15 answers
2
Questions
Asked
531 views
What should I do in this situation?
I am currently a Junior in high school, and I still don't know what major I want to pursue once I get to college. Right now, I'm not really sure anymore whether I still want to learn photography.
Login to comment
15 answers
Updated
Kaitlin’s Answer
Great question, Yiyin! As someone who changed their major in college I want to say youre not alone. A lot of folks are undecided or change throughout their time in college. Someone who also responded to your question mentioned colleges often have an undeclared major, this is true and can be useful. I'd like to recommend reaching out to university representative, perhaps in admissions, to find out what kind of support they offer for someone who is undeclared or unsure. They may be able to provide assessments and programming to aid in identifying what interests you and evetually making a decision on a major and minor. What an exciting time you are in! Wishing you the very best!
Updated
Mahum’s Answer
That is completely ok! The first two years of college are generally general courses like math, science, history etc. known as core courses. A lot of colleges have a "general" major and then after the 2 years, you can decide. I would say to take the summer to really dive into what you love and see yourself doing and just know it is not set in stone. I did software engineering then changed to Computer Information Systems, you are allowed to change to what you like.
Updated
Peter’s Answer
Consider what you love; what are your interests, what are you passionate about, what do you enjoy? If you still aren't sure, colleges often have an undeclared major where you don't have to pick anything yet in your first year, and you can select your courses to help determine what you are most interested in during that first year.
Updated
mariya’s Answer
Hi :)
Try to use your summers to explore what interests you might be passionate about. Try to volunteer there. Try as many things as you possibly can. It is absolutely ok not to know at this point. Keep an open mind. Try to read about what you think of as a potential and gather information about that. For example, you think of being a veterinarian. Try to go to a local veterinarian or a rescue farm and see if you can volunteer there. Research what a typical day of a veterinarian looks like. For example, when I was thinking about it at your age, I thought I would be spending time with all the dogs ( I am dogs obsessed), but then I realized I will be also seeing animals in pain and at times will not be able to help, it made me understand it is not a right career for me. You have time! It is great you are thinking about this now! Keep going!
Try to use your summers to explore what interests you might be passionate about. Try to volunteer there. Try as many things as you possibly can. It is absolutely ok not to know at this point. Keep an open mind. Try to read about what you think of as a potential and gather information about that. For example, you think of being a veterinarian. Try to go to a local veterinarian or a rescue farm and see if you can volunteer there. Research what a typical day of a veterinarian looks like. For example, when I was thinking about it at your age, I thought I would be spending time with all the dogs ( I am dogs obsessed), but then I realized I will be also seeing animals in pain and at times will not be able to help, it made me understand it is not a right career for me. You have time! It is great you are thinking about this now! Keep going!
Updated
Su-Ting’s Answer
Hi Yiyin,
I completely resonate with you, and I think a lot of others will as well! Not being sure about what to major in as a junior in high school is super normal. I changed my major in college and added on a double major in my soph/junior year, and you do not need to have it figured out now! I think having a general idea of what you enjoy/don't enjoy is super important, and as many other people said, there is the undeclared major as well. I would suggest you to chat with other peers or mentors and see what advice they have for you as well. Good luck, and wishing you the best!
I completely resonate with you, and I think a lot of others will as well! Not being sure about what to major in as a junior in high school is super normal. I changed my major in college and added on a double major in my soph/junior year, and you do not need to have it figured out now! I think having a general idea of what you enjoy/don't enjoy is super important, and as many other people said, there is the undeclared major as well. I would suggest you to chat with other peers or mentors and see what advice they have for you as well. Good luck, and wishing you the best!
Updated
Ryan’s Answer
Not knowing what you want to do is normal at this point in time. There are pathways you can take to help explore different interests in college. While you are still in high school, I suggest looking for opportunities such as seminars, clubs, or other informational meetings related to topics you are interested in. Sit down for an hour or two a day to do some research online and find what's out there. When applying to college you can also apply as an undecided major, which will allow you to guide your own curriculum so that you can experience different classes and try to discover what interests you or what you think you could do for a living. If you arrive at college still undecided, I suggest to take advantage of all the resources and clubs that are available to experience as much as you can in the early years to help you decide what you will eventually major in.
Updated
Shonda’s Answer
Hi Yiyin,
It's completely normal to not know what you want to major in yet. As a high school junior, you still have plenty of time to explore your interest and figure out what excites you. If you're no longer sure about photography, that's okay too. Sometimes discovering what you don't want to do is just as valuable as discovering what you do want to do. My advice is to stay curious, try new things, and keep an open mind. Talk to people in different careers, take a variety of classes, and give yourself permission to explore. Most successful people didn't have their entire future mapped out at your age. You've got time. Focus on learning about yourself, and the right path will become clearer along the way. Best of luck!
It's completely normal to not know what you want to major in yet. As a high school junior, you still have plenty of time to explore your interest and figure out what excites you. If you're no longer sure about photography, that's okay too. Sometimes discovering what you don't want to do is just as valuable as discovering what you do want to do. My advice is to stay curious, try new things, and keep an open mind. Talk to people in different careers, take a variety of classes, and give yourself permission to explore. Most successful people didn't have their entire future mapped out at your age. You've got time. Focus on learning about yourself, and the right path will become clearer along the way. Best of luck!
