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How will i know if this is the path in life i want to follow?

i’m a senior in high school, how do i know which field in college is best for me, and how will i know which career is best suited for me?

career college job high-school advice
Thank you comment icon If you’reIf you’re unsure you can start with General Studies and build from there. After a semester or two you may find an interest what you want to pursue. unsure you can start with General Studies and build from there. After a semester or two you may find an interest what you want to pursue. Jacques Landry
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Subject: Career question for you
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Bisma’s Answer

Selecting a career path can feel quite overwhelming, particularly when you're nearing the end of high school. As a third-year college student, I can confidently say that it's completely normal to change your major multiple times. Begin by asking yourself what truly excites you and what you're passionate about. If it still seems difficult, don't stress – everyone experiences this, and you're not alone. I recommend starting college with an undecided major. Explore various classes to discover what suits you best, and make your decision based on that. Remember, you have until your junior year to make a choice, so take your time!
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David’s Answer

This can be an overwhelming process. Take a moment to pause and reflect over your past years and think about what your true interests are. Consider any role models that you may have and see if their paths match up with something you would like to do.

You could even reach out to the role models and ask questions about how they decided on their career. Be open to different perspectives as it relates to career decisions. Follow your heart and keep true to you passions.

Remember that your initial career choice might not be your lifelong pursuit. Stay curious and keep exploring new interests that catch your attention.

Wishing your all the best in your career journey.
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Timothy’s Answer

You are at a fantastic time in your life, when you look forward to your Senior year and all the fun that goes with it but also nervous about what is next? First, enjoy the Summer break and spend time with your friends and family. It is also time to start your preparation for college by thinking about what schools you may be thinking about enrolling, what areas to study, what standardized tests to take, and how do I use my Senior year to perform community service, take courses which will prepare me for college, and enjoy extracurricular activities. When it comes to deciding what path to study, don't stress yourself out because most colleges do not ask you to declare a major until the end of your Sophomore year. Most students start by looking at their current skills, education, and possible work experience as a foundation for potential majors or career paths and then look at possible careers that fit their personality and skills. Also understand that more than half of college students change their major during their studies. My daughter, for example, dreamed of becoming a Medical Examiner but then took her first college Chemistry course and decided that she hated Chemistry. She knew she wanted to be a Theater major but her college offered her the opportunity to add more than one major and as many minors as could be fit into 4 years. Finally, after 5 major and minor changes, she declared at the end of Sophomore year that she would major in Theater and Anthropology, with a Biology minor. One piece of advice I would give is to audit yourself for current skills, education, and personality traits for potential colleges that fit you. If you are an extrovert, a large college campus may fit you best. If an introvert, consider a small college where the student to faculty ratio is very low because you develop a better relationship with the professors and administration.
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Jennine’s Answer

Being introspective and identifying things that you are passionate about will help you in this area. There's an old saying that "If you do something you love, you'll never work a day in your life". In this spirit, focus on a field of study that resonates with you as a person. Don't go into a field just because someone tells you to. We are all different and your area of study and focus should speak to you.
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Sarah’s Answer

Hello Allbree!

I understand that finding a straightforward answer can be challenging, but don't worry! It's completely normal to change your mind about your career path multiple times, both in high school and college. Embrace this as part of your life journey. College is an excellent opportunity to build connections, form lasting friendships, and develop strong relationships with your professors.

I remember when I last switched my major during my undergraduate studies, it was all thanks to a professor whose lectures truly inspired me. By attending her office hours, I gained valuable insights into what a career in her field could offer. Even though I eventually chose a different path for grad school, my undergraduate degree has still proven to be very useful.

It's also worth noting that it's not uncommon for people to end up in entirely different job roles than what their degree suggests, as we've seen at Verizon. Use this period in your life to explore and grow, honing your skills and interests. Make sure to seek out internships and job opportunities to gain practical experience.

Best of luck! You can do it!
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Daniel’s Answer

Hi Allbree!

First things first - that's ok. Most people do not know what they want to do the rest of their lives and it can be stressful to think about. I felt the same way a couple of years ago right before I graduated high school. My suggestion is to go to a community college to obtain your basics. This will help you have time to try some different jobs in completely different fields. Also, by going to a community college you will be saving money and giving yourself more time to decide on a career/job while making progress on your degree. Don't let people put pressure on you that you have to decide now on the rest of your work life. I had a teacher in high school tell me that I would be a failure if I did not know what degree/career I wanted by the time I graduated high school. Well, I did not by graduation but decided a year later on what I wanted to do and absolutely love it (operations)

I really think business is a great field to go into since it keeps your options wide open. That way you are not committing to one specific field and find out later that you hate it. Some fields in business include:

1. Operations
2. Finance
3. Sales
4. Marketing
5. Human Resources

I decided to go into Business Operations since operations touches almost every facet of the organization. I enjoy the different challenges and operations also gives me the flexibility to try new things. Another great aspect about operations is they usually support the other divisions of an organization. Since, there are many divisions of an company if you do not enjoy one area its not a big deal since you can support other areas of the business.

Many larger companies will start you in a rotational analyst program. By doing this you will get to see usually 2-4 different sections of the business. Companies offer this to not only help you hone in on your career path but many companies have realized that if there employees actually enjoy their job they will get better overall performance.

I know this can be a stressful time in your life. Please know that you are not alone.
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Patrecia (Trish)’s Answer

Discovering your life's direction isn't always a simple task. You need to identify what you truly want to achieve. Remember, it's perfectly normal for your goals to evolve over time – what you choose today might be different in a couple of months. Life is constantly changing, so don't let this dishearten you. Seek out your passion and explore your future by trying new experiences, like visiting a company for a day or pursuing an internship. Connect with people in your desired field and continue asking questions. You're already on the right track by being curious and seeking guidance.
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Kimley’s Answer

First and foremost: RELAX! At this moment, you have the opportunity to discover and try out various college and career paths. There's no rush to choose a major in college - complete your mandatory classes and explore elective courses that pique your curiosity. Some of us only realized "hey, this could be a great career" during our third year in college.

Secondly: make the most of the resources available to you. Don't be shy to seek help from guidance counselors, both during high school and college. They can direct you to career profiling tools that will not only help you identify the study path you'd enjoy, but also the one that's the perfect fit for you.
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Nickie’s Answer

Hi Allbree,


Picking the correct major and or career choice can be very overwhelming. You can create a list of careers you are interested in and determine which one aligns most to your passion. I wish you success in college and your future career!
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Becky’s Answer

There are numerous resources available to assist you in pinpointing the areas you'd like to delve deeper into, allowing you to concentrate on shaping your future. Two valuable tools that can offer insights are interest assessments and personality quizzes. Both of the tools mentioned below present a range of careers that individuals with similar interests and personalities have found rewarding. Once you've compiled a brief list of potential career paths, explore the career information website provided below. This site offers details about specific careers, such as educational requirements, necessary skills and knowledge, employment trends, current job openings posted online, and more.

Check out the helpful online assessments in the links below:
Interest Assessment: https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip
Personality Quiz: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
Career Information: https://www.onetonline.org/
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Sheila’s Answer

Hi Allbree:

Deciding on what you want to do as a career can be overwhelming. It's okay that you don't know what you want to do right now. I'd suggest that you start with what are the things you are passionate about? What are the things you are good at doing? Start there by continuing to do it well to perfection. Over the course of your career you will likely change jobs many times. And that is because your passion and skill has changed. So don't be hard on yourself for not having this all figured out yet. I wish you much success on your career journey.

~ Sheila

Sheila recommends the following next steps:

Meet with your Guidance Counselor
Discuss careers with your Parents & Family Members
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