College only lasts for four short years. That may seem like a long time now, but remember how fast high school went by? In college, students can break away from doing the same old English, science, math and history classes and specialize in one or a couple subjects. Nobody can graduate from college without a major, so it is important to choose one, and make sure it is the right one. Use these tips to help you decide on a major for college:
1. Make sure you are interested in the subject material.
Do not enter into a discipline if you don’t like what you are learning. If the material is boring or unappealing, than it will be a long four years. You should not dread going to class every day. Do not do something just for the career prospects. Even if that field is supposed to be incredibly lucrative, you are better off making less money doing something you love, than making more doing something you hate.
2. Make sure there are career opportunities
On the flip side, while doing something just for the money is a bad move, so is doing something that will not land you a job. If your major doesn’t have any prospects for employment, it would be unwise to go with that discipline. You may have to compromise by choosing your second favorite major in order to get a job after college. Perhaps your minor can be the field you are most interested in, or you can double major if you have the time.
3. Take a variety of classes
101 classes will give you a wide breadth into a subject and help introduce you to what awaits you in that major. Take as many of these classes as you need to figure out what interests you. These introductory classes may also have others thinking about the major. You can talk with them and see what is interesting about the major to them. This leads me to my next point…
4. Talk to people
Believe it or not, professors are people too, and they love to talk about their field. Feel free to go to your professor’s office hours just to chat about the major. Clubs, other students and alumni are also good resources. Go to club meetings and see what they talk about and ask them why they like that major, why they chose it. Talk to alumni who went through the entire process of deciding on a major and even graduation already. Students currently in the major will possibly give you the least biased opinion. They will tell you what they love and what they hate about their major, helping you create a mental list of pros and cons.
5. Internships
This can be incredibly eye opening, not to mention a great résumé builder. An internship will place you in an entry level position of any profession that you decide. You will work for them for a semester, a year or however long you decide, and in that time you will learn all the ins and outs of the organization and the career itself. Internships will give you great insight into what your days will be like after graduation. Also, some companies only hire internally, so you would have the advantage over other candidates if you wanted to work there after you graduate.
6. Talk to career services
Career services are there to help you resolve issues just like this. Many career service offices can give you tests to help figure out where your interests lie, connect you with the alumni I was talking about and give you great tips, not unlike what you are receiving here. Make sure you are upfront and tell them what you are really looking for. If you can do this, career services may be one of the best resources you have to discover what major you are most interested in.
7. Relax
The last tip I want to give anyone trying to decide their on major is relax. Yes, this is an important decision and should not be taken lightly, but people do change majors. Besides, there are so many resources at your disposal, that it is almost certain you will be able to make an informed decision. If you are split between two majors, you can always double major, get a minor or get a certificate. Remember, colleges want to help you decide on your future and give you a good education.
It may be a daunting task deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life. It might seem that you are setting your future in stone. Take your time, relax and follow the steps above and you will be on your way to a great major and career in no time.
No comments:
Post a Comment