more services available, the better equipped you are to learn.
With these three tips in mind, you’re well on your way to finding the right college major for you. Interested in receiving more insights and best practices on how you can save on your education? Be sure to subscribe to our Knowledge Base to receive weekly updates or checkout our College Savings Guide to learn how to cut the cost of your degree.
