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How do I figure out if my major is the correct one?

As in, if you don't know what major you will do, how do you know if the one you choose is the right one? #college-major

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Maddie’s Answer

Hi Cam!

Great question! I would recommend taking your general education classes first. Seeing different classes in different fields of studies will help you determine which ones most interest you. Think about which areas are interest you and not which class you like more. When I was deciding on accounting, I did not enjoy a few of my classes, but it was mainly because of the teacher and the set up of the class. Getting through you general education requirements will not only help you with completing requirements for graduation, but it will also help you decide on which areas of study you enjoy more than others.

Once you have areas of study that you enjoy, take a look at which careers are in those fields and see what are the best majors for those careers. In college you with have an advisor that can help you narrow down what the best major would be to match the career that you would like to go into or the area of study that most interests you.

Best,

Maddie
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Blake’s Answer

Hey Cam,

I would recommend getting a more generic degree, like business, and then narrowing your focus later in your college career.

Thanks,
Blake
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RAVI’s Answer

I am not sure if you are just graduating high school and getting into college or you are already in college and finding it hard to decide your major.
Either way this is the same question many would ask at various stages of journey. Some do know their major very early and some take lot more time and fairly to the end where they must decide (like towards the end of sophomore year in college). People who know early also do change later on. No one really knows that except you and you will realize it at some point.

Best to not declare a major and continue to learn and experience different things interacting with peers, seniors in all fields of study and gather information until you have to decide one.

Think about all the information you have collected, what interests you the most, and what you want to do professionally and financially, and personally in the future. Try to matchup and make the decision.

Things will align as you move along. One thing you should do is not get stressed about it.
Second thing you do is to change the major often and end up spending too much money on college and education as it is not cheap anymore.
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Matthew’s Answer

Hi Cam

This answer will vary based on what your goal is for your career plans.

If you goal is happiness and doing what you like, you will know you have the right major by enjoying what you do every day in your classes. You will enjoy waking up and going to class every day and not find yourself frustrated or bored with the material.

If your goal is financial sustainability, you will need to understand the risk and rewards associated with the major you pursue . Certain majors (accounting, pre-med, engineering, ect) will offer you significantly more opportunities financially than other majors. Note all majors are created equal. This does not mean you don’t have to enjoy it, but there are risks and rewards for certain majors.

This should be considered in your decision for a major so you don’t find yourself on a career path that does not lead to what you want.
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Rachel’s Answer

Consider both your interests and your strengths. What classes did you excel in during high school? What career do you think would be interesting long term. You can start by taking the basics based on those recommendations, and if you enjoy certain classes, continue on to major in that subject.
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Racheal’s Answer

Hello. This is such a swlf-reflecting question and at the end of it all, you will be the only one to answer it.
To be honest, with undergrad, pick a major and try to stick with it as long as you are doing well (i.e., have a great gpa).

Many people aren't aware, but you can actually get any job with any degree. For example, I went to Purdue University and I know a using lady with a degree in biology and her first job was at a bank! Yep!

On an internal level, it would more important to ask yourself what changes in the world do I believe I can contribute to if I carry out a career with this major. If you really can't think of anything, then perhaps move to something else. However, as I mentioned before if you are doing well in the major, keep it.
If you want a job in something else, you can always learn tips on how to sell yourself in an interview, because most skills are transferable. Make the most of your undergraduate experience by joining clubs, organization, volunteering and taking care of your physical and mental health.
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Simeon’s Answer

To figure out the major, you'll want to narrow down which careers most interest you. In general, I would go to the department of labor's website (https://www.dol.gov/) and see which fields are growing quickly these days. If you're drawing a blank on what you'd like to do, see if any of the fast growing fields call out to you. This will give you a lot more structure than trying to get a vague sense of your passions and trying to brainstorm a way to turn it into money. Most people don't have a passion that they are aware of right away. Also, passions tend to change from season to season. Lastly, look at videos on YouTube of people in their careers talking about what they love and hate. See if any of their descriptions sound like a good fit for you. It's just as important to figure out if you can deal with the downsides of a job as it is to figure out what you'd love about a job.
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John’s Answer

Solid question. I was in the same place as you when I started out my education journey. I wish I would have figured out sooner, but I just went for an Associates in Arts. It is a solid platform to start from before branching out to your desired program. I have since gone for a BS/BA-IT degree and a MBA in Entrepreneurship.

There is still time to figure out what you want to get out of your degree and what direction you plan to take it in. Take it slow and enjoy your college years.
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Leetal’s Answer

I just spoke to my professor about this yesterday evening, figure out what you want to do and enjoy first. You doubly want to be stuck in a program that will make you miserable and that you will have to pay for.

Leetal recommends the following next steps:

Figure out what you love and enjoy most
Then go to that department in the school either in person or online and email them.
Wait for there answer
Then decide what you want to do after they answer you
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Jessie’s Answer

I would talk to junior and senior students in the major then ask them about how they like it and why they decide on the major and career outlook about it, also I would research how people in those job say about it. Networking help me understand more about my major and choose my career.
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