Updated
Jamie’s Answer
The best way to see if you like something is to try it out! Look for people you can job shadow, intern with, or part-time jobs to see what interests you and what doesn't. Sometimes, figuring out what you don't like to do is just as helpful as finding things you love doing. For example, with photography, reach out to photographers on social media or someone that you know and ask if you can just come along for one of their photoshoots or let you watch while they edit one day. This is one of the best ways to see if something does or does not interest you. Another idea is to look at the classes you are taking and make a list of the ones you love (subject matter wise) and ones you don't love. Then, you can research fields where that subject would be related to. Try a few things out and see what sticks. If you are going to work at something full-time, make sure it is something you really enjoy. Good luck!!
Updated
Martha D.’s Answer
Hi, Yiyin, and thank you for your question. Don't worry about not knowing your college major yet. You could apply to many colleges without declaring a major; even if you do declare then, you could usually change until the 2nd semester of your 2nd year. So you still have time to decide.
In the meantime, there are steps you can take to inform your decision, such as:
- write a list of majors that might interest you, including what attracts you to them and what questions you have (writing will help you organize your thoughts)
- sharing your thoughts with adults you know and trust to get their insights
- using resources at your school and through the College Board to identify potential majors
- doing photography (maybe for the school newspaper or yearbook or a free-standing club) both to gain experience and build a portfolio and see if it interests you enough to be a major
- research photography jobs to see if that is a good fit
I hope these ideas help and wish you good luck!
In the meantime, there are steps you can take to inform your decision, such as:
- write a list of majors that might interest you, including what attracts you to them and what questions you have (writing will help you organize your thoughts)
- sharing your thoughts with adults you know and trust to get their insights
- using resources at your school and through the College Board to identify potential majors
- doing photography (maybe for the school newspaper or yearbook or a free-standing club) both to gain experience and build a portfolio and see if it interests you enough to be a major
- research photography jobs to see if that is a good fit
I hope these ideas help and wish you good luck!
Updated
Isabel’s Answer
Hi! This is completely normal. From my experience, I wanted to be a nurse during my junior year of high school, but then I took AP Biology and realized it wasn’t for me. I didn’t know what to major in, so I chose Business because, in the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to start my own business someday.
This is just my opinion, but I strongly believe that you should capitalize on your strengths and what you enjoy doing, and then explore whether it could turn into a career. I would suggest starting by thinking it through and maybe writing a list of pros and cons based on what you enjoy—that could be a good starting point for deciding a major.
Also, you can go to college undecided. Some schools allow you to declare your major during your sophomore year. I recommend trying new things to figure out what you like and what you don’t. College is a time to learn about yourself and what you want to do in the future. And remember, you can always change your major.
This is just my opinion, but I strongly believe that you should capitalize on your strengths and what you enjoy doing, and then explore whether it could turn into a career. I would suggest starting by thinking it through and maybe writing a list of pros and cons based on what you enjoy—that could be a good starting point for deciding a major.
Also, you can go to college undecided. Some schools allow you to declare your major during your sophomore year. I recommend trying new things to figure out what you like and what you don’t. College is a time to learn about yourself and what you want to do in the future. And remember, you can always change your major.
Updated
Lynda ’s Answer
It’s totally normal to not know what you want to major in yet. A lot of people your age are still figuring it out. And if you’re not as interested in photography anymore, that’s okay too. Your interests can change, and that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. Right now, the best thing you can do is stay open, try new things, and pay attention to what actually interests you. You don’t need to have your whole future planned out right now, you just need to keep exploring
Updated
Jomi’s Answer
Great Question! It's okay not to know right now. The first two years of college are a good time to explore while taking basic classes. Meanwhile, do some research and think about what you might enjoy. You can narrow it down from there. You'll do great!
Updated
Aishwarya’s Answer
I suggest you take the next 2-3 months to explore different fields instead of focusing on just one area like business, communications, psychology, design, health, tech, or media. You're not falling behind; this is the stage where being curious is more important than having all the answers.
Here's a helpful step: jot down 5 majors or career areas that catch your interest, even just a little. Spend a week on each, learning about the classes, jobs, and daily tasks involved. This hands-on approach will give you a clearer picture than just thinking it over in your head.
Here's a helpful step: jot down 5 majors or career areas that catch your interest, even just a little. Spend a week on each, learning about the classes, jobs, and daily tasks involved. This hands-on approach will give you a clearer picture than just thinking it over in your head.
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. Firstly, you can find out career you have interest.
Below are my suggestions :
1. If you have interest in Photography, would you have interest to become a Photographer, Journalist, Media Content Creator, Youtuber, etc. You can find out more related careers online
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in the careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges or vocational schools
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Below are my suggestions :
1. If you have interest in Photography, would you have interest to become a Photographer, Journalist, Media Content Creator, Youtuber, etc. You can find out more related careers online
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in the careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counsellor, your parents, etc.
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the entry criteria of relevant subjects in colleges or vocational schools
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Updated
Kenneth’s Answer
Thank you for your question! I would first like to point out that you are not alone. More people than you might expect enter college without a clear idea of where they want to go with their career. My recommendation is to speak with your counselors (both in high school, and eventually when you enter college) and discuss the many different career paths you could take. Start with the areas that seem the most interesting to you, but don’t be afraid to branch out and look at things you’ve never considered before! I’m happy in my career as an accountant, and I never even considered it until my second year in college. In my experience, college is a place to learn who you want to be as an adult. Changing your major is also always a viable option. I changed my major in my sophomore year, and I still finished in 4 years. You’ve got this!