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Destiny
Student
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Will I know if my major is right for me before I get too far into my education?
I am interested in political science due to my proficiency in the AP World and AP Gov classes I took in high school, and I loved staying after class to learn more about politics and history. Will this translate into a successful college education and, later, a career? How will I know if this is the path I really want to go down and spend the rest of my life doing?
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3 answers
Sarah Fort Kramer
Technical Writer / Information Developer
4
Answers
Big Lake, Minnesota
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Hello Destiny! This is a great question. While it is difficult to know the outcome of one's choices, you mentioned two important things that align with both enjoyment and success in your future studies and career. First, you have the aptitude to understand and advance your studies in areas that align with politics and history. A big second is you loved spending extra time learning more about them! While there are other considerations, such as job types available in politics and history (there are many!), what salary and benefits you seek, etc., being interested, having the aptitude and a passion for learning more about these areas are fantastic signs that you're on a good path.
Another thing to consider is that some colleges have moved away from requiring Freshmen/Sophomores to take all general education classes their first two years and instead allow them to also register for classes that align with subjects they are interested in pursuing for a major/career. These "open," "flexible," and "major-first" curriculums allow you to dive into an area of interest during your first year. This can help you make an informed decision on whether to pursue politics and history and whether you want to choose it for your major. Most of these structures include a sprinkling of general education courses. Often, a writing course is required. A quick search on the Internet will give you a list of the colleges that offer these types of curriculums.
I wish you the best of luck!
Another thing to consider is that some colleges have moved away from requiring Freshmen/Sophomores to take all general education classes their first two years and instead allow them to also register for classes that align with subjects they are interested in pursuing for a major/career. These "open," "flexible," and "major-first" curriculums allow you to dive into an area of interest during your first year. This can help you make an informed decision on whether to pursue politics and history and whether you want to choose it for your major. Most of these structures include a sprinkling of general education courses. Often, a writing course is required. A quick search on the Internet will give you a list of the colleges that offer these types of curriculums.
I wish you the best of luck!
Andrew Dinh
Consultant
12
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Andrew’s Answer
There’s honestly no way to know for sure until you actually try it, and that is completely normal. Most people figure out whether a major is right for them after taking a few classes, not before. And it is totally okay to change your mind later. College is the place where you test things out. You do not need to commit to “the rest of your life” right now. If you start the major and love it, great. If you start it and realize it is not what you thought, that is also fine and you can pivot.
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1186
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Destiny,
This is such a great question, and the fact that you're thinking about it so much already indicates to me that you're going to college with purpose rather than under duress. That's a good place to start.
In a nutshell, you will receive signs very early on, but they won't appear out of nowhere. Usually, they appear as patterns. For instance, it's a clear sign that you're headed in the right direction if you find yourself truly interested in your political science classes, wanting to read more than is required, appreciating conversations, considering practical applications, or losing track of time when working on papers. In fact, the qualities you mentioned in high school—staying beyond class, being curious about subjects other than grades, and enjoying the subject itself—transfer well to college-level learning.
Having said that, it's important to differentiate between having a passion for a subject and pursuing a profession in it. You can close that gap by attending college. Research, theory, policy analysis, writing, debate, internships, and various career pathways (law, public policy, international relations, government, nonprofit work, consulting, communications, and more) are all examples of what political science looks like outside of AP classes during your first year or two. You'll start to recognize what gives you energy and what drains you when you're exposed to these. That input is really helpful.
Reframing the worry as "spending the rest of your life" doing one thing could also be helpful. Political science is actually a flexible major that develops transferable abilities, such as critical thinking, writing, analysis, argumentation, and understanding systems of power. This is because most people do not stick to a single, unchanging path. These abilities are transferable across industries, even if you decide to change careers later.
Pairing coursework with low-risk exploration, joining a political science club, going to campus lectures, following policy issues that interest you, speaking with professors during office hours, or pursuing a related internship or volunteer position is a practical approach to gauge your fit early. These encounters often offer clarity more quickly than classes alone.
Before you start, you don't need to be absolutely certain. To look into something honestly, all you need is enough interest, which you already possess. Have faith that college is a testing ground rather than a trap. Making an informed decision about your next course of action is more important than trying to predict your entire future right now.
Best wishes!
This is such a great question, and the fact that you're thinking about it so much already indicates to me that you're going to college with purpose rather than under duress. That's a good place to start.
In a nutshell, you will receive signs very early on, but they won't appear out of nowhere. Usually, they appear as patterns. For instance, it's a clear sign that you're headed in the right direction if you find yourself truly interested in your political science classes, wanting to read more than is required, appreciating conversations, considering practical applications, or losing track of time when working on papers. In fact, the qualities you mentioned in high school—staying beyond class, being curious about subjects other than grades, and enjoying the subject itself—transfer well to college-level learning.
Having said that, it's important to differentiate between having a passion for a subject and pursuing a profession in it. You can close that gap by attending college. Research, theory, policy analysis, writing, debate, internships, and various career pathways (law, public policy, international relations, government, nonprofit work, consulting, communications, and more) are all examples of what political science looks like outside of AP classes during your first year or two. You'll start to recognize what gives you energy and what drains you when you're exposed to these. That input is really helpful.
Reframing the worry as "spending the rest of your life" doing one thing could also be helpful. Political science is actually a flexible major that develops transferable abilities, such as critical thinking, writing, analysis, argumentation, and understanding systems of power. This is because most people do not stick to a single, unchanging path. These abilities are transferable across industries, even if you decide to change careers later.
Pairing coursework with low-risk exploration, joining a political science club, going to campus lectures, following policy issues that interest you, speaking with professors during office hours, or pursuing a related internship or volunteer position is a practical approach to gauge your fit early. These encounters often offer clarity more quickly than classes alone.
Before you start, you don't need to be absolutely certain. To look into something honestly, all you need is enough interest, which you already possess. Have faith that college is a testing ground rather than a trap. Making an informed decision about your next course of action is more important than trying to predict your entire future right now.
Best wishes!