What Should My College Major Be

When Do You Declare A Major

While you are in your sophomore year, you should have an idea of what you want to major in. During your first two years in college, youll mostly take general education classes. At the same time, you should begin exploring the major, or majors, that youre interested in. You can do this through your general education courses, which are usually quite broad, or by enrolling in a new intro class each semester. If you know what you want to major in when you first begin college, enroll in at least one course of this major so you know youve made the right choice.

Some majors, such as social work, require that you request admission. Others, like journalism, require that you pass a test specific to the field. This test measures your ability to use grammar, punctuation, and spelling correctly. Before you complete your fourth semester, be ready to declare your major. Visit your schools website to see what their guidelines or for declaring a major. Speak to an advisor in the department you are considering. Know what courses you would have to pass to complete the requirements to graduate.

Best Majors For Undecided Students

Its not unusual for high school seniors to start college without knowing what they want to major in. In fact, its a good idea to have some ideas without settling on one before you begin school. Chances are, youre going to change your mind at least once about your major before you graduate.

Universities and colleges usually have policies that say their students are supposed to declare majors when they are juniors. Is it better to choose a major that allows you to move into a wide range of careers? Or is it better to know what you want to do with your professional life, only to realize two semesters in that you didnt choose the right one?

As far as financial aid is concerned, its better to choose a more general major that allows you to move into one of several career fields. For instance, you may choose psychology, then move into social work or even human resources. If you choose a science field and then realize that you dont enjoy the courses or you struggle to succeed, you may end up stuck or required to attend school for an entire extra year. By this time, you may also have used up a majority of your allotted financial aid.

• Liberal Arts or Interdisciplinary StudiesMuseum Manager: $38,000
• Public Relations: $48,000

Majors And Graduate School

Some colleges offer advising programs such as premed or prelaw to students who plan on attending medical school, law school or graduate school. These programs are not the same as majors you still need to pick a major.

College students who are planning to continue their education in professional or graduate programs often choose a major related to their future field. For example, undergraduates in premed programs often major in biology or chemistry. They dont have to, though as long as students fulfill the course requirements of the graduate program they want to enter, they can major in any subject they like.

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How Important Is Your College Major

The major you choose will neither predict nor guarantee your future. Many graduates find jobs that have nothing to do with what they studied in college. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average twenty-something switches jobs once every three years and the average person changes career fields two or three times in their lifetime.

If you intend to earn a professional degree after college, you will probably need certain courses, or prerequisites, under your belt. But many future doctors major in non-science related fields.

Read More: Top 10 College Majors

What Should Your College Major Be

• step
• step

It’s 4 AM and you get into a really serious conversation with your friends. What’s it about?

• Who skipped more classes
• How to get ahead in the world
• How to make a difference in the world

Drama! Your friend is going through a tough breakup. What do you do?

• Listen quietly
• Look up the number of single people in the world, let them know there are other fish in the sea!
• Get them to express their deepest emotions
• Tell them to put their energy somewhere productive

You have to give a huge presentation! How did you prepare?

• Made handouts, slides, and flowcharts
• …I’m just gonna wing it

• Spent the night double checking every piece of data for perfection
• Put on my best outfit and warmed up my vocal cords

• Thought long and hard about what the audience would want to hear

How do you do in front of a crowd?

• Good. I really thrive on positive energy and group dynamics.
• Great. I love being heard.
• Not so good…
• I would literally rather build a robot to give speeches for me than talk to a group.
• Fine. It just takes focus.

Your professor divides the class into groups for an assignment. You…

• Take a nap
• Ask the group what they want
• Take full control

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Take Advantage Of Every Opportunity

Make sure youre taking advantage of your schools resources to figure out what programs best fit you and your interests. For example, check out clubs on campus that speak to your personal values. If you can, go to a meeting to see if you might be interested in joining.

Different programs also host events or bring in professionals in the field to speak to students, so make sure to explore all the options offered by the college. These events will help you understand what it might be like to work in that specific field, or they could give you insight into what your potential program could look like for you.

Most colleges have career centers on campus or online that can help you find careers, internships or volunteer opportunities while you are earning your degree. If you use these opportunities early, you will discover what kinds of careers you might want and what you dont want, which can be just as helpful.

