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How do you find out what you want to major in at college?
I'm in a dilemma. I think I want to go into a STEM major, but I'm still undecided. I really love ECON and FINANCES. Science is something I really enjoy doing it seems pretty interesting to me.
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Sophie’s Answer
It’s completely normal to feel undecided—especially when you’re interested in more than one area. The good news is that your interests actually overlap more than you might think.
Since you enjoy Econ and finance and are also drawn to science, you might want to explore majors that sit at the intersection of STEM and business. Fields like economics (especially quantitative or econometrics tracks), data science, business analytics, financial engineering, applied math, or engineering with a business or economics minor all combine analytical thinking with real-world problem-solving.
One of the best ways to figure out what you want to major in is through exposure, not immediate commitment. In your first year of college, you’ll usually have flexibility to take introductory classes in multiple areas. Pay attention to which classes you look forward to, which ones challenge you in a good way, and which types of problems you enjoy solving.
It also helps to think about how you like to work, not just what subjects you like. For example:
- Do you enjoy analyzing data and trends? (Economics, data science, finance)
- Do you like building, experimenting, or testing ideas? (Engineering, science fields)
- Do you enjoy applying technical knowledge to real-world decisions? (Analytics, financial engineering)
You don’t need to have the perfect answer before college. Many students refine their major after taking a few classes, and starting with broad interests like yours gives you a lot of flexibility and strong options.
Look at college majors that blend STEM with economics or finance, and review their required courses to see which excite you most.
Try a small experiment—like an online intro course in data science, economics, or finance—to see which type of work you enjoy doing day to day.
Since you enjoy Econ and finance and are also drawn to science, you might want to explore majors that sit at the intersection of STEM and business. Fields like economics (especially quantitative or econometrics tracks), data science, business analytics, financial engineering, applied math, or engineering with a business or economics minor all combine analytical thinking with real-world problem-solving.
One of the best ways to figure out what you want to major in is through exposure, not immediate commitment. In your first year of college, you’ll usually have flexibility to take introductory classes in multiple areas. Pay attention to which classes you look forward to, which ones challenge you in a good way, and which types of problems you enjoy solving.
It also helps to think about how you like to work, not just what subjects you like. For example:
- Do you enjoy analyzing data and trends? (Economics, data science, finance)
- Do you like building, experimenting, or testing ideas? (Engineering, science fields)
- Do you enjoy applying technical knowledge to real-world decisions? (Analytics, financial engineering)
You don’t need to have the perfect answer before college. Many students refine their major after taking a few classes, and starting with broad interests like yours gives you a lot of flexibility and strong options.
Sophie recommends the following next steps:
I will use this advice as I prepare for my career.
Jesus
Updated
Evan’s Answer
You don't have to choose right away!
I started my college experience off thinking I wanted to be a civil engineer, but freshman year after taking an engineering economics class I decided I really enjoyed the financial analysis - in the end I got degrees in both. Anytime you're unsure, the trick is to create opportunities for yourself - once you're sure you exploit those opportunities. What that meant for me, in my freshman and sophomore years, was that I mapped out all the classes of the two programs I was interested in and talked with my advisors about electives and basically created a Venn diagram - I prioritized the classes and electives that were in the middle, shared between the two programs, and was planning to explore both and make a decision my junior year - in the end I found that they overlapped quite a bit and my advisors gave me some flexibility with electives (let me use a required operations class as from the finance degree as an engineering management credit for the civil degree). This explore/exploit approach served me really well and helped me stand out as a candidate when job searching. At civil firms I had business acumen and in the finance departments of manufacturing or construction firms I had the technical background. So if you like econ and chemistry/biology you might stand out as a pharma candidate, econ/physics might help you stand out in manufacturing, aerospace, or a defense contractor.
For now, don't focus so much on making the right decision today, but instead of giving yourself the experience you need to make the right decision when you need to: end of sophomore / begenning of junior year.
Find the curriculums for any/all programs you're considering, highlight the classes you're most interested in
Meet with an advisor in one or both programs and ask which classes they'd be willing to dual enroll / treat as credit for both degrees
Create your schedule, focusing on classes shared between the programs (prioritize degree electives over gen. ed)
I started my college experience off thinking I wanted to be a civil engineer, but freshman year after taking an engineering economics class I decided I really enjoyed the financial analysis - in the end I got degrees in both. Anytime you're unsure, the trick is to create opportunities for yourself - once you're sure you exploit those opportunities. What that meant for me, in my freshman and sophomore years, was that I mapped out all the classes of the two programs I was interested in and talked with my advisors about electives and basically created a Venn diagram - I prioritized the classes and electives that were in the middle, shared between the two programs, and was planning to explore both and make a decision my junior year - in the end I found that they overlapped quite a bit and my advisors gave me some flexibility with electives (let me use a required operations class as from the finance degree as an engineering management credit for the civil degree). This explore/exploit approach served me really well and helped me stand out as a candidate when job searching. At civil firms I had business acumen and in the finance departments of manufacturing or construction firms I had the technical background. So if you like econ and chemistry/biology you might stand out as a pharma candidate, econ/physics might help you stand out in manufacturing, aerospace, or a defense contractor.
