So you’ve been admitted to your dream college. That’s great and welcome to the next challenging part of your life. The next key decision once you enter school will be selecting a major that will set you on a path to the right career for you. Every newly admitted student knows the importance of this decision and wants to ensure that while the field of study they choose is in line with their interests, that it can also open the door to great job opportunities and a fulfilling career for the years to come.
Everyone dreams of pursuing a successful career. Some people are fortunate to land an exciting and well-paying job straight out of college. However, for others this remains to be a more difficult dream to achieve. What separates the two paths can often be a student’s success in carefully researching and selecting the right degree for them. And as a college education has become increasingly expensive, you will need to select your major wisely.
Below are the guidelines you should follow when choosing your major:
- Know Your Goals
When figuring out the major to take, you should start by analyzing the reason you are going to college. Most students skip this crucial part. Many think of college as just a next step from high school. You need to choose your subjects carefully. If you have a specific career in mind as your goal, then planning your classes is much simpler. Figuring out your primary goal will also make it easier for you to pick the right major. If you are unsure on careers, then the classes you take should be designed to help you find it.
- Take Classes in Different Fields
Bangor University encourages that your first year is all about exploring your variety of interests. For many or even most students, chances are they don’t know what career is the right fit for them. So you should take several different classes during your first few semesters. This will allow you to get your requirements out of the way while broadening your exposure to different fields. Hopefully, you will discover that a few classes or professors are particularly interesting, and it may be enough to help you decide on your major.
- Consult Older Students or Professors
Picking a major is more like a job search. You are trying to select the most suitable company (department) while at the same time the companies are figuring out if you are a perfect fit. You should do your research by taking a variety of classes and talking to the older students, advisors, and professors from the department which interests you. The student will give you an unfiltered opinion of the major. Look at the students in different fields. A good test of career fit is whether you admire and enjoy the company of you coworkers. If you find you have many friends in particular majors that is a useful signal to you. Although professors tend to promote their departments, they can give you valuable information that will help you in decision-making.
- Declare Your Major Early
Avoid taking too long to decide on the subjects you want to major in. College can be costly. While you have some time to explore majors while getting your requirements out of the way, eventually you need to focus on knocking out requirements. If you have to change majors midstream, it may delay your graduation date and require another semester or two of tuition bills. It also means graduating a year later than your friends. Treat every semester as precious to avoid wasting time and money.
- Consider the Employment Opportunities
While your career choice should fit your passion and aptitude, it should also increase your employment opportunity. Can you get a suitable job with only your degree? What do the prospects look like in your field in terms of likely salary or chance of employment. Some majors like computer science are particularly hot and graduates will have excellent job prospects. Some fields like education may offer lower initial pay, but good benefits and a great chance of securing a job. It is possible your major has fewer opportunities, but remains your true passion. If so, at least you go into the job market with your eyes wide open on the challenges. Finally, some majors have few alternatives if you have a bachelor’s degree and the next likely step is graduate school. If so, it is best to know that earlier so you can budget for the cost of further schooling as well as plan ahead if you want to take a break from school and work for a few years and/or look for part-time graduate programs.
- Working or Interning College to Credit within Your Major
Working during college offers three big advantages. First and most obviously, you can earn money to defray some of the costs of college and avoid too much debt in some cases. Second, you can signal you are responsible to future employers. But the third advantage is potential exposure to your career if you can secure an internship or employment in or close to your desired job. Often an internship can count toward your credits in a major.
Many fields like law or medicine look attractive from afar or on TV, but just may be the wrong fit for you. Sometimes finding out what you don’t want to do is as valuable as what you do enjoy. Say you get lucky and work experience only reinforces your passion for a field. Great. Now you also can use that experience to increase your odds of getting a job or understanding what specialty would be particularly good for you or which employers you should seek out.
In case you realize you have selected a major, you have a zero passion in, you can always consider changing it. A major provides a focus on your desired career path, but it isn’t inescapable ail. The above tips should help you choose the right major.
