Were you one of those remarkable kids who always knew what they wanted to be when they grew up? I always envied you people. Case in point – one of my best buds growing up was obsessed with airplanes and always talked about becoming a pilot. He now flies for a Fortune 500 company transporting clients all over the world. It’s like your DNA is pre-programmed to your strengths and passions leaving no doubt whatsoever as to what your future career will look like.
Well, for the rest of us, whether declaring a major has just recently entered your thoughts as you begin your college career in an online university or it’s been on your mind since you started college two years ago and you suddenly realize you’re approaching 60+ hours of coursework under your “undecided” major, it’s the one decision that ultimately has to be made. If this seems like a daunting task, you’re not alone. Two-thirds of undergraduate students in the United States change majors before graduating.
Here are 5 tools you can use to help the process:
- Assessment Quiz – a college major profile quiz adapted from a career and interest survey developed by John Holland. The results are designed to help you consider how your own personality traits relate to different college degree programs. Give it a shot here.
- Examine Your Abilities – Be realistic and honestly look at your skills and abilities. Ask yourself some key questions, such as: What did I enjoy doing during my childhood? Am I a leader or a follower? What are my academic strengths and weaknesses? What high school courses interested me? What were my best subjects? In which extracurricular activity did I excel? What did I enjoy about my part-time job in high school? What do I value?
- Visit your College Career Center – here you’ll find career counselors with all kinds of self-assessment and interest inventory tools to help you further clarify your passions and goals. These counselors can get you in touch with professors who can answer your questions regarding particular courses or degree programs. They can also get you connected with your college’s alumni who have gone through the department and may be involved in an alumni-mentoring program.
- Try Different College Courses – why not sit in on a few classes or go ahead and enroll in different courses in different departments that look interesting or challenging to you. You may just come across an area of study that truly fascinates you or one you feel particularly passionate about.
- Internship – this is one of the best ways to find out what it would be like to work in a “real world” environment, whatever your interests. Once you’ve figured out what areas of study you have strength and interest in, see if you can either find an internship position (paid or unpaid) or possibly even a volunteer position for an entire semester. You will work alongside and be exposed to professionals and work situations that will give you a clear picture of what you could eventually experience in the real workplace.
Whatever you do, take your time, investigate, and don’t rush into making this decision. It takes time and experimentation to reveal the path you will be taking in life. If you will allow yourself to truly experience all you can during this process and enjoy the journey, your lifetime work will gradually and clearly come into view.
7 Comments
This is a great article. While I am one of those ‘envied’ people who knows what I want to do, I do know a lot of people with over 60 college hours who still don’t know what they want to do. I forward this article to them.. I’m sure they’ll enjoy.
Great post!
Thanks for the Comment Kyle.
It took me years to figure out what I wanted to do. But now, after graduating, I can honestly say I’ve found my dream job and I’m loving it!
Hold off on declaring a major as long as you can. As a college freshman, it’s highly unlikely that you truly know what you want to do… which is why so many students end up switching majors and getting set back. I didn’t declare my major until Junior year. I graduated on time, and was able to focus on my major classes more since most of the prereqs were done.
Very helpful post Jay. I’m having trouble deciding on a major. I’m currently going by tip number 4 and trying a few different courses in hopes I will come across something that strikes my interest.
Hey Dan,
It me awhile to figure it all out, but eventually you will find something that you enjoy. Good luck man.
I like all tips listed, but I can mostly relate to tip 4 & 5; these are the methods I used to finally decide on a major. I actually spent my first two years of college taking liberal arts courses. It was quite an insight to learn about so many different things. Somewhere in between I finally realized that one of the courses I took really just stuck with me and I realized what I wanted to do. It’s a great feeling when after searching for a while one can finally say, “I know what I want to do.”
I am having the toughest time trying to choose a major for college. I live in Ohio and am hoping to stay local. There are a few different colleges with multiple programs that I am interested in. My parents have recommended that I look into the pre-professional programs because it will lead me right into grad school and then into a career immediately after graduation. I know most Ohio colleges have multiple pre-professional programs like Walsh, http://www.walsh.edu/programs.htm , but I am not sure which one to focus on. I am worried that if I get into a major that it will be too late to switch to another if I don’t like it. I am not excited about spending the next 6 years of my life in college which is making this decision even harder. Is there a point when it is too late to pick a major? I am planning to attend my Freshman year without a major but just focus on the pre-requisites.
Thanks for your blog post. It was very helpful for me.
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