What helped you decide on your major?
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25 answers
Jayavignesh’s Answer
I decided on a major that would allow me to study and work on problems that I believed were interesting or worth solving. The generalized form of my motivation is stated as "Find what you like and then find a way to make a living at it".
Slight tangent:
Claire McGahan's experience of not choosing any one major right away is common, but even if you think you know EXACTLY what you want to do, college will be the best time for intellectual exploration - so take classes that are very different from your normal course load and outside your comfort zone.
Thank you so much for your advice!
Mireia
Rafael A.’s Answer
My one and only advise it to do something that you will enjoy. Don't get into a field based on the pay. The money may be good but are you enjoying coming to work everyday. Think of the things you would like to do and then look into the major and the opportunities for you once you graduate.
Thank you for your advice!
Mireia
Sydney’s Answer
Great answer! Now that I think about it, a hybrid of computer engineering and computer science courses would be perfect for me! Thank you for sharing your experience, Sydney!
Aun
Dr. Ray’s Answer
Dear Mirela,
You again? You sure ask a lot of questions! (Just kidding.) Fortunately they are interesting ones.
I started out as a physics major in college because I liked the class in high school. However in my first college physics course I was completely out of my depth. I wound up with a D and was glad to get that. Also, I really didn't like the subject. A friend recommended an introductory psychology course and I fell in love with the subject, changed my major, and went on the get a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. If you are in college or plan on attending (and I hope you will) I would not be in any hurry to pick a major. I didn't know the field of psychology existed until I got to college; your dream career may be in a field you never heard of in high school. I also agree with Jayavignesh and Rafael that picking a field because of the pay is likely to make you unhappy in the long run. I believe in the saying "Do what you love and the money will follow."
Thanks again!
Mireia
Cinthya’s Answer
I would suggest the following:
Cinthya recommends the following next steps:
Claire’s Answer
Thank you for your expert advice!
Mireia
Alwyn’s Answer
Thank you so much!
Mireia
Vic’s Answer
Figure out what your life goals are (ie. work to fund your hobbies, work as your hobby)
Figure out what you want to learn from a job, what you value in a job
Figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are
Figure out what jobs align with your personal abilities and your personal & professional goals
Figure out what major leads to this and what opportunities are closely available to you (ie. school network, campus recruiting, personal connections, etc)
Kedar’s Answer
e.g. For some reason, I was sure about one fact that I wanted to pursue a degree in Engineering. I was also sure about the fact that I did not want to pursue Mechanical/Industrial, Civil, Chemical, Instrumentation Engineering. The choices I was left out with were Computer Engineering and Electronics/Telecom Engineering.
I did my Engineering when mobile phones were not very common but I was intrigued by this and this made me choose a career in Telecom Engg. After going through the course, I was able to narrow down on an area in Computer Networking that I liked and wanted to pursue in Grad school.
So in short, some of the things that helped me decide the major were 1. Liking for a particular area/field and whether my grades supported me to hope for a admit in that course. 2. Agreement from my parents whether they could support my thoughts and 3. learning the basics and then zeroing in on an area of specialization.
I hope this helps. Ofcourse in addition to the above triggers which are very personal, if one is in a position to guage the relevance of the field of study in the wider industry, the kind of job prospects etc, then it would be an icing on the cake. I didn't not have this vision at the age of 17 though :)
Kimberly’s Answer
Brandon’s Answer
Vidhya’s Answer
Dr. Chiquita’s Answer
Coming from a small town, everyone that I knew was teaching. I knew that I didn't want to do that at when I graduated. I decided to go into nursing. Nursing was great for me for 5 years until I moved to a big city. After moving, I decided to change to business. I started working in mortgage banking and I have been in it for over 22 years. I got my Bachelors in Business, Masters in Business and Doctorate in Business. You will fine your passion and know what you are good at. I enjoy teaching in the graduated programs and seeing the light bulbs light up in my students. Take your time and enjoy your passion.
Christina’s Answer
Nishant’s Answer
While pursuing my Under Graduation in Engineering there was a subject called Computer Networks in my academics. I found Networking so interesting and decided to pursue my Masters in Computer Networks.
After all it is all about the interest you hold in the subject.
Rebecca’s Answer
Deciding your college major can be a difficult decision, especially since there are so many possible fields to go into! My advice is to take a wide variety of classes during your first year and try to figure out what interests you most. I personally chose my major, business management, after taking an introductory course that emphasized everything I love about business. While determining what to study based on job opportunities and potential salaries is tempting, I highly recommend going with your gut and pursuing something you are passionate about and that you love doing. In the long run, happiness in your career path is far more rewarding than money.
Rebecca recommends the following next steps:
Gina’s Answer
Richard’s Answer
In the US, to apply to medical school, you need a bachelor's degree. Any 4-year university should suffice.
Pick a major that interests you so you don't mind devoting a majority of your hours to studying. You will need to get good grades in college in order to apply for medical school. At the medical school I attended, the average GPA is reported to be 3.85, so even one or two B's can hurt your chances of acceptance.
Aside from this, any major is acceptable as long as you complete the prerequisite courses. I chose to major in biochemistry because there was overlap with the premed requirements and I wanted to complete my degree in 3 years.
Kendrall’s Answer
Therefore, my advice is similar to what's listed above, but slightly tweaked. Find something that you like, you're good at, and is practical. That last piece complicates the matter. I agree when people say "Chase your dreams" Or "Do what makes you happy". I agree with that to a certain degree. One needs to be happy, but you also need to be able to earn a living. Therefore, you should make sure you can use the education you get to earn income.
You should also be comfortable with the fact that you may not work in the area which you focus your studies. To maximize your education, you should build relationships, learn from your peers, seek mentors, and seek experiences that will help you shape what you want to do ultimately. Finally, as you think through "majors", you should identify people/professionals you'd like to be like. Study that person's background, and try to mirror their steps as closely as you like.
Alex’s Answer
Garrett’s Answer
Justin’s Answer
Best of luck!
Matthew’s Answer
My parents guided me toward a general field that I would major in now. However, it was my advisors and peers that helped me finally decide what i wanted to major in. There are student organizations that helped me see my interest in my major. Good luck!
Cinthya’s Answer
The career test basically said that I could pick any of my 3 main choices so then I dig dipper into what subjects I like and what I wanted to do in the future.
Steve’s Answer
The first thing you need to do is to identify what's important to you.
If you think the practical thing is the salary, you can look at some salary ranking on Glassdoor.
Then, based on your own abilities and interest, do some further investigation, and filter it to the final one.
Hope this advice helps you.