Provided by MGS
Millions of students attend college after high school. The Education Data Initiative says there were 18,939,568 people enrolled in colleges in the United States in 2023.
At some point in their pursuit of post-secondary education, students will need to choose a major. Choosing a major can be challenging for students who have various interests and/or did well in multiple subjects in high school. The good news is that once a major is chosen, it isn’t set in stone. Many students change their majors as they are exposed to different coursework in college. Here are a few ideas for choosing a major.
• Don’t be pressured by family. Some students simply choose “the family business” route and select the same school and major as one or both of their parents. Make this a well-informed choice that considers various aspects and not just what Mom or Dad do for a living.
• Select a subject you enjoy. You do not want to be slugging through the next four or more years of school studying topics that bore you. Avoid potential burnout by choosing a major that interests you and offers a future.
• Research a related industry. Investigate which jobs have higher rates of openings and compare other factors like earning potential. While the goal is not simply to select the major that will lead to a job with the highest earning potential, you should consider majors that will lead to jobs that are stable and offer growth potential. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is a good start for data. It currently lists wind turbine service technicians and nurse practitioners as the fastest-growing occupations.
Determine how rigorous coursework will be. Some majors feature more rigorous coursework than others. If you know that marathon study sessions and lots of research or writing projects are going to lead to extensive stress, it is probably best to consider another course of study. Indiana University Bloomington determined the most difficult majors based on the average time students spent per week preparing included architecture, chemical engineering and aeronautical engineering. Public relations, communications and criminal justice were among the less demanding majors, though it’s important to note that excelling in any course of study requires hard work and commitment.
• Check in with your academic advisor. Academic advisors can guide you by offering career assessment quizzes and going over your grades. Such assessments may reveal skills that align well with certain fields of study.
• Delay the decision. If you truly do not know what you want to study, enroll in school undeclared. This will give you a chance to explore some general education “core” classes and feel out a school before making a larger commitment. Typically, colleges will require a declaration of major by the end of sophomore year to allow enough time for completing that major’s required courses.
When choosing a major, students should weigh various factors to find a course of study that suits their interests and career goals.
