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Unsure college selections
Hi, I'm a senior in high school and I have no clue about what career I want to do. How should I choose colleges?
#college-advice
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Jacob’s Answer
Hi, Billy,
I definitely empathize with your question. I think the uncertainty you're feeling is probably very common among other juniors and seniors in high school. It's really hard to figure out what you want to do for a career when you're seventeen or eighteen years old and, even if you did feel strongly about a particular career, there's a very good chance that your interests will change as you get older and experience new things.
Keep in mind that you are taking the very first steps of your career journey. My suggestion for selecting a college would be to think about what things broadly interest you. For example, if you think you could potentially be interested in business but also may want to work in public policy or as a lobbyist, maybe look for schools with strong economics programs since that discipline would be a good launching point for both careers. If you enjoy mathematics but also could see yourself as an engineer, try to find schools with strong math and engineering programs (starting in math and then switching to engineering would likely not be too difficult a change since both require advanced mathematics courses). Try to give yourself the leeway to be flexible in terms of majors/career options while staying focused on what interests you. Once you start in college, try new things and don't be afraid to make mistakes. It might feel like the decisions you're making now will lock you into one career or field but, like I said, you're at the very beginning of a long career. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself.
If you're looking for a framework to help you figure out what might interest you, take a look at the links in the next steps section. The first one is to the 80,000 Hours Organization's website. Their mission is basically to help college graduates figure out how to use their careers to have as positive an impact on humanity as possible. The second link is to their career planning course.
I hope this helps. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any follow-up questions. Good luck!
https://80000hours.org/
https://80000hours.org/career-planning/process/
I definitely empathize with your question. I think the uncertainty you're feeling is probably very common among other juniors and seniors in high school. It's really hard to figure out what you want to do for a career when you're seventeen or eighteen years old and, even if you did feel strongly about a particular career, there's a very good chance that your interests will change as you get older and experience new things.
Keep in mind that you are taking the very first steps of your career journey. My suggestion for selecting a college would be to think about what things broadly interest you. For example, if you think you could potentially be interested in business but also may want to work in public policy or as a lobbyist, maybe look for schools with strong economics programs since that discipline would be a good launching point for both careers. If you enjoy mathematics but also could see yourself as an engineer, try to find schools with strong math and engineering programs (starting in math and then switching to engineering would likely not be too difficult a change since both require advanced mathematics courses). Try to give yourself the leeway to be flexible in terms of majors/career options while staying focused on what interests you. Once you start in college, try new things and don't be afraid to make mistakes. It might feel like the decisions you're making now will lock you into one career or field but, like I said, you're at the very beginning of a long career. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself.
If you're looking for a framework to help you figure out what might interest you, take a look at the links in the next steps section. The first one is to the 80,000 Hours Organization's website. Their mission is basically to help college graduates figure out how to use their careers to have as positive an impact on humanity as possible. The second link is to their career planning course.
I hope this helps. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any follow-up questions. Good luck!
Jacob recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Jordan’s Answer
Billy,
I was in a very similar boat when I was a senior and I was coasting towards generic plans and even ended up changing majors twice through freshman year, and changed schools after Freshman year was over.
For me I never found out what I was really good at or was really passionate about until my 4th year at Michigan State.
My advice to you to begin this process of selection of the known would be to draw it out. Draw out where you want to be in 5 years all the way from what state you want to be living in to what occupation you may want to hold. Drawing things out or making a mental map of ideas for schools/occupations may help you learn more about yourself and what you may really enjoy later in life. Think about things you enjoy, things you are good at, passionate about, and draw those out on a piece of paper.
Do this for a few days continuing to look over your list making edits time to time after having time to think.
After a few days, look over your work on paper, and do some thinking about where your heart is telling you to go on that list.
After that process, you may or may not get answers you are looking for, but you may end up finding out that you want to stay in state by your family and choose a college for that reason, or you may find out you want to be a orthodontist and understand you want to select your school based off of that.
Start small and organize your "big boulders" in life then organize the smaller rocks you have more control over and can decide on and you may just find the answers you are looking for.
Wishing you the best of luck!
I was in a very similar boat when I was a senior and I was coasting towards generic plans and even ended up changing majors twice through freshman year, and changed schools after Freshman year was over.
For me I never found out what I was really good at or was really passionate about until my 4th year at Michigan State.
My advice to you to begin this process of selection of the known would be to draw it out. Draw out where you want to be in 5 years all the way from what state you want to be living in to what occupation you may want to hold. Drawing things out or making a mental map of ideas for schools/occupations may help you learn more about yourself and what you may really enjoy later in life. Think about things you enjoy, things you are good at, passionate about, and draw those out on a piece of paper.
Do this for a few days continuing to look over your list making edits time to time after having time to think.
After a few days, look over your work on paper, and do some thinking about where your heart is telling you to go on that list.
After that process, you may or may not get answers you are looking for, but you may end up finding out that you want to stay in state by your family and choose a college for that reason, or you may find out you want to be a orthodontist and understand you want to select your school based off of that.
Start small and organize your "big boulders" in life then organize the smaller rocks you have more control over and can decide on and you may just find the answers you are looking for.
Wishing you the best of luck!
Updated
Semin’s Answer
Hi Billy,
I am currently a college senior and I went through the exact thought process that you are currently experiencing. I really had no idea what I major I wanted to study nor what I would excel in, so I was stuck for months thinking on this very topic.
I ended up choosing Chemistry as my major, seeing that all my friends around me were choosing STEM-related majors and career paths. I sort of convinced myself into thinking that I had some sort of passion for Chemistry and that I will eventually make a career out of it. However, I was very wrong. Now that I think about it, I was just looking for a major to resort to to avoid feeling like I had no pathway out of the worry.
If you are in the same boat that I was in in the past, I recommend that you consider attending a community college to explore several different paths and perhaps even take on a part-time or internship. You will be able to save so much money than going to a 4-year university and realizing that the major you chose was just not right for you. But keep in mind that going to a 4-year university as an undeclared major is also an option!
I am currently a college senior and I went through the exact thought process that you are currently experiencing. I really had no idea what I major I wanted to study nor what I would excel in, so I was stuck for months thinking on this very topic.
I ended up choosing Chemistry as my major, seeing that all my friends around me were choosing STEM-related majors and career paths. I sort of convinced myself into thinking that I had some sort of passion for Chemistry and that I will eventually make a career out of it. However, I was very wrong. Now that I think about it, I was just looking for a major to resort to to avoid feeling like I had no pathway out of the worry.
If you are in the same boat that I was in in the past, I recommend that you consider attending a community college to explore several different paths and perhaps even take on a part-time or internship. You will be able to save so much money than going to a 4-year university and realizing that the major you chose was just not right for you. But keep in mind that going to a 4-year university as an undeclared major is also an option!
Updated
Mary’s Answer
Hi Billy B - If you're unsure about what to major in, I would suggest attending a community college and taking your core classes. For your elective courses try something you may be interested in & see if something grows from there. Also seek advice from the school's career advisor and volunteer a few places to see if something tugs at you to continue down such path. By starting off with a community college you save money, while still earning credits that are transferable to a four year institution once you have decided.