One of your most important tasks at the beginning of college is to choose a subject that you will major in. This decision is not as difficult as it may seem, especially if you take a careful look at your interests, aptitude and future career goals. If you are still undecided about your college major then consider using my step-by-step guide that is described below.
The first step is to consider your strong points. What do you do well? It makes sense to concentrate on fields where you have already demonstrated some ability, rather than to branch out into subjects where you may not do very well. For example, if you had good grades in high school science courses, then why not continue with a major in a scientific subject in college? Or on the other hand, if your best high school subjects were in languages and social studies, then it might be wise to major in one of the social sciences. So, take a look back on your high school career, and consider majoring in one of your strong subjects.
Another important question is “what do you want to do after college?” If you already have a certain career in mind then this simplifies the task of choosing a major. Suppose you want to go to medical school and go on to be a doctor. Then a major in any of the “pre-med” subjects like biology would be almost mandatory.
If you have not yet decided on your future career then it is good to choose a major that will give you flexibility and greater choice later on. A major in economics, for example, could later prove useful in any career in the broad field of business. Similarly a major in English could provide you with the language skills that will be valuable in many different jobs in the years ahead.
Another approach to take is to ask yourself “what’s your passion?” What do you really enjoy doing? If you are an avid reader of history then go for it and major in history. If you have a fascination with any particular part of the world, then consider majoring in languages of that area. Are you crazy about technology, then keep it up and choose a major in a field that will let your pursue that interest.
The last step is to test out the possibilities. In the first year of college you probably will not have to decide on your major. So, take a few elective courses in the areas where you think that you might like to major. See how you like those courses, and see how well you do in them. Sometimes the reality of some courses may not match your expectations about a particular field of study and you may have to reconsider whether you want to take more courses in that area.
The best way to choose your major is the break down the task by carefully assessing your academic strengths, career objectives and basic interests. Then choose some electives and see how well you do. Based on this, you will be in a good position to choose a major that is just right for you.
Jean Scott writes for the American Educational Guidance Center. Among the subjects on which she has produced multiple articles are accelerated online college programs, programs for students with special needs, and inexpensive online degree programs.
Tags: Career & Employment, college, college curriculum, college major, college majors, education, program of study, Reference and Education, university
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