How to Choose a Major in College

October 20th, 2009

Choosing a college major may seem to be a daunting task, but you can make a good choice if you systematically look at your abilities, interests and career objectives. I have put together a step-by-step guide to choosing a college major in this article, so take a look at the paragraphs that follow.

The first step is to consider your strong points. What do you do well? It makes sense to concentrate on fields where you have already demonstrated some ability, rather than to branch out into subjects where you may not do very well. For example, if you had good grades in high school science courses, then why not continue with a major in a scientific subject in college? Or on the other hand, if your best high school subjects were in languages and social studies, then it might be wise to major in one of the social sciences. So, take a look back on your high school career, and consider majoring in one of your strong subjects.

Another important question is “what do you want to do after college?” If you already have a certain career in mind then this simplifies the task of choosing a major. Suppose you want to go to medical school and go on to be a doctor. Then a major in any of the “pre-med” subjects like biology would be almost mandatory.

If you have not yet decided on your future career then it is good to choose a major that will give you flexibility and greater choice later on. A major in economics, for example, could later prove useful in any career in the broad field of business. Similarly a major in English could provide you with the language skills that will be valuable in many different jobs in the years ahead.

Perhaps the best way to choose a college major is simply to choose a major in the area that you love the most. If you have been fascinated by space travel since childhood, then consider majoring in mathematical, science and technical courses that could pave the way for a career in the aero-space field. If you are interested in a particular area of the world, then maybe you should major in one of the languages of that area.

The last step is to test out the possibilities. In the first year of college you probably will not have to decide on your major. So, take a few elective courses in the areas where you think that you might like to major. See how you like those courses, and see how well you do in them. Sometimes the reality of some courses may not match your expectations about a particular field of study and you may have to reconsider whether you want to take more courses in that area.

Break down the task of choosing your major by asking yourself the questions about your interests, abilities and goals, and most importantly test out your inclinations in your elective courses during the first year and one half of college. You will surely find the major that is best for you.

Jean Scott writes for the American Educational Guidance Center. Among the subjects on which she has produced multiple articles are accelerated online college programs, programs for students with special needs, and inexpensive online degree programs.

Entry Filed under: Career