Choosing a Major

Perhaps you've known since fifth grade that you want a career in law enforcement or business, or you see yourself as a designer of computer games, a fashion designer, or an engineer. That's great! Knowing a field is of particular interest can help you choose a college that's a good match. But if your path isn't clear right now, that's OK. Don't feel that you have to choose a major right away. You can start out as an undeclared major and explore areas of interest once in college.

Here are three good reasons not to worry about your major as you begin your college years:

• The average college student changes majors three times before completing a degree. As an undeclared major, you minimize the possibility that you will take credits that don't count toward your degree.
  
  
• Your success after college is NOT determined by your choice of major. The most important predictor for success after college is success within ANY major. Take the time to find the major that's right for you.
  
  
• Today, jobs and skills are fluid. With liberal arts core courses, you'll build a knowledge base and essential skills that will serve you well in whatever field you ultimately choose.

Keep in mind that the best major is going to be something that you're good at and holds your interest. Most colleges have self-assessment tests available that can help you clarify where your interests and skills are strongest and identify the fields and career choices that would be a good match. They can also tell you what career preparation you'll need for such jobs, essentially giving you a roadmap to follow.

You can also take exploratory courses to see if you want to delve deeper into a subject. Chances are, you'll be able to narrow your search for a major to two or three options. Then, you can take one elective each semester in the subject of interest. If you know you want to have a math and science focus, take one math and one science course each semester, along with an elective of interest. This will give you the necessary foundation while you decide if you want to be a math or science major, or prepare yourself for medical or physical therapy school.

Consider doing an informational interview with someone who's doing a job that you think you would like. Find out their path to that position. Or talk with department chairs about careers in their field. There are lots of ways to explore possibilities and lots of different factors to weigh. I even had one student tell me that she selected her major because she liked the people she met in that department. Because she felt at home there, she was confident she would succeed.

Find out by experience, instead of just thinking it through. Test yourself in a field to see what you can achieve. I started out as a journalism major; my instructors, however, found my news articles correct but dull. A degree in English turned out to be a better fit because analysis and interpretation were strengths for me. As you progress through your freshman and sophomore years, your path will become clear.

By the end of your sophomore year, you'll need to declare your major. If you're leaning toward a field that requires professional certification, you'll want to decide a little earlier because programs like nursing and education (teaching) are highly structured, with a number of prerequisites in the progression of courses.

If law school is your goal, your choice of a major is wide open! History, English, politics, philosophy – it's up to you. Just be sure to develop your writing and analytical skills! For medical school, you'll need to have enough math and science courses under your belt. Don't forget Organic Chemistry! Otherwise, you can again choose any major.

Should you discover in your senior year that you chose the wrong major, don't panic! The job market and requirements are changeable. The skills from many majors transfer readily to a wide variety of jobs. It's best to have a broad, solid foundation to build upon and be open to life-long learning opportunities. Keep in mind that many graduate programs also allow you to retool and refocus!

You're embarking on a wonderful time in your life. Explore new interests and keep an open mind. In time, your major will become self-evident. Enjoy the journey of discovery!

Editorial provided by Robert Otten, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia.