How to Choose the Best College Major for You:
1. Look for subjects you care about.
The first step to choosing a college major is figuring out what you’re interested in.
Fortunately, this isn’t as difficult as it sounds: you can start by picking subjects that are interesting to you, and then use your skills and goals to narrow down the choices.
This might seem obvious at first: after all, who knows YOU better than YOU? But the truth is that many people pick their major based on what they think they should do or something they’ve heard from others.
For example: maybe your parents want you to become a doctor because of their own experiences with health issues. Or perhaps your professors are always encouraging you to take classes on social justice or race relations because those are important topics for them. Whatever the case may be, it’s easy for these external influences to turn into major sources of stress when deciding what subject we want to focus on for years of our lives.
So how do we break free from these pressures? One way would be finding something we care about that’s not influenced by others’ opinions (or money). Another strategy could involve looking inward and thinking back on things like school clubs or extracurricular activities from high school—did any particular topic stand out above all others? Were there any classes where I excelled more than usual? What kinds of hobbies were most enjoyable during adolescence?
2. Consider your career goals.
You must also think about what you want to do for a career, and what kind of job market you’re entering. Some majors lead to higher-paying jobs, but if you’re passionate about something, consider that as well. It can be very difficult to have a fulfilling career if you hate the work.
On the other hand, some lucrative jobs might not make sense for everyone either. If you want to live in a small town or rural area (where the industry may be limited), then a finance degree might not be your best bet. Consider who you are and what kind of person you want to be: what’s most important to you? What kind of lifestyle do you want? What kind of impact do you want to make in the world?
3. Consider what kind of learner you are.
- If you’re a visual learner, you learn best when you can read or picture information. If you’re an auditory learner, you learn best by hearing information. And if you’re a kinesthetic learner, hands-on experience is the most effective for your learning style.
- Think about whether you prefer to study alone or in groups. Some majors and courses require more independent work than others, so keep that in mind when considering which college major is right for you.
- Do your research to understand what each class within a major entails and how classes are structured. For example, some courses might expect students to collaborate on projects with one another while others may be entirely lecture-based and require students to work independently throughout the semester.
Your college major can have a huge impact on your career, so choose wisely!
College is an exciting time in your life, and choosing a major is one of the most important choices you’ll ever make. It’s something that can have a huge impact on your career, so choose wisely! There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to choosing your college major, but there are some questions you can ask yourself to help ensure you make the best decision possible.
First of all, think about what interests you. Choosing a major that piques your interest will make it easier to stay motivated and increase the likelihood that you graduate with high grades—something that may become more important than you realize as employers look for candidates with high GPAs. Are there any classes from high school or extracurricular activities from high school or earlier that jump out at you? Do any careers seem particularly interesting? If so, take some time to further explore these areas.
