Career Planning and College Choice

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Adults have asked you that question all your life. When you were five, relatives smiled affectionately when you answered "an astronaut" or "a rock star." But now that you're looking at colleges, that familiar question takes on more meaning. What college you attend and what academic major you choose often determine your career path. On the other hand, few high school students know for sure what career they would like to pursue. How should career planning influence your college choice?

"Two of three college students change fields of study at least once before graduation," says Michael Dessimoz, associate vice president for enrollment services at Roosevelt University (IL).

So even if you have a particular major or career in mind now, your interests are likely to change in the next few years. And "undecided" is a perfectly acceptable "major" for an incoming freshman.

For the Undecided Student
Despite the probability that you'll change majors once or twice during your college years, you still have some idea of what types of majors interest or bore you.

"I tell [high school students] to have three or four areas in mind that they would like to explore at college," says John Yaegel, school counselor at Tenafly High School (NJ).

Plan to spend the first year or two at college exploring these possible career interests. Don't limit yourself to taking classes; check out the college's career center, look into summer jobs or internships in your fields of interest, and try to connect with people who work in the career(s) you're considering. In fact, you may want to take some time to explore your career interests while you're still in high school. The more experience and knowledge you have about possible careers, the easier it will be to make good decisions.

"Career planning involves three steps: learning about yourself (strengths, weaknesses, values, interests, goals), learning about careers (education required, career ladders, salaries, working conditions), and learning how to make decisions," says Yaegel. "You can only learn these things over time and not one day before you declare your major at college."

For the Focused Student
Of course, some students have a very clear idea of what career they wish to pursue. Everyone knows at least a few people who seem destined to be engineers, teachers, forest rangers, etc. If you already have specific career goals, make sure they are based on knowing about both yourself and your chosen career.

Major Timelines
Some majors require students to decide on them early. Competitive engineering, architecture, nursing, fine arts, and other programs may be difficult to transfer into later in your college career. If you're interested in one of these types of majors, make sure to find out the requirements to get into the specific program (not just the college).

The Rest of Your Life
As you think about how your career interests intersect with your college choices, remember that college is about more than career training. In fact, many adults change careers at least once––and often several times throughout their lifetimes. College is about preparing yourself for the rest of your life, so choose a college that will help you grow as a person, as well as train you for a career.

Editorial provided by the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Reprinted with permission. Copyright 2008 by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.