Are you in the midst of choosing your potential college majors?
Let’s face it, determining what you want to do for the rest of your life isn’t easy. It’s stressful, it’s anxiety-inducing and it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed in such a process.
To help, we’re sharing a list of ten questions that every student must ask themselves before choosing their college majors. From determining your interests and your strengths to understanding the requirements of your major and where your major is offered, we’re covering it all.
Let’s get started!
1. What Are My Interests?
First and foremost, what is it that you’re truly interested in?
Perhaps you’ve always had a passion for Greek philosophy. Or, maybe you’re looking to become the world’s next great mathematician. In determining your major, one of the most important factors is combining your passion with your future goals.
This is the best way to ensure that you’re working toward a goal and a lifestyle that will truly make you happy.
2. What Are My Strengths?
Next, it’s time to determine your overall strengths.
With this, it’s important to be both honest and realistic with yourself. After all, your strengths will play a major role in deciding your major.
If you’ve always had a knack for writing, subjects such as English or history may naturally appeal to you. These are majors that traditionally encompass lots of writing and will provide you with ample opportunity to showcase your best skills.
3. What Are My Weaknesses?
Likewise, it’s equally important to address your weaknesses and the areas in which you fall short.
If you’ve always struggled to understand numbers and equations, it’s best to avoid majors such as mathematics or physics. These majors typically involve a wide range of complex equations and problem-solving.
Of course, it’s always important to challenge yourself. However, it’s also important to set yourself up for success and to work alongside your strengths.
4. Do I Want Something General or Specific?
When it comes to college, there are generally two types of majors: a general major and a specific major.
A general major is a great place to start for those that are feeling unsure. With this, students can test out a variety of subjects before committing to something more specific. This could be anything from a general arts program to a general science program.
However, if you’ve established a firm understanding of what you want, it’s beneficial to opt for something specific. Not only will this drastically enhance your learning experience, but it can also provide unique and exciting employment opportunities after graduation.
5. What Is My Background in This Topic?
Just how much do you know about the major you’re looking to study?
Has this always been your passion or is it newly developed? Before applying, you’ll want to ensure that you have a base level of knowledge in your chosen topic.
Of course, this knowledge will help to provide you with the confidence that you need to succeed in the program. However, it’s also going to ensure that you’re genuinely interested and knowledgable in this field.
If you’re entirely new to your chosen topic, it might be helpful to conduct prior research on such a topic. To help, try buying inexpensive textbooks in your chosen topic. Reading through such a textbook will help to provide you some knowledge and determine if you would be interested in studying this topic further.
6. Where Is This Major Offered?
Once you have a general idea as to your major, it’s time to consider where this major is offered.
Will you be able to remain in your home state or will you need to pack your bags and study abroad? For more specific majors, you may be required to travel outside of your home state or even home country.
It’s also important to consider the reputation of the program at each college. While your major may be offered in your home state, it may not be the most reputable program available.
7. What Are the Requirements For This Major?
Before applying to your major, you’ll first have to ensure that you meet all of the requirements.
For example, applying to study physics will require that you’ve taken certain physics courses throughout high school. On the other hand, applying to a more hands-on program, such as photography, may require you to submit a portfolio showcasing your abilities.
8. What Are the Job Prospects?
Of course, it’s important to ensure that you have a passion for your major. After all, your passion is going to drive your motivation and enhance your chances of success.
That being said, it’s also crucial to be realistic and consider the job prospects of your major. This is especially important for majors that are more specific or cater to a certain area of the world.
In asking yourself this question, you may find it helpful to speak with a career counselor. Not only can a counselor outline your potential career opportunities, but they can also speak to what sort of salaries, working hours, and lifestyles may emerge from such careers.
9. What Are the Success Rates?
Let’s face it, certain majors have higher success rates than others.
What exactly does this mean? In short, it means that a larger quantity of students who enter the program will successfully graduate.
Another important factor to address is the timeline for graduation. Certain majors also tend to take students longer than the four-year timeline to complete. For example, the official four-year graduation rate for students attending U.S. colleges or universities is 33.3 percent.
In choosing your major, it’s important to have a general sense of the pending success rate. While a low success rate shouldn’t deter you, it does provide for a more realistic glimpse as to how hard you’ll have to work to graduate.
10. Is My College of Choice Strong in This Major?
Have you dreamed of attending your college of choice since you were a kid?
If you have your heart set on a specific college, you’ll want to ensure that this college offers a strong program in your chosen major. The reality is that certain colleges are well-known for certain programs and not others.
While it’s important to feel strongly about the college that you attend, it’s also critical to ensure that it offers a strong educational experience.
The Choosing of College Majors
Are you gearing up to attend the college of your dreams?
If so, you’ll be joining the ranks of the estimated 19.9 million U.S. students who attended college or university in the fall of 2019. But, before you daydream about life as a college student, it’s crucial to ensure that you’re choosing the right college majors.
If you’re feeling lost, be sure to use the guide above to inspire you. It’s officially time to set your goals for the future!
Are you looking to get a head-start on your major? If so, be sure to view our selection of textbook subjects here. It’s never too early to start learning!