Mingdong
What are things to consider when choosing college majors?
I'm a current sophomore in high school and it's about time for me to start thinking or at least considering what I want to do for the rest of my life after graduating for college. However, you might not always get to choose what you're passionate about as a job since you have to make a living out of it. Also, certain majors such as doctors requires degrees like PhD which requires you to study more years than a typical undergraduate which also costs more money. So what might you want to consider when you choose your major? The salary? College tuition? Or passion? #college #college-major #jobs
3 answers
Ken Simmons
Ken’s Answer
Hi Mingdong!
You asked a very important question. The most important things to consider about a college and a college major are: comfort, fit, and cost. The personality of the college and the major needs to be one that your are comfortable with. The fit has to be one that relates to both your personality and way of life and the relationship to the degree that you are seeking. The cost is very important as too many people are spending way too much money on an education thus resulting in a much higher level of debt that necessary.
Let's consider cost first: Here are some suggestions about reducing college cost:
http://www.educationplanner.org/students/paying-for-school/ways-to-pay/reduce-college-costs.shtml
http://www.moneycrashers.com/ways-reduce-cost-college-education/
Here are some relevant comments about the comfort and fit. This not only relates to the college itself, but to the comfort and fit of a career. Making such selections is like buying a pair of shoes. They may look good, but you do not know about comfort and fit until you try them on and walk in them for a while.
Please let me know if these help. Best of luck. I would like to follow you progress. Please keep me posted.
Thank you this helped me tremendously!
Mingdong
What helped the most? What are your next steps? Please keep me posted. I really would like to follow and help you along the way.
Ken Simmons
I feel that the thing that helped me the most was the personality tests that you linked me, it helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses especially in the work fields.
As of now, since I'm still a sophomore I'm going to start completing my service hours by volunteering. Once I'm done with that I'm going to start looking for internships in varies fields to try out the different careers and see if I like them or not. This can not only help me gain experience and find out what I like, but also it can help me when I apply to colleges.
Once again, thank you so much!
Mingdong
Is is very important to start and maintain dialogues with graduates of your school who are working in our areas interest. You do not need to become involved in a formal program with them. Just arrange to have coffee and a conversation. Your alumni relations person can help identify these people. Start doing this as soon as possible. People have different outlooks and opinions and views that will be very helpful. You will also gain much information about careers, people, and schools. Use the networking tips when you are in contact with anyone that might have helpful information. The sooner that you start the greater the reward.
Ken Simmons
Shakti Sanspeur
Shakti’s Answer
The ideal would be a mix of all. But also your major does not always define where you work after. For instance, I did a management degree and ended up working in a marketing firm with people who had studied optometry, geography, business, archaeology and history. In my opinion you should choose a major that interests you cause it would give you transferable skills that can eventually be used in most jobs, unless its a very specialised major with limited openings.
Soumendra Mahapatra
Soumendra’s Answer
I recommend the subject based on your likings and where you would like to grow. In my opinion you should excel where you would like to grow and have interest to learn. Learning is something which should provide a fun every day and motivate to read / know more and more in that subject every second. By this you will be a master one day. My humble request, do not get carried away by seeing peer group or pressurized by parent / elders.
Choose the subject where you want to learn and grow.