Factors To Consider When Choosing A Major

By Jocelyn Davidson


It is a great achievement to pass and get admitted in a college. Regardless, it also presents challenges for most students since this is the period of choosing a major. The importance of majors lies in the determination of the career to take. They also guide one in choosing what to further their knowledge in.

For instance, students specializing in history are more interested in the subject not the career. They will acquire skills and can work in other careers that are not being an historian. Majors which are focused on specific careers include business, education, medicine and engineering. These prepare the student for that specific career. There are several factors to consider when picking an area of specialization.

The first step is research about what it is that you want to do. Consider what you feel passionate about or a skill that you or others around you think you have. For instance, if you have always been the one helping friends with homework after school and they love coming to you because you are good at it then you may want to specialize in education.

Another way to determine what to specialize is through talks with seniors, friends and career masters. Friends matter because they are aware of things about you which you may not necessarily know. They may not be straight forward in giving you options but general pointers will be given. Career masters and guides have information regarding the type of careers available and they are able to match them with your strengths or weaknesses.

Upper classmen are important because they are ahead and have already declared their majors. In fact they would experts from the first hand experience. Their experience should guide you in choosing yours. In addition, talk to professionals in the field that interests you. Get to know what their jobs are all about and what they did in college. Shadow them at work if possible.

Another place to seek counsel is in the syllabus of subjects. Going through different assignments, books and lecture material may be a real eye opener. It is possible to easily tell what may be fun for you and what is not. If interesting enough then you may consider pursuing it otherwise it is just not for you. Where the college offering the subject is located also matters as relocating is expensive.

Do not think of job opportunity and salary potential as trivial. They should also feature during decision making. However, these issues should not take center stage as they should be matched to passion, ability and skills. A good career should be able to get you a job either employed or self employed and also cater for your basic needs. Affordability and the mode of financing should also be considered.

In conclusion, selecting a major should not be a matter of life and death. Just choose a discipline you are interested in and which has some resemblance to what you would like to do after college. Consider skills, passion and ability. If it does not work, you can always change the career or get back to school.




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