By Claire Stewart
Choosing your college major is one of the most important decisions of your life. You want to major in something you’re passionate about, yet something that will get you a good job, too. Check out the list below for tips on picking the best course of study for you!
- What Are Your Passions?
Start by thinking of the things you love. Do you crunch numbers for fun? Do you always hit up the art film festival in town? Are you passionate about helping people? All of these things can lead you in the direction of a college major. If you choose a course of study you love, it will make school and your eventual career so much more satisfying.
Most universities don’t require you to declare a major until your sophomore year, so if you’re undecided about your interests, take the first year as an opportunity to explore. Take courses in a variety of fields of study, join lots of clubs, and sign up for internships to help you find your niche. The more fields you try, the less likely you’ll want to change your major in a few years.
- What Are You Good At?
While you may be interested in something as a hobby or appreciate others’ work, it may not be right for you as a career. That’s where your strengths come in. Write a list of the school subjects you’re best at, as well as your social strengths. Maybe you are great at leadership, love kids, or give amazing speeches. Take all your strengths into consideration when deciding on your major and try to find something that fits all of them, because that’s where you’ll feel most comfortable in the long run.
- Where Do You Want to Live?
When building a career path for yourself, you need to decide if location is important to you. If you come from a small town and want to stay there as an adult, your job options may be limited. There are a variety of careers that are in demand almost anywhere, like doctors, lawyers, teachers and bankers, but other jobs, like those in the arts and entertainment industry or certain businesses, need the population of a bigger city to be successful.
- Is Money Important?
As we all know, going to college costs a lot of money. The idea is that you should be able to earn back that money through your job, but it takes much longer in some careers than in others. If you attend an expensive school and get a low paying degree, like elementary education, you may never earn enough to pay off your schooling. When choosing a major, consider how important salary to you. If you want to make a lot of money right out of college, business, engineering, and computer science are good options.
Though choosing your college major is very important to your future, don’t get overwhelmed or stressed. With the help of family, teachers, and mentors, you are sure to find the perfect fit for you, starting your journey to a bright future.