Choosing a College Major
Posted by Jean Scott | Filed under Reference & Education
Choosing a college major is an important decision but it doesn’t have to be so difficult if you make a careful assessment of your career goals and also your innate ability and interests. In case you have been wondering what to choose as your major then take a look at my step-by-step guide in the paragraphs below.
The first step in choosing a college major is to focus on the things that you do well. It is better to capitalize on your strengths rather than to try subjects that may prove to be very difficult for you. To give you an example, suppose you did well in high school science and mathematics courses, then it would make sense to choose a college major in one of these fields or in a technical field that calls for both of these aptitudes. On the other hand, if your grades in English, languages and social studies were high, then your major might be found in languages or the social sciences. So, take a look at your transcript and consider majoring in a subject in which you have already excelled.
A huge factor in choosing a major is your career objective. What do you intend to do after college graduation? If you already know what you want to do after getting your degree then this makes your choice of majors more clear-cut. If you want to go to law school, for example, then you can major in a number of the social sciences, while if you want to go to medical school, then majors in the various “pre-med” subjects are advisable.
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.
Perhaps the best way to choose a college major is simply to choose a major in the area that you love the most. If you have been fascinated by space travel since childhood, then consider majoring in mathematical, science and technical courses that could pave the way for a career in the aero-space field. If you are interested in a particular area of the world, then maybe you should major in one of the languages of that area.
Finally, make a test of the various subjects. You probably will not have to declare your major until the end of the second year, so in the first year and half take a few courses in the subjects that you are considering as a possible major. You may be surprised and find out that courses in some subjects are not as interesting as you had expected. Based on your experience with a few elective courses, then you will be in a better position to choose your major.
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: college, college curriculum, college major, college majors, education, program of study, Reference & Education, reference and education, university
