CHOOSING A COLLEGE MAJOR

Some high school students are very clear about what they want to study in college, but most students are not clear at all.   This video from Boston University helps students to see that they can take their time and explore their interests while in college. To many professionals in the college admission process, entering college without a major provides students with an opportunity to explore a variety of interests. For this blog post, I would like to share with you a variety of resources on the topic of choosing a major as well as the importance of being open to exploring opportunities in a variety of college settings.  First, here is an article about taking a liberals arts path towards a career in high tech.  This is a great article to help students see there is not one path or approach to success in a specific career.  

Spending a few minutes exploring some basic concepts about choosing a major can be helpful, and this article does a good job in laying the groundwork.  Big Future also has amazing resources to search through majors and careers that can be found at the right of the article.  It is true that some students and parents worry that if a student decides late on a major or changes a major, it can impact their ability to graduate in 4 years.  This article explains research regarding these concerns.  

I believe the message for high school students is to think about areas of interest and possibly have a focus or major in mind when you get to college, while being open to the idea that this might change.  Here is a worksheet to help you think through areas of study that could be a good fit for you.  But if you don’t determine a major before college, or if you change your mind while in college, you should feel confident that it is all part of your journey.