Tips for Choosing a College Major

Below are some things to think about when deciding what field of study to choose as your college major. Keep in mind, this is a very personal decision and it shouldn't be made by anybody but you. And if you aren't ready to decide, you need to be honest with yourself about that indecision and act accordingly. So lay on, Macduff!

Reflect on your favorite activities and your favorite classes. Either of these courses of interest should reveal something you are passionate about. Whether or not you can turn that passion into a major remains to be seen but it's a great place to start...

- What do you like reading about? What are your favorite subjects, authors, books...do you find yourself reading mostly biographies - then maybe history is for you.....or maybe it's the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome that capture your imagination, in which case you could turn to a study of the classics...

- What are your goals in life? Examine what you want to achieve and you may find you already know how to go about it or where to find it...for instance, if you want to save the world, then maybe that major in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing is not the best way to go about it....

- Maybe you aren't ready to decide. There is nothing wrong with this; deciding what you want to do with your life is all about knowing yourself and maybe you're still going through that experience, hopefully you are as it is a lifelong type of learning. So use this college experience to find out what you want to do, experiment with different types of classes. This is your chance to become fully realized and self aware and in so doing you might find a career path or passion that will allow you to find your calling....in other words, don't be afraid of not knowing. It is OK to let this process of self discovery that is college help you to experience or find your true calling, whatever it may be.

- Who are your heroes or role models? The people you look up to - what do they do...this point of reflection will not work for everyone...you may admire Superman but the Hall of Justice is notoriously difficult to get in to.

- Tap into your circle of friends. And also their siblings, your parents, their friends, teachers, counselors, advisers, etc....ask around....networking = knowledge and knowledge = power.

- Once you think you might have a major in mind, you should research it and find out everything you can about it - what specific classes will you have to take, what is the career outlook for this major, what types of skills are needed for this major. Reflect on all the info you gather. Can you see yourself in this field? How does this new knowledge factor into your decision? Don't be afraid to admit it is not what you thought it was going to be.

The above comments and thoughts are not a comprehensive list so don't just read them and stop there. Instead, use the above suggestions to trigger your brain to start thinking about your choice of major, make up your own list of questions and criteria, and get that major ball rolling.