The fall semester has started for college students all over. Amidst the busy class schedules, packed assignments, networking, and dorm room move ins, a persistent question hangs over many students' heads. What should I major in? This question is complicated as it takes into account several factors, such as personal interest, future goals, and desired field of work, among others. Once these factors are taken into consideration and coordinated, one can arrive at a solid choice. Here's how you can choose a major.
First off, consider personal interest. What are your interests? What would you like to learn about? Do you like learning about the sciences, humanities, tech, the arts, or something else. Identify a general subject area you enjoy and naturally excel in.
Secondly, identify what general field you would want to work in the future? Do you want to be in healthcare, tech, education, law, art, business, or something else? This question can require some research. This includes searching up prospective jobs and reading up on their details such as salary, work environment, responsibilities, and requirements. I would recommend reading reddit threads on your career of interest. Users on reddit often post their unfiltered and honest real life experiences with their job. Take these posts and forums you read online with a grain of salt as someone else's experience in a field may not be your future experience.
After you have identified a general area of interest and possible careers, try to find a connection between the two. Do any areas of interest and possible careers align on to a similar path?
For example, say you are generally interested in science. Lets say you narrow that down to an interest in biology. Possible career paths that stem from that are being a nurse, physician's assistant, doctor, scientist, among others. These paths typically require you to take pre-med classes in addition to your major classes. Lets say you narrow this down further and realize you do not want to be in direct patient care. Rather, you prefer a more tech or office oriented route.
Possible career options would then include healthcare management, medical billing, data analyst, healthcare information systems, and so forth. To pursue this, you would major in a science of your choice with a minor in computer science, information systems, of IT.
Let's look at another example. Say you are generally interested in art. You then narrow it down to an interest in fashion. Possible career options can include fashion designer, fashion illustrator, fashion photographer, and so forth. Let's you prefer illustrating more as opposed to actual garment design. Then you can opt for a career in pattern making.
A major is a broad focus on a subject, whether that be biology, art, literature, math, etc. You can tailor your major by choosing electives carefully, taking a diverse minor, or adding in a track, such as the pre-med track. Choose a major that broadly tackles the general area you would want to work in the future, then use electives and/or a minor to form a niche that matches your more precise vision.
Typically students have time until their second year to solidify a major. If you are absolutely unsure, spend the first year as an undecided major. You will spend the first year taking the same core classes as everyone. Use the first year to take diverse electives in different subject areas to see what strikes your fancy. Also, communicate with peers and individuals in your life to gauge their interests and the path they chose.
At the end of it, do not stress over choosing a major. Tackle the issue from all parameters and choose what falls in alignment best. No major will be perfect or will have the exact classes you want. After you graduate, a major simply shows your general area of focus on a resume. Don't be afraid to intermingle opposing majors and minors, such a biology major with an art minor or a computer science major with a business minor. Future employers and jobs value candidates that have diverse experiences and expertise.
Do not make your major the end all be all. Extra curricular activities such as joining teams or clubs, joining a research lab, or student jobs, can also diversify your resume and exhibit the other skillsets and experience you bring to the table. Part of the college experience is about building up a "profile" that reflects your natural talents, skills, and interests best. Just keep adding to that profile and you will be in a good position when you graduate.
Thank you for reading! If you are choosing a major, good luck!
If any of you are wondering, I majored in Neuroscience with electives in Molecular Cell Biology and Speech Pathology. For my extra curricular activities, I was part of a Neuroscience research lab on campus. I was also a supplementary instructor for Biology with our university's tutoring department.
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