Advice needed - what should I major in?
I am a freshman in college. I started earlier in the fall. I enjoy college and learning, but I don't know what I want to major in and its causing me a lot of stress. I need to narrow my focus but I am unsure how and I don't want to regret my choice. How did you choose your major? Some people seem like they know right away but not me.
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Expert Comments
Take classes in a lot of different subjects and see what sparks your interest and passion! Then, consider the requirements and cost for each type of degree program, as well as the career possibilities and the salary for roles in those fields. You can also speak with an advisor or take a career aptitude test.
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See your advisor. They have access to software, personality tests, and other tools that can help you narrow down your choices. My second piece of advice would be to reflect. Talk to loved ones and close friends in order to discover the areas where you excel and thrive. Many students don’t realize they are strong in certain content areas or that they have a knack for a certain type of work. Reflect on the courses, books, and studies you could spend all day learning more about. Instead of fitting inside of a major box, consider the topics you could spend all day debating or talking about. All of this should help inform your decision.
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Don’t forget this statistic: college students change their major three times on average! So the most important factor should be whether you will be happy and challenged at a school, regardless of the major you end up with.
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Reader Comments
I would highly recommend against using your main interests as the only determining factor when choosing a major. Sure, you might love video games but that doesn’t automatically mean computer science is going to translate as the right major for you. Try to think about where you feel the most fulfilled in your life—not necessarily where you have the most fun.
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I love art but was scared to major in it because I wasn't sure if I could make a living as an artist. So in my first year of college I took a bunch of classes in all different subjects to see what I liked. I tried to be really open-minded and try things I wasn't sure if I'd be good at but sounded interesting. I ended up loving history classes, which was kind of surprising because it wasn't something I was passionate about in high school. I even went to graduate school for history. Now I work as a museum archivist and I love it. It's so rewarding and it feeds my love of art, too. If I wouldn't have tried different classes, I never would have found the right fit for me.
My advice is to literally look through the whole course catalog at your school and just pick a bunch of things that sound interesting to you. Take the classes and see what you love. You might also notice a trend, like 40% of the ones you chose are science classes, and then that gives you an idea of the field you like at least. Don't stress too much, either. You've got time to figure it out!
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My advice is to literally look through the whole course catalog at your school and just pick a bunch of things that sound interesting to you. Take the classes and see what you love. You might also notice a trend, like 40% of the ones you chose are science classes, and then that gives you an idea of the field you like at least. Don't stress too much, either. You've got time to figure it out!
think about your interests but also think about the kind of job you might get with your interests. i'm not just talking salary, i'm talking, would you actually LIKE your job? ex just because you like books doesn't mean you would like being an english teacher or just because you like computers doesnt mean you would like being an IT person.
also remember that if you are passionate about a subject but dont want to major in it you can still take classes or minor in it! ex i majored in econ but got my minor in chinese film. whatever you do don't worry too much. you got this. good luck.
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also remember that if you are passionate about a subject but dont want to major in it you can still take classes or minor in it! ex i majored in econ but got my minor in chinese film. whatever you do don't worry too much. you got this. good luck.
I definitely second this! I am majoring in Languages because I love learning new languages, but all the job opportunities sound dreadful to me (it's too late for me to switch majors at this point). I'm going to major in Physics next. I like it and I also like the jobs I could get with this degree!
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If you aren’t super passionate about any single field and you’re still sort of on the fence about multiple majors, take your future potential earnings into account. If there’s a choice between three equally interesting majors and two of them pay a lot less than the third, go for the third one! People like to emphasize the importance of choosing a major you care about, but they don’t always take the salary into account. If you’re open, at least be on the side of open and profitable.
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Relatedly, don't assume you know all the jobs you could get with specific degrees. Doing research, you might realize there are a lot more lucrative majors than you realized. For instance, English gets a bad rap as a "useless degree," but it's essential for all sorts of important, meaningful, and even lucrative jobs, like, yes, teacher, but also lawyer, editor, administrative assistant, interpreter or translator, tech writer, content writer, lots of possibilities! Do your research. You might be surprised at what your future could look like if you follow your passion.
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I know how that feels. think about what you enjoy and what makes you good money. but trust yourself with the choice and there's always a way to switch jobs.
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I would also consider what your strengths are - you want to focus on something you will also be good at. I also just found this wikiHow quiz that might help: College Major Quiz
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Study what you love. Having any four-year degree shows that you can complete a rigorous, complex program.
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Different people have different priorities when picking a major. Ask yourself some of these questions:
- What subjects interest me? Are there majors that align with my interests?
- What subjects am I "good" at?
- What jobs interest me? What major(s) open doors to that job?
- Do I want a certain lifestyle/income? If so, what major(s) best support that?
- What are the "popular" majors at my college? Why are they popular at my college, and do those reasons appeal to me?
- Do I have to have a specific major to meet the requirements of a person or organization who is paying for my education?
- Are there people in my life who have jobs or lifestyles I'd like to have? What did they major in?
- Do I care what other people think about my major?
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- What subjects interest me? Are there majors that align with my interests?
- What subjects am I "good" at?
- What jobs interest me? What major(s) open doors to that job?
- Do I want a certain lifestyle/income? If so, what major(s) best support that?
- What are the "popular" majors at my college? Why are they popular at my college, and do those reasons appeal to me?
- Do I have to have a specific major to meet the requirements of a person or organization who is paying for my education?
- Are there people in my life who have jobs or lifestyles I'd like to have? What did they major in?
- Do I care what other people think about my major?
I got Political Science, which for the longest time I had thought about doing. But I don’t even know where to start.
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That's fun that the quiz aligned with what you'd been thinking of! Maybe look up some colleges nearby or that you'd want to go to and look into that department. They might have info on potential jobs and even showcase alumni and what they're doing now.
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Reader Tips from How to Be Successful in College
You'll do much better in college if you attend most of your classes rather than regularly skipping class. In the end of the day, you or your family are paying a lot of money for you to take the courses, so make sure you show up as much as you can.
Avoid procrastinating on your schoolwork because it can be really easy to fall behind with a college workload.
Reader Tips from How to Register for College Classes
If you're worried about getting into a popular class, set an alarm for when registration opens. Make sure you log in as soon as you're able to so you have the best chances of enrolling.
Pick a few backup classes picked out in case you aren't able to get in to your top choices.
Reader Tips from How to Prepare for College/University
Meet with your school counselor to help go over your college goals and your career path. They can help you brainstorm what majors to choose and which courses will fit best in your schedule.
If you can, borrow books from friends that have already taken the courses. You could even check the local libraries to see if they have the required books available.
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