For now, don't focus so much on making the right decision today, but instead of giving yourself the experience you need to make the right decision when you need to: end of sophomore / begenning of junior year.
Evan recommends the following next steps:
Your advice was so helpful!
Jesus
Updated
Yoav’s Answer
Choosing a major is a big decision, so it is completely understandable that you feel a bit stuck when you have so many genuine interests like economics, finance, and science. A great way to narrow this down is to look for the intersections where these fields meet, such as financial engineering, environmental economics, or even data science, which allows you to use scientific methods to solve economic problems. You might try looking at the course catalogs for a few colleges to see which specific classes actually get you excited, or even reach out to professionals in those fields to ask what their day-to-day work really looks like. Remember that many students start college as undecided, and your first year is often the perfect time to take an introductory class in both areas to see which one feels like the best fit for your long-term happiness. It is clear that you are a bright and curious person, and having multiple passions is actually a huge strength that will serve you well no matter which path you eventually choose. You have plenty of time to figure this out, and I have no doubt you will find a major that makes you feel both challenged and inspired. Good luck.
Thanks for the advice.
Jesus
Updated
Dr’s Answer
People will tell you that "choosing a college Major is a very important decision and that it can determine your future, yadda yadda....". This is total BS. Don't be stressed about it. You can always shift gears later. Most peolpe would advise to just choose something that seems somewhat interesting to you. It's not unusual for people to end up doing something completely different than what they majored in during college. It's the overall college experience is what you'll take away most from your time there. No matter what your major is, there is an overlap of courses you have to take anyway to would round you out. The worse thing to do is to pick a major in a topic you don't enjoy just because of the pressure from other people. That's a bad mistake and certainly one you'd live to regret. Just go with what you're into now, and as your interests change or gets directly elsewhere then not only will you be able to change your path, but the unique experience you had while on a different path would become invaluable later because it's what all the other people in your new interest didn't get exposed to. Creativity and real break-throughs in any discipline comes from combining your interests and experience from different areas. So, push that current weight off your shoulders about the future and just be who you are now. So what if your career path and interest take you in a snakey, curvy path rather than a straight line. You're a unique individual and are entitled to change your mind and interest, so don't restrict yourself to a narrow future. You can only be somewhat certain about the now, so go with that, for now.
I appreciate your support, Dr
Jesus
Updated
Lindsey’s Answer
Great question!
Finding out what you want to major in is a big step. For me personally it took time and experience. I was undecided until I took a class in college and decided that I wanted to go into Communications. If STEM is something you are interested in, see if you can find anyone who is in that field and see if they would be willingly to answer your questions. You can do the same thing for any major that interests you. Something else is you can talk to your college advisor and see if you could take classes related to both and get some experience that way. Don't be afraid to ask your college advisor questions, they are there to help you!
Finding out what you want to major in is a big step. For me personally it took time and experience. I was undecided until I took a class in college and decided that I wanted to go into Communications. If STEM is something you are interested in, see if you can find anyone who is in that field and see if they would be willingly to answer your questions. You can do the same thing for any major that interests you. Something else is you can talk to your college advisor and see if you could take classes related to both and get some experience that way. Don't be afraid to ask your college advisor questions, they are there to help you!
Thank you so much, Lindsey!
Jesus
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. I am glad to know you have interest on both STEM and Finance. Firstly, you need the find out what careers you have interest first. Then the relevant subjects are the major you can consider.
Below are my suggestions:
1. There are many jobs related to STEM or finance, eg Engineering, Doctor, Pharmacist, Zoologist, Park Ranger, Accountant, Financial Analyst, Banker, Finance Manager, etc. You can find out more careers online
2. Find out more on.these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counselor, your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Below are my suggestions:
1. There are many jobs related to STEM or finance, eg Engineering, Doctor, Pharmacist, Zoologist, Park Ranger, Accountant, Financial Analyst, Banker, Finance Manager, etc. You can find out more careers online
2. Find out more on.these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counselor, your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!