Choosing the right major can really make a difference. Students need to find a major they enjoy that suits their interests, skills, and talents, or else they are going to be plenty bored and frustrated. They also need to choose a major that comes with some decent career prospects.
Here are some things students should consider when choosing a major, changing their major, or adding a double major.
How to Choose a College Major
When deciding on a major, students should ask themselves questions about their interests and future career goals. They should also consider what's available on campus. It's also important to consider which professors will be teaching the courses in these major classes, and how big the classes are.
Students should take advantage of available resources when researching majors on campus. Look at department websites. Talk to professors in the department, and to students who are already majors. Visit the campus career center to find out the career options that are open to majors. And be sure to take courses to see what they're like.
Here are some more questions for students to ask as they choose a college major.
When to Choose a College Major
Generally, a good time to choose a college major is first semester sophomore year, give or take a semester. However, this isn't true for everyone. Some students just aren't ready to make a decision that early. And some majors require students to make a decision freshman year.
The trick is to find a balance. Students can make an informed decision about choosing a major by taking the time to do some research. On the other hand, if students take too much time to choose a major, it might be hard to graduate in four years. It also might mean that students are cramming in too many upper level classes senior year, which can be very stressful.
Here's more about when to choose a college major.
Changing a Major
Sometimes, changing a major is the best option, and many students do choose to change their majors once or more. Students may decide that a major doesn't suit their career needs, or that they're simply not as good at something as they thought. Or maybe they find a major that they like much better.
However, changing a major should not be taken lightly. This is one of the most common reasons why a student doesn't graduate on time, especially if this happens junior or senior year. Here's more on the advantages and disadvantages of changing a college major.
Choosing to Double Major
Is double majoring a good idea? There are advantages and disadvantages of this as well. On the one hand, double majoring opens up more career options. It gives a student to explore more than one area of interest. And it looks good on a resume or graduate school application.
On the other hand, double majoring usually involves quite a bit of work, as students will have to take two sets of upper-level classes and complete two sets of major requirements. It also might make it difficult to graduate in four years. Here are some considerations to make before choosing a double major.
Choosing a college major is an important decision. Take the time to research available choices, and do so in a timely manner. Think carefully about choosing a double major or changing a major. A little research and thought will go a long way when it comes to finding a major that fits. Good luck!
Naomi Rockler-Gladen - Instructional designer and freelance writer, Naomi Rockler-Gladen writes some of Suite101's most read work.