Virgo: Engineering Or Economics

You love hard work and are an extreme perfectionist. A college major such as Engineering would be a great choice for Virgos because it requires intelligence and attention to detail. Plus, you wouldnt be afraid of the heavy workload associated with engineering. Because youre such a perfectionist, a college major in Economics is also ideal for Virgos. Your ability to memorize and be precise, along with your analytical skills, are great characteristics when it comes to interpreting data and numbers.

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What Major Is Right For Me

Choose an answer for each question. Its possible that more than one answer suits you, but always choose the one you like more.

This test will assess which major fits you the best and offer some suggested universities for you to go to for that major.

• Available to share your result with the graph – 2016/6/14
• We have added 100+ more majors to our possible results and improved the gender factor – 2016/6/14

I Want Be X So I Need To Major In X

In math, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. In career planning, this can sometimes be the case but is not a hard-and-fast rule.

Many aspiring lawyers assume that selecting a Pre-Law major is their best bet. Interestingly, the American Bar Association states that it does not recommend any undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for a legal education. There are good reasons for this as average LSAT scores for those who major in the classics, philosophy, and math are far greater than those who studied law in undergrad. Criminal Justice majors actually have the lowest average LSAT score of any group.

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Consider How Long You Want To Be In School

If youre pursuing a career in professional fields like medicine or law, you may require more than a four-year degree to get the job that you want. Certain professions may even require more than a decade of study, as well as certain GPA requirements, additional certifications, specialized internships and more.

On the other hand, there are a number of degrees where pursuing a masters degree or higher wont necessarily be helpful for your career. Will you want to jump right into a job after you graduate, or do you really want to dive into higher education and become a master of your field? Both of these are important when deciding what major is the best fit for you.

How Important Is Your Chosen Major

For engineers and teachers, declaring those specific majors is the first step in beginning their careers. But, if you want to work in a different field, such as law, there is no specific major in law for undergraduate students. The same is true of students who want to become medical doctors. If this is the case for you, you can opt for a major in a liberal arts or humanities field. This will give you depth in your undergraduate degree that you can build on when you move on to the higher-level education necessary to enter law or the medical profession. However, this is something else you might want to discuss with your advisor to see if they have any suggestions for your undergraduate degree. Dont leave assets on the table here. Your advisor is here to help.

Of course, if you plan to become a structural engineer, then its vital that you declare this as your major. Not only will it be necessary to gain access to your last two years of engineering courses, but youll be given access to an advisor in the department, who will be able to tell you if you are missing prerequisites, help you find an internship, and help you focus your schooling to best support your interests and future plans. If you want to become a social worker, you could major in psychology or sociology. If you want to be a counselor, youll have to complete an undergraduate psychology major and move on to complete a masters in counseling.

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Minors And Double Majors

If one field of study doesn’t satisfy your intellectual appetite, consider a minor. A minor is similar to a major in that it’s an area of academic concentration. The only difference is that a minor does not require as many classes.

Some undergrads with a love of learning and an appetite for punishment choose to pursue two majors, often in totally different subjects. A double major provides you with an understanding of two academic fields. It allows you to become familiar with two sets of values, views and vocabularies. That said, it also requires you to fulfill two sets of requirements and take twice as many required classes. You won’t have as many opportunities to experiment or take classes outside those two fields.

While a minor or a double major might make you more marketable, both professionally and for graduate study, both are timeand energyintensive. Most students find that one major is more than enough. Need help? Browse majors and learn more about them with our college majors search tool. Plus: Here’s our list of Top 10 College Majors based on research covering job prospects, alumni salaries, and popularity.

Find A College That Meets Multiple Interests

If youre interested in several different disciplines, look for colleges that offer good programs for some or all of the options youre considering. That way, if you switch your major to another alternative, youll still receive a quality education without needing to transfer schools.

For example, if youre interested in studying Spanish and marketing, look for a school with a good language and business program. You may have to pick a school thats less renowned in one area to find a school that has decent programs in both fields youre interested in.

