How do you determine a college major?

Question

How do you determine a college major?

Answer 1

By the beginning of your third semester, if not earlier, most students have a pretty good idea of what interests them and the kinds of careers in which they are most likely to be happy.

Think of the first year of college as an intellectual buffet.  First, try a little bit of everything that looks good to you.  Then, go back for more of what you enjoyed most.

Answer 2

Choosing a major can be difficult for many students because this generally signifies what a person will be doing with the rest of his life. With such a large choice, it is no wonder you will be uncertain.

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1) Look at the things you love to do. One of the best ways to pick a college major is going to be by choosing something that you love to do. If you are extremely interested in acting and have always wanted to be on stage, then becoming a theater major would make sense. Likewise, if you have been able to work a computer since before you could talk, then you might want to look into a job where working on computers is a large part of your profession.

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2) Do your homework. Part of choosing a college major is going to be looking into the classes you will need to take. If you love computers but hate computer classes, you may not be suited for a computer major.

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3) Talk to the students on campus. When you go to check out the campus, attempt to speak with some students that are pursuing majors that you are interested in. By doing this, you will have a chance to find the most honest information about what this major is going to be like for you. You will have a chance to learn about the classes, the professors and the amount of time you will be working and studying for your degree.

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4) Speak with your high school/college career counselor. Your high school's/college career counselor is going to be able to give you a wealth of information on a number of different career topics. Not only will they be able to help you determine which majors might be right for you, but they should also have information about the requirements for most colleges.

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They can let you know what your GPA needs to be and what test scores are needed for you to apply and be accepted at the college of your choice.

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5) Take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTT and other similar tests like it will help you to figure out interests you may not have realized you have. The MBTI will determine your temperament and your personality when you answer the series of questions that are provided. At the end of the test, you will learn which one of the four temperaments you are and which one of the sixteen personality types you are.

This information will tell you what kind of jobs will bring you happiness and success, so they are worth looking at. While they may not be 100% accurate, they may help shed some light on some of your interests and bring some new possibilities to your life.

Lastly, you can do what I did. I actually changed my major 3 times! lol. What I did was to take all my GENERAL EDUCATION first (that is Math, History, Social Sciences, etc). Then, as I completed my GE classes, I figured out what are my favorite subjects. As for me, they were Math and Psychology. I then spoke to career counselors about which one to choose. Ultimately, I chose Psychology. It took me 3 years to figure out. But it is worth it! Take your time.

IMPORTANT POINT: First take your General Education first. If you try classes that don't contribute to your degree, they are a waster of time! Perhaps, just risk 1-3 classes. You don't want to be in school forever.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

For many people the way to decide is by switching and trying different things until they have enough credits to graduate, or they get tired of being in college.  This is a very expensive method, and wastes time because many credits don't apply to more than the major you initially chose.  I would do the following:

List 3 to 5 majors that would interest you.

Pick a college based on location, atmosphere quality of the facilities and if they have the 3 to 5 majors that interest you.

Determine what courses the 3 to 5 majors have in common (most colleges print a course guide book that has this information and it should be available online).

This list of courses may take a year or two to fulfill, in which case you have additional time to learn what makes you tick and what ticks you off.   You may have to register as undecided, but that's better than wasting credits on things that don't transfer.

The alternative method I've seen too often.  A student switches majors more than twice and ends up with credits that don't help meet the new requirements.  He or she then needs to take heavier loads or attend additional years to get the required coursework in, but graduates with only one major in the end.

If you minimize courses that don't apply to all of your set of 3 to 5 majors, you will still have time to change your mind, but you could be halfway to finishing a master's program in the 5 to 6 years it takes someone who constantly switches majors to graduate.

Answer 4

You think long and hard and eventually decide.