One of the amazing things about college is that there are endless options. But one of the worst things about college is having to choose just one or two of those options.
Few people start college knowing exactly what they want to do. And even fewer people go through college without changing their major at least once…. I changed my major 5 times during my 4 year college experience. 5 TIMES!
Speaking from a vast experience, I have compiled the most important factors to consider when trying to decide on a major. There are so many things to think about, but here’s the best place to start!
What classes do you naturally excel at?
Reflect back on the classes you’ve taken already, either at the college level or in high school. What classes required you little effort yet you still did very well?
We all gravitate more towards some subjects than others. You don’t have to be an A+ student to answer this question. What kind of classes or subjects do you feel come easier for you?
What classes do you struggle in but enjoy?
For me, this was physics. I’ve always been horrible at math and algebra, but I love problem solving and understanding how things work. Physics was the only math class I wanted to learn and pushed myself to understand it better. Although I’m bad at physics, I was able to identify what I found interesting about it.
This is important, because you can then take those qualities about yourself, and search for other topics that require those skills. Problem solving and mechanics are both reasons why I fell in love with the human body and medicine in college, but not physics. See what we did there?
What kind of information do you immediately dump after the exam?
HISTORY. I don’t understand I cannot retain historical information, but it just isn’t for me. Pay attention to the information that does not embed its way into your memory.
Learning isn’t easy by any means. But if even if the best study hacks fail to ingrain certain types of information into your brain, then you might want stay away from specializing in those topics.
What type of job environment do you see yourself in?
Are you a people-person? Does wearing a suit make you feel a badass ready to take on the world? Or do you despise the thought of sitting at a desk all day? Maybe you’re an introvert who wishes to become more of a people-person? OR maybe not…
It’s really difficult to envision that your ideal work environment is when you’ve likely never had an “adult” career before. However, reflect back on experiences you’ve already had and consider things you liked and disliked.
I always found it helpful to ask my friends and family what they saw me doing. Surprisingly, (or maybe not) most of their ideas were pretty close to what my first career was. They are your friends and family for a reason and they know you better than anyone else. Asking for their outside perspective is a great start.
Ask family and friends about their experiences and begin networking
Up until this point in your life, talking about work probably hasn’t been on your list of small-talk topics. Once you start venturing out into your career, everyone will be asking you what you’re up to. Take this time to ask friends and family about their careers and job experience.
Ask them about what they do and what education or certifications are required for their position. Ask them about other jobs that exist within the company they work at. What are the requirements for those jobs? What is company culture like? What is their work schedule like?
The more you reach out to friends and family at this stage, the more job opportunities you will have once you graduate. I always thought education was key. And it is, but it’s really not the whole story.
“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know“… said every baby-boomer who has ever lived.
But they’re not totally wrong. I landed my first career at an amazing company because of WHO I knew. My education played a role in getting hired, but it was my cousin who was already employed there who got me noticed. And now that I am on the other side of the hiring table, hiring managers interview candidates who have personal recommendations, even if they don’t have the most impressive resume yet.
Getting noticed is step number 1 of landing a job interview. If someone can put a good word in for you, your college education will suddenly stand out in a sea of applications from other educated people just like you.
Talk to anyone and everyone about their jobs. You never know when you might need that connection. Not to mention, you’ll learn about jobs you never knew existed. Load up on all the career knowledge you can to help you find avenues you like.
What type of degree do you need?
So you’ve talked to people you know and people you’ve met. You have some idea’s about where you’d like to go in life. Or maybe you knew all along.
What kind of degree do you actually need?
When I was in high school, I felt like if I didn’t get a bachelor’s degree then I would never become successful and would always have a less than desirable salary. Now that I’ve now had 5+ years of experience in the corporate world, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
If you don’t need a degree to start working in the career field you want to be in, then why would you wait to start your career? Having a degree hanging on the wall is not the green light for starting your career. If you can start it now, do it. Work experience is something money absolutely cannot buy. It carries value that a degree cannot show for.
If you can work in the field you want to be in or in a similar field while you’re pursing an education on that topic… you’re golden.
If you don’t need a degree to work in that field… you’re golden.
Consider getting an associate’s degree if you can. They are much less expensive and is truly a great level of education. You can build upon it later if you so desire. It’s also the best place to start if you know you want a bachelors but just can’t decide what to major in yet. It will save you thousands!
Don’t just pursue a bachelor’s just because all of your friends are doing it. You will end up paying thousands of dollars more in tuition costs if you go in without a solid plan.
Truly consider what level of education you need for your ideal career path. See if you can start your career early, with little or no education required to start.
Know your ROI
Return on investment… a key factor in knowing if you major is worth it once it is all said and done.
Going to college is one big, long investment of time and money. And if you want to learn more about how to assess your ROI, check out this post:
This often get overlooked while trying to plan for college. Everyone is so focused on getting into a good school, living in the nicest dorms, and figuring out how to get to all of your friends’ tailgate parties….
Think about it: why would you spend 4+ years of your life and spend $100,000+ on tuition for a career that averages $35,000 per year?
If you are searching endlessly for a major just because you feel like you should go to college, you owe it to yourself to do some soul searching. Does it matter what title you have if you can work at Target for the same amount of money, no education required?
When you decide on a major, make sure it has a decent ROI. Set yourself up for success and opportunity.
This post is all about how to choose your college major. The best advice for how to pick your college major is in this post. There are the steps I took to help me decide on a college major.
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