Selecting a major can be difficult. Some people know what they want to do from the time they’re small children. Others don’t know even after they’re in college. Whether you’re the former or the latter, here’s a quick look at a few tips that may assist you when it comes to determining a major.
1. Know Where Do You Want to Be
Some people want to go to school close to where they grew up. Others want to be as far away as possible. Therefore, location can come into the picture. If you wanted to go to school in California, for example, and get an MBA, San Diego might be a good place.
2. Be Available
Not all schools will offer every major. If you decide on what career you want to have though, this can actually help narrow down your school options. You wouldn’t want to go to a school specializing in agriculture majors if you wanted to be a theoretical physicist.
So make sure you thoroughly research the schools you are looking at. This is a big decision and you don’t want to make any mistakes.
3. Discover Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Determining your strengths and weaknesses can actually help when it comes to deciding on a major. If one of your strengths is chemistry, you may want to major in something that will rely heavily on it.
On the other hand, if public speaking is a weakness, you’d know to avoid majors like those leading to a career as a spokesperson or a news anchor. You might also want to strengthen your weaknesses while you’re in college though. If you’re weak in public speaking, take a speech class or two and you might just come to find that you adore it.
4. Have Career Goals
Once you know what interests you, you need to know what the potential career options are. This means you need to consider what your career goals might be and your future career in general, along with the ease or difficulty of finding a job in that niche.
If you do happen to have a specific career goal in view, you may need to choose your degree program or major in advance, at times before you even apply to college.
5. Decide What You Love
Make a list of some of the things you love to do, both outside and inside the classroom. This is a fantastic way to look at some of the possible career paths you might choose. If you enjoy drawing and art but also happen to be interested in technology, you might think about majoring in something like graphic design. Maybe local industries in California have captured your attention, such as the riches of startups in Silicon Valley, the agricultural industry of the Central Coast, or even biotech down in San Diego. If you enjoy traveling and business, why not consider international business?
6. Find Professionals and Advisors
The very best place to get advice about college is the counselor at your school. They help students every year who have to make the same decisions you’re facing. The counselor at your school can give you more information on program offerings and college majors. For instance, they might be able to tell you whether or not there are any college fairs in the area. They may also be able to get you in contact with other recent graduates who might be attending some of the colleges you’re considering. They can even help you with choosing electives to take.
Whatever you ultimately decide to major in, there’s one thing to remember: it isn’t set in stone. You can change your major after it’s already been declared if you decide to do something else. In fact, some people change it quite a few times. Just be sure you know your priorities and are happy with your decision.