Choosing Your Major in Three Steps: The Regret-Free Way to Plan Your Life
While this site focuses primarily on elite college admissions, I've occasionally posted on broader topics, including how to choose the right college. These were pretty well received judging by the emails I received, so I've decided to continue writing more about the college life.
Choice of major is a topic that confuses many college freshmen. Many students don't really grasp the fact that when you choose your major, you are choosing your life.
Choosing the wrong major can severely impact your life.
-Drastically limit your career options and career choices (try going into finance with an English degree) -Drastically restrict your flexibility with choosing different courses that you are personally interested in
If you choose the wrong major, you may have a very boring and unhappy college career. With the wrong major, you run a risk of hating your classes, disliking your professors, and having nothing in common with your classmates. Once you have struggled through college with the wrong major, it will not do you much good in your professional career, either.
So, there you have it - a few things to keep in mind as you go about selecting your major.
For added insight, talk the following points over with your parents. You may be surprised at the amount of wisdom and expertise they can bring to the discussion.
#1. When you are choosing your major, be sure to keep the type of work you will actually enjoy doing in mind.
If you want a career in businesschoose a social science major (eg, economics) or engineering major (eg, computer science)
If you want a career in engineeringchoose an engineering major (duh)
Liberal arts is the group you will want to choose from if you are interested in journalism and writing.
You may be wondering why I am pointing out the apparently obvious, but you would be surprised to know how many students choose their major without thinking of these things. Just keep in mind that you choice of major determines the course of your life. It will not just affect your college experience, it will affect your life experience, too.
Keep in mind the things that bring you happiness in your life. Understand that your work should bring you a feeling of fulfillment. Remember to give the things you love doing proper consideration when you are choosing the way you will spend your life and earn your living.
click here for more on Stanford University admissions.
2. Think about what type of personality you have
Are you outgoing? Computer science may not be for you
If you are creative and artistic, you may be up for the challenge of creating your own major or pursuing an interdisciplinary major.
Included in your personality is your work style. An analytical, numbers oriented person should choose an according major. One who enjoys creative writing will be happiest with a major in one of the humanities.
Focus on your strengths - the last thing you want is to be in a major you're not very good at, which will only make you more miserable.
#3. Make a list of goals that you want to achieve during your college years.
Map out your goals and create a set of objectives to achieve them. This will help you move surely through your college career. Goal setting will get you through from start to finish.
If you are interested in studying abroad, you should definitely pick a major that supports that interest. Not every major will take you to France, China, Italy or other points of interest around the world. If this is important to you, make it a major consideration.
Be very clear on your college goals. To have a successful college career, there are a few things that you will need to accomplish during your four years, and there are others that you will simply want to accomplish. Make yourself a clear picture of your goals and the steps it will take to attain them. Choose your major to support these goals. Your choice of major should help you achieve your dreams.
Click here for more advice on choosing an Ivy League degree. - 16931
Choice of major is a topic that confuses many college freshmen. Many students don't really grasp the fact that when you choose your major, you are choosing your life.
Choosing the wrong major can severely impact your life.
-Drastically limit your career options and career choices (try going into finance with an English degree) -Drastically restrict your flexibility with choosing different courses that you are personally interested in
If you choose the wrong major, you may have a very boring and unhappy college career. With the wrong major, you run a risk of hating your classes, disliking your professors, and having nothing in common with your classmates. Once you have struggled through college with the wrong major, it will not do you much good in your professional career, either.
So, there you have it - a few things to keep in mind as you go about selecting your major.
For added insight, talk the following points over with your parents. You may be surprised at the amount of wisdom and expertise they can bring to the discussion.
#1. When you are choosing your major, be sure to keep the type of work you will actually enjoy doing in mind.
If you want a career in businesschoose a social science major (eg, economics) or engineering major (eg, computer science)
If you want a career in engineeringchoose an engineering major (duh)
Liberal arts is the group you will want to choose from if you are interested in journalism and writing.
You may be wondering why I am pointing out the apparently obvious, but you would be surprised to know how many students choose their major without thinking of these things. Just keep in mind that you choice of major determines the course of your life. It will not just affect your college experience, it will affect your life experience, too.
Keep in mind the things that bring you happiness in your life. Understand that your work should bring you a feeling of fulfillment. Remember to give the things you love doing proper consideration when you are choosing the way you will spend your life and earn your living.
click here for more on Stanford University admissions.
2. Think about what type of personality you have
Are you outgoing? Computer science may not be for you
If you are creative and artistic, you may be up for the challenge of creating your own major or pursuing an interdisciplinary major.
Included in your personality is your work style. An analytical, numbers oriented person should choose an according major. One who enjoys creative writing will be happiest with a major in one of the humanities.
Focus on your strengths - the last thing you want is to be in a major you're not very good at, which will only make you more miserable.
#3. Make a list of goals that you want to achieve during your college years.
Map out your goals and create a set of objectives to achieve them. This will help you move surely through your college career. Goal setting will get you through from start to finish.
If you are interested in studying abroad, you should definitely pick a major that supports that interest. Not every major will take you to France, China, Italy or other points of interest around the world. If this is important to you, make it a major consideration.
Be very clear on your college goals. To have a successful college career, there are a few things that you will need to accomplish during your four years, and there are others that you will simply want to accomplish. Make yourself a clear picture of your goals and the steps it will take to attain them. Choose your major to support these goals. Your choice of major should help you achieve your dreams.
Click here for more advice on choosing an Ivy League degree. - 16931
About the Author:
Running out of time on your college application? Hopeless To Harvard is an insider's account of how a B+ student got into Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Click here to learn last-minute tips. Get into Stanford now!
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