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How did you know your major was right for you?

I recently chose my major for college but I've been having some second thoughts. I don't have any close family members who went to college and it would be really great to hear from someone who has experience how exactly you knew you'd made the right decision when choosing your major. #major #confused #help #collegebound

help major collegebound confused
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Alyssa’s Answer

Truth is you may never know. I still question if I choose the "right" major and I graduated 3 years ago . I am one of the few who stuck with my original major. Sometimes I wonder how my life would be different if I had switched to an education major my sophomore year. The world will never know. You need to keep an open mind, be aware and recognize when something is not for you. If you do ever reach a conclusion that your major isn't right for you then you'll need to be proactive towards finding your new direction. In the work I did during and after college I really learned more of what I didn't like and as a result ended up doing what I do like.

Alyssa recommends the following next steps:

Remain mindful of the path you are on
Recognize if you want to change your direction
Go after it
Thank you comment icon Many people question their selected major. My daughter changed her major three times. As we grow our interests may change. If your college has a career center I recommend starting there. They are equipped tools to help you decide if you are in the right major. If you decide to change majors they can help. They also may have internships or job shadowing programs that will connect you with a professional in your major. This will provide you with an opportunity to see what some professionals in your selected major do daily. You can also go to O*NET Online. It has a interest inventory that you can use. After your results are calculated it will show you different jobs based on your interest. These jobs are broad, however it will give you ideas about different careers fields. Teresa M. Williams
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Paul’s Answer

There are several things that you can do in order to determine what you want to major in when you attend college.

Remember, you will have two years (until you declare a major at the beginning of your junior year in college), to make a final determination, of what you want to do. So, definitely take advantage of this time and complete your General University Requirements (during your first two years), so you can eventually progress into a major.

You might start out by exploring your personal interests and strengths through activities like career assessments and the courses that you will be taking in your first two years. There will be a variety of things, that you will be taking. This includes Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Math, and other courses. So definitely use these classes to determine where your strongest interests are.

Next, research different majors, their course content, and potential career paths by conducting informational interviews with professors and people at the college career center, and investigating job market trends.

Finally, consider your long-term goals and values, and remember that it is okay to start as an undecided student and change your major as you learn more about yourself and different fields.

I have a basic formula, when it comes to determining a major or a future occupation related to that major. Choose something that you love to do, not just a passion, but really love. It must be something that you love so much, that even if they did not pay you to do it, you would still do it anyway. American historian, David McCullough, said it even more clearly. He stated that he loved writing about history so much, that he would have paid someone, so that he could do it every day. His love of his major and occupation was this great.
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Katie’s Answer

Selecting a major can definitely feel overwhelming. I know I felt overwhelmed. Especially when a majority of my friends were changing their majors, sometimes more than once. The biggest thing to keep in mind is yourself.

Katie recommends the following next steps:

Make sure it is something YOU love. If you find yourself dreading going to your classes that support your major, maybe you need to reconsider a different one. Which is OK!
Take any opportunity to assess yourself. These will provide guidance for what might work for YOU. There are online assessments. You can attend career days. Ask any kind of school or course counselor. Tons of opportunities to discover your passion.
Know that is OK for YOU to change your mind.
Thank you comment icon I didn't pick my major until I was a junior. It was at that time that I finally took a class that interested me and I found fun. I went through Accounting, Marketing, Kinesiology, and finally ended up in MIS after taking a computer class. Do what interests you, what you find enjoyable and rewarding. Anthony Porembski
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Rachel’s Answer

<span style="background-color: transparent;">Collegeboard.org is a great resource for this! I poured through the pages of universities all over the U.S. when I was a senior in high school. Collegeboard was my go-to site! They put all of the information in one place and it is very easy to use. They even have various filters you can apply to see only colleges that have programs you are interested. To determine academic rigor, look at the admissions requirements, G.P.A. of past admitted applicants, SAT/ACT scores, class rank etc. This will give you an idea of what scores and grades you need to be accepted. However, don't be discouraged your application will be reviewed based on the full picture! College-board will help you get an idea of what is most important to the specific school you are applying to.</span>


This professional recommends the following next steps:

  • <span style="background-color: transparent;">Chat with your Guidance Counselor</span>
  • <span style="background-color: transparent;">Create a Collegeboard.org account</span>
  • <span style="background-color: transparent;">Start using CollegeBoard as a resource to look up schools.</span>
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Simeon’s Answer

I found that the more confused you are about what degree you want to get, the more you want to choose a general degree. Not as broad as "General Studies" or "Communication", but more like a broad degree in a specific field like business or teaching. You don't need to have a specific passion. Give yourself the best chance you can get at finding a job and take jobs which appeal to you. It's hard to tell which degrees are a good fit for you because, in college, all fields and degrees are said to be amazing and financially viable. Not only is this not true, but it's much easier to tell which fields are a good fit by giving them a try or talking to people who have done so. The exceptions I can think of, such as medicine, law, engineering, and psychology are for those who are certain they want to pursue their given field. Most other fields don't require that degree of commitment.
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Samantha’s Answer

I am a child and youth studies major with a minor in Biology. It took me 3 different majors (all education related) to figure out what I really wanted to do with my future. I decided that this major was the best for me because it gave me options. I was extremely nervous about being stuck in something that I didn't enjoy and have nothing to fall back on. Now I have other options and if I didn't want to continue in something I was doing then I would have something else I know I would enjoy to fall back on. For someone who is unsure if they want to do something or not I would recommend getting experience or shadowing someone in a field that you are interested in. Once you spend some time in the actual field you are interested in then it should give you more insight on if that is something that you really wanna do or not. I also want to say that changing your major is nothing to be ashamed about. You are asked to pick something that you are going to do for majority of your life, changing your mind or even going back to school to pursue something else is nothing to be ashamed of.
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Sheenita’s Answer

Hello Sarah, I wish I could tell you a path to the "right decision" for choosing your major. I think you will come to that decision on your own. Follow your intuition and let your passion lead you to what major you should pursue. When you find what you love to do...everything else falls in line. I changed my major in college as well and still went opposite of my selected major. In hindsight, I am glad I did this because I would have never been able to pursue writing.
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