5 answers
Joshua
Student
Joplin, Missouri
2
Questions
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When do you realize you chose the right major
I want to study computer engineering but I want to make sure I’m Not wasting time #july20
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5 answers
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
1340
Answers
California, CA
Updated
Doc’s Answer
Choosing your college major is a huge step for any student. It guides your educational path and often provides the opening for future careers. The importance of this decision is enough to make even the toughest of characters a bit nervous. But, experts say that putting too much pressure on yourself to make a choice early isn't a good idea. There are things you can do and questions you can ask yourself to help guide you to the right decision.
FIND YOUR PASSION – The first question to help you narrow down your options for choosing a major is, What is my passion? A passion is that area that matches your inner strengths and desires. If you want to successfully complete your degree with the least amount of wasted time and money, leading to a satisfying career, then your best chance is to choose a college major that suits your personality and interests.
IS IT A GOOD FIT – The next most important question to ask at this early stage in the process is, What am I actually good at doing? To answer this question, you need to look into your true interests shown by more subtle behaviors such as what you read, what types of movies you enjoy, how you spend your free time, and what you notice you daydream most about when considering your own future. To learn more about yourself, there are many aptitude tests and personality tests available. Aptitude tests are tests that give the taker an idea of which areas they can learn easily. Many schools suggest that students take some form of aptitude, career, or personality test before they decide on a major course of study. Once you have taken a test and have a better idea of your true aptitude or personality, you can ask your guidance office or career services office at your school for a master list of majors that is organized by personality types. One such list is called the Classification of Instructional Programs list. This list will show you what majors exist that match your personality the best, which may help you to further narrow your options.
TIME IS MONEY – How much time and how many financial resources do I have to invest in my education? is another great question to ask yourself before choosing a major. If you have a family and need to begin earning money quickly, a major that will take many years to complete may not be the best option for you. If you are young, have no family, and have access to plenty of financial funding, you may desire to choose a field of study that could require 8 or more years to complete. Only you can decide what resources you have to invest in your education pursuits, but there are majors that will suit both long and short term commitments.
Shadowing and interviewing – Shadowing and interviewing adults you know who have careers you are interested in is a great way to figure out what you might want to study. It can also help to learn how these people got to where they are now from their college days, since many people shift around throughout their careers until they are doing something quite different from what the originally studied!
Reading books and articles – Reading nonfiction books and articles on a variety of subjects can also help you figure out what excites you academically. What topics do you find super-engaging, and what topics bore you to tears? This can give you some clues as to what you might want to investigate further in college when you are choosing a college major. Podcasts are another great resource for exploring different topics, especially because you can listen to them while you do chores or other mundane tasks!
Summer activities – The summer is a great time to do a deeper dive on things you think you might be seriously interested in pursuing. Internships, camps, classes at community colleges, and volunteering opportunities are all excellent chances to become more immersed in subjects you may not regularly study at school. Volunteer at the arboretum! Take a photography class! Do a robotics camp! There are tons of possibilities.
Lectures and events at local colleges – If you do live near any colleges or universities, you can take advantage of their open-to-the-public lectures and events! It's a good chance to hear professors talk about their work, which can help you consider if you might want to do similar academic work.
FIND YOUR PASSION – The first question to help you narrow down your options for choosing a major is, What is my passion? A passion is that area that matches your inner strengths and desires. If you want to successfully complete your degree with the least amount of wasted time and money, leading to a satisfying career, then your best chance is to choose a college major that suits your personality and interests.
IS IT A GOOD FIT – The next most important question to ask at this early stage in the process is, What am I actually good at doing? To answer this question, you need to look into your true interests shown by more subtle behaviors such as what you read, what types of movies you enjoy, how you spend your free time, and what you notice you daydream most about when considering your own future. To learn more about yourself, there are many aptitude tests and personality tests available. Aptitude tests are tests that give the taker an idea of which areas they can learn easily. Many schools suggest that students take some form of aptitude, career, or personality test before they decide on a major course of study. Once you have taken a test and have a better idea of your true aptitude or personality, you can ask your guidance office or career services office at your school for a master list of majors that is organized by personality types. One such list is called the Classification of Instructional Programs list. This list will show you what majors exist that match your personality the best, which may help you to further narrow your options.
TIME IS MONEY – How much time and how many financial resources do I have to invest in my education? is another great question to ask yourself before choosing a major. If you have a family and need to begin earning money quickly, a major that will take many years to complete may not be the best option for you. If you are young, have no family, and have access to plenty of financial funding, you may desire to choose a field of study that could require 8 or more years to complete. Only you can decide what resources you have to invest in your education pursuits, but there are majors that will suit both long and short term commitments.
Doc recommends the following next steps:
Allison Brown
Financial Analyst Intern
4
Answers
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Updated
Allison’s Answer
Hi! I would say the time I knew I had the right major was when I found myself getting more and more curious about all the aspects around my major, and one thing I would suggest is that make sure you know all the different career options you have with your major. You can help yourself further by shadowing people within your intended field. Many would love to give help to college students and you can make more connections!
Abbie Robinson
Intern at U.S. Bank
9
Answers
Knoxville, Tennessee
Updated
Abbie’s Answer
I think that is something that you really will get to explore when you take your first class in that major. One other suggestion would be to talk to people who have career paths from that major to see what their daily job life is like. You can then use this information to decide if you could truly see yourself doing that job.
Mula Lay
Software Development Intern
6
Answers
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Updated
Mula’s Answer
Hello Joshua,
For me it all boils down to finding meaning in your work. If you find meaning in whatever you are majoring in then you aren't wasting your time. With that being said, I think you should explore other options that are out there. I have recently switched majors from Computer Science to English and the one factor that enabled me to do so was the fact that I didn't have much joy in computer science. I found joy elsewhere in writing and reading.
Just look into yourself and find the things that you value most. Sometimes it will be something we won't expect.
I hope this helps!
For me it all boils down to finding meaning in your work. If you find meaning in whatever you are majoring in then you aren't wasting your time. With that being said, I think you should explore other options that are out there. I have recently switched majors from Computer Science to English and the one factor that enabled me to do so was the fact that I didn't have much joy in computer science. I found joy elsewhere in writing and reading.
Just look into yourself and find the things that you value most. Sometimes it will be something we won't expect.
I hope this helps!
Carina Hebl
32
Answers
Updated
Carina’s Answer
When I first arrived at college, I knew I liked business but I wasn't sure what exact major I wanted. Something that helped was getting involved in several clubs, all of which interested me in different ways. Through these clubs and my classes, I was able to narrow down my interests to a major and a minor. I also recommend meeting with professors or professionals of the fields you're interested in to see their day to day jobs/tasks look like.
Good luck!
Good luck!