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Think About What You Like To Do

If youre not sure about youre interested in or passionate about, think about the classes that youve done well in while in high school, or other activities that you enjoy. Do you like to read, or spend a lot of time working with computers? Are you that friend that everyone comes to for advice? Do you still have a neighborhood of Lego buildings in your basement? Do you feel best when youre spending time outside? All of these could be good indicators of what career might be the best fit for you.

Best Majors For Future Business Owners

A degree isnt necessary to become an entrepreneur, but it will certainly help you to get your business up and runningand help ensure that it is solvent. If you choose the right degree option, youll learn how to write a business plan, get the funding you need from the right resources, hire and manage employees, and ensure that your revenue is growing. In addition, you need to know how to build and use soft skills such as time management, leadership, communication, and even mentorship.

• Finance or Accounting
• Computer Engineering
• Philosophy

Choosing a major isnt hard, but if you dont have an idea of what you want to do, then it will be exponentially more difficult. You need to know who you are, what makes you happy, and what you may see yourself doing in the future. What are your abilities and skills?

Next, you need to explore a few careers that interest you. Look at salary expectations and employment rates. If you and your parents are having a hard time agreeing, then suggest taking a minor in the field they want you to study. Finally, what are you passionate about? If you dont have an answer right now, then just keep it in mind as you go through your general courses. Something will catch your attention you just have to notice when it does.

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How To Choose A Major

Take courses in areas that appeal to you, and then think about which subject truly motivates you. Stephanie Balmer, dean of admissions at Dickinson College, suggests you take classes in which youre going to be confident, but at the same time, take some risks. She notes that a class you never planned to take could end up helping you choose your major.

When Should A Major Or Minor Be Declared

Colleges differ on when students should declare majors and minors. In most cases, majors must be declared by the end of a students sophomore year, though there are exceptions. As minors have significantly fewer requirements, they can be declared later on in a students collegiate career. For college applicants, listing potential majors can sometimes be beneficial for acceptance. This is up to the discretion of the student and the school in question.

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Majors And Positions With Average Income

• Engineering
• Operations Research Analysts, Statisticians, Actuaries: $62,000
• Computer Science
• CommunicationsVideo Editing, Public Relations, Translating, Writing: $56,000
• Social SciencesData Analyst, Government Economist, Salesperson: $57,000
• Agriculture and Natural ResourcesLandscape Design, Education, Crop Consulting: $54,000
• HumanitiesEditors, Sales Representatives, Teachers: $54,000
• NursingNurse, Director of Nursing, Nurse Educator: $63,000

Questions To Ask If Youre Really Not Sure

• What are your abilities?Look at your scholastic achievements in the past, as well as your non-scholastic efforts. You may find that you are a leader or have some other skill you hadnt considered. Consider your scholastic honors in sports, music, or art.
• What are your values?Your life is driven by your values. These may include helping others and your religious, moral, or ethical beliefs. It might even play into your political standing.
• What are your interests?Consider your activities, whether you enjoy being alone or with others, and your hobbies. What do you like to read? What high school classes did you most enjoy?
• What is motivating your choice of a major?Do you have something that you feel really passionate about? Why are you choosing a particular major? Is it easy or because you know you have what it takes to do the work?
• What is your life situation?Are you really interested in a particular field, but you dont have the ability to do the work? Is the job market in a career youre interested in not showing a demand for new professionals?

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Stem Degrees Are Top But Liberal Arts Plus Grad School Can Also Do It

• The Bottom Line

What is the college degree that you should have gotten? Maybe it’s the one you did get. But sometimes when people are getting out of collegeand they and their friends start hitting the job marketthey realize that the opportunities open to grads with their particular major are not necessarily in the career fields they’d like to go after. Or they realize that the fields they thought they wanted to pursue actually pay a pittance of what new grads with different majors are being offered.

The price of a college education these days is enough to make even the most well-heeled students gulp. So its worth thinking of your degree as an investment in your future, not just the next hurdle you have to get over in order to land that first job.

The most valuable degrees are the ones that not only provide an immediate payoff after college but also afford those who pursue them long-term career satisfaction and the possibility of earnings growth. Here are some degrees that can produce those kinds of resultsand that anyone still in school may want to consider.