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how can I find out what I want to go to college for?

I don't know what I want to go to college for yet.

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Alan’s Answer

Ladaimian, there's no reason why at this point you should know. You can certainly enter college as a liberal arts/general studies major and move into a more focused major a bit later. In the meantime, start with your interests, hobbies, skills and values. There are quizzes you can take, such as those on MyPlan.com, that can help you start to narrow down potential careers, and, thereby, college majors. If you don't have a good sense by the time you do enroll, make sure to take at least one elective class that might inspire some interest along with the required ones in each of your first couple of semesters. Also, attend career days in your high school and open houses at potential colleges, talking to people and gathering materials. Good luck.
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Layne’s Answer

One thing I would encourage you to look into are colleges that offer "liberal arts" programs. These allow you to study a variety of areas, giving you an opportunity to take classes in a variety of areas. Although I had an idea of what I wanted to do, I decided to go to a liberal arts school, and it opened my eyes to a variety of different majors and professions I had not considered. I ended up doing something very different than I thought. I was not familiar with liberal arts programs until a counselor introduced me to them. I would encourage you to talk with your school's college counselor for helpful information in this area.

Layne recommends the following next steps:

Look into "liberal arts" colleges
Talk with our school's college counselor
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Anna’s Answer

It's fantastic that you're already considering this crucial matter. Deciding on such a significant issue can be daunting and requires considerable contemplation. However, you're off to a great start by initiating this thought process!

Here are some steps I took when I was in high school that might guide you:

1. I deeply pondered on my passions and how they could potentially translate into a profession.
2. I also evaluated my strengths and weaknesses. For instance, I excelled and enjoyed science, but struggled with subjects like Geography and History, which I didn't particularly enjoy.
3. I engaged in conversations with my family, friends, and teachers to gain insights into potential career paths.

These steps guided me in choosing the general education courses I wanted to pursue in college. The knowledge I acquired from these classes eventually helped me identify my career path.

If you're uncertain about attending college, that's perfectly fine! You can explore further by participating in various activities such as joining clubs or extracurriculars, consulting with school advisors, and discussing with your family, friends, and network to gather more information.

Remember, it's crucial not to feel pressured to make a decision that will determine your entire career path. Careers are flexible and evolve over time.
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Sandra’s Answer

There are several strategies you can employ to discover your interests.

1. Engage in conversations with your siblings, friends, alumni, parents, and others who have expertise in various fields. Ask them about their educational experiences, their current occupations, and what their daily work involves. This can provide insights into areas you may find appealing or unappealing.

2. Immerse yourself in relevant literature or introductory online courses to gauge your interest. If you're already enrolled in college, don't hesitate to explore different classes to see what resonates with you.

3. Practical experience can be a great teacher. Consider part-time jobs, internships, or programs designed for young professionals in companies.

In summary, make a concerted effort to gather as much information as possible, whether it's from personal experiences or secondary sources. This will help you make a more informed decision about your future.
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Soyoung’s Answer

Sandra's advice is spot-on and I'd like to add a little more to it.

It's perfectly okay to start college without a clear vision of your major or your future career path! I've witnessed numerous friends start college thinking they want to go into a certain field of work, but change their mind during college.

College will be a great time for you to explore a variety of classes, network with alumni, and engage in conversations with career advisors / professors. This will help you learn what you're actually interested in doing.
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Ruth’s Answer

The secret is you don't need to know what you want to go to college for yet! Even when you first get there, you might not have any idea what you want to major in or study. That is okay!

Some people know what they want to do right away. Often, these are specific programs like engineering or accounting. That doesn't mean you can't switch into one of these programs later in your college career. At most colleges, you will have to complete required courses in a variety of different areas and that can help you figure out what you enjoy and what you want to learn more about. Typically, students don't have to declare their major until the end of their second year of college.

I thought I was going to study one thing when I went to college and ended up with a completely different major. College, for me, was a place to build my mind into an interesting place to live and explore a lot of different things. If you take that opportunity, you'll figure out what you want to study soon enough.
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Kaitlin’s Answer

For me, I loved art. However, I couldn't really envision myself being a full-time artist (to be honest, no one really educated me on what my options were as a high school student...and I was also intimidated because everyone said it would be hard to be an art major). Junior year, I ended up taking an Art History class (not all high schools offer this), and really enjoyed it! I also found a teen program at our city's art museum, and found that I loved museums and the people I met there were so fun and inspiring. So, I decided to be an Art History major with the hopes that I would one day work in a museum! I finished my degree in Art History, and I also ended up adding International Studies as a second major, which actually sparked my interest in the nonprofit sector, NGOs, and trying to make a positive impact on the world.

Fast forward to now, I've been out of college for 6 years, and have had a couple of jobs since graduating. I ended up working in the nonprofit sector for a couple of years, and now I'm in a different career path. I work as a User Experience Designer, which actually allows me to incorporate some of my love for art and design into my everyday work while making a good salary :).

All this to say, my recommendation is to try to stay true to who you are and know what your needs are! Maybe you love sports, but don't see yourself being a professional athlete... but you also want to make enough money to live comfortably and support your family. What are some professions or careers that are related to sports? There's sports journalists, physical therapists, even accountants who work for sports orgs that may fulfill your interests and needs. And if you can, try to find volunteer or internship opportunities in your interests. Even if you decide you hate something, that's super useful to know!! Now you can focus on something else instead and know you've tried.
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