4 answers
Quinn
Student
Springtown, Texas
1
Question
Asked
469 views
What are some good websites where I can find the major I want to pursue? What makes me know if I want
I am trying to find the right major for me and I am struggling.
4 answers
Lucy Iwuagwu
Nursing and midwifery student
44
Answers
Lilongwe, Central Region, Malawi
Updated
Lucy’s Answer
Finding the right major can be a challenging process, but there are some excellent resources available to help you explore your interests and identify potential fields of study. Here are some recommended websites, along with a few tips to help you understand what might be the right major for you:
Websites to Explore Majors and Careers
1.MyMajors(https://www.mymajors.com/)
- Offers a free assessment tool to match your strengths, interests, and preferences with suitable college majors.
- Provides detailed descriptions of various majors and related careers.
2.CollegeBoard’sBigFuture(https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors-careers)
- Helps you explore different majors, read about potential careers, and get information on colleges that offer those programs.
- Also includes tips on how to prepare for a specific major while still in high school.
3. O'NET Online(https://www.onetonline.org/)
- Comprehensive resource to explore careers based on different majors.
- Allows you to see detailed job descriptions, required skills, and typical educational paths.
4.Princeton Review(https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/choosing-college-majors)
- Offers quizzes, major descriptions, and advice on how to choose a major based on your goals and strengths.
- Features expert articles and student testimonials on various fields.
5. What Can I Do With This Major?(https://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/)
- Lists various majors and details common career paths associated with them.
- Provides information on relevant employers and job search strategies for each field.
6.CareerOneStop(https://www.careeronestop.org/)
- Offers career profiles and guidance on choosing a field based on your current skills and interests.
- Includes information on education and certification requirements for specific careers.
Tips to Help You Decide on a Major
1. Identify Your Passions and Interests:
- Reflect on what subjects or activities you enjoy most. What are you curious about? For example, if you’re passionate about health care or working with children, consider fields like nursing or pediatric medicine.
2. Consider Your Skills and Strengths:
- Think about your academic strengths. Do you excel in science, enjoy hands-on activities, or love writing? Your strengths can guide you toward specific majors that align with those abilities.
3. Explore Career Options Related to Majors:
- Consider researching careers that you’re drawn to and look for common majors that lead to those fields. Websites like O*NET or "What Can I Do With This Major?" can help connect majors to careers.
4. Speak to Counselors or Advisors:
- Discuss your options with your high school counselor or academic advisors. They can provide insights and guide you toward resources or programs aligned with your goals.
5. Take Career Assessments:
- Use career quizzes and assessments like [Holland Code Tests](https://www.truity.com/) or [16Personalities]
(https://www.16personalities.com/) to identify your interests, values, and preferences, and see which majors fit well.
6. Try Courses or Volunteer in Related Fields:
- If possible, take introductory courses, shadow professionals, or volunteer in fields of interest. This hands-on experience will help you see what you truly enjoy.
What Makes You Know if You Want a Major?
- Excitement and Interest: You feel engaged and excited when learning about the subject or discussing topics related to it.
- Long-Term Career Vision: You can see yourself working in careers related to that major and feel motivated by the potential opportunities.
- Alignment with Values: The major aligns with your personal values, whether that’s helping others, creativity, problem-solving, or working with animals.
- Satisfaction with Required Courses: You find the core subjects and courses required for the major to be intriguing, rather than dreading them.
- Positive Feedback from Exploration: Any exploratory classes, volunteer work, or internships in that field leave you wanting to learn more.
Websites to Explore Majors and Careers
1.MyMajors(https://www.mymajors.com/)
- Offers a free assessment tool to match your strengths, interests, and preferences with suitable college majors.
- Provides detailed descriptions of various majors and related careers.
2.CollegeBoard’sBigFuture(https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors-careers)
- Helps you explore different majors, read about potential careers, and get information on colleges that offer those programs.
- Also includes tips on how to prepare for a specific major while still in high school.
3. O'NET Online(https://www.onetonline.org/)
- Comprehensive resource to explore careers based on different majors.
- Allows you to see detailed job descriptions, required skills, and typical educational paths.
4.Princeton Review(https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/choosing-college-majors)
- Offers quizzes, major descriptions, and advice on how to choose a major based on your goals and strengths.
- Features expert articles and student testimonials on various fields.
5. What Can I Do With This Major?(https://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/)
- Lists various majors and details common career paths associated with them.
- Provides information on relevant employers and job search strategies for each field.
6.CareerOneStop(https://www.careeronestop.org/)
- Offers career profiles and guidance on choosing a field based on your current skills and interests.
- Includes information on education and certification requirements for specific careers.
Tips to Help You Decide on a Major
1. Identify Your Passions and Interests:
- Reflect on what subjects or activities you enjoy most. What are you curious about? For example, if you’re passionate about health care or working with children, consider fields like nursing or pediatric medicine.
2. Consider Your Skills and Strengths:
- Think about your academic strengths. Do you excel in science, enjoy hands-on activities, or love writing? Your strengths can guide you toward specific majors that align with those abilities.
3. Explore Career Options Related to Majors:
- Consider researching careers that you’re drawn to and look for common majors that lead to those fields. Websites like O*NET or "What Can I Do With This Major?" can help connect majors to careers.
4. Speak to Counselors or Advisors:
- Discuss your options with your high school counselor or academic advisors. They can provide insights and guide you toward resources or programs aligned with your goals.
5. Take Career Assessments:
- Use career quizzes and assessments like [Holland Code Tests](https://www.truity.com/) or [16Personalities]
(https://www.16personalities.com/) to identify your interests, values, and preferences, and see which majors fit well.
6. Try Courses or Volunteer in Related Fields:
- If possible, take introductory courses, shadow professionals, or volunteer in fields of interest. This hands-on experience will help you see what you truly enjoy.
What Makes You Know if You Want a Major?
- Excitement and Interest: You feel engaged and excited when learning about the subject or discussing topics related to it.
- Long-Term Career Vision: You can see yourself working in careers related to that major and feel motivated by the potential opportunities.
- Alignment with Values: The major aligns with your personal values, whether that’s helping others, creativity, problem-solving, or working with animals.
- Satisfaction with Required Courses: You find the core subjects and courses required for the major to be intriguing, rather than dreading them.
- Positive Feedback from Exploration: Any exploratory classes, volunteer work, or internships in that field leave you wanting to learn more.
Adit Sheth
Senior Software Engineer
117
Answers
Bellevue, Washington
Updated
Adit’s Answer
Hi there! I’m Adit, a Senior Software Engineer at Microsoft. It’s great that you’re thinking carefully about choosing the right major—this is a big decision, but you’re on the right track by exploring your options.
Here are some great websites to help you explore different majors:
MyMajors.com – Helps you match your interests and strengths with potential majors.
CollegeBoard.org – Provides a database of majors and programs available at universities across the U.S.
BigFuture by College Board – Offers quizzes and exploration tools to help you identify possible majors.
O*NET Online – Shows you career options and related majors based on your skills and preferences.
University Websites – Most universities have detailed descriptions of their majors, course offerings, and career outcomes.
How do you know if a major is right for you?
Ask yourself: What subjects do I enjoy studying? What problems do I like solving?
Think about your long-term goals and whether a particular major can lead you to them.
Try taking introductory courses or looking into internships or part-time work in areas you're interested in. This will give you a feel for the field.
Talk to current students or professionals in the field—they can provide valuable insights.
Take your time, explore, and remember that it’s okay to change your mind as you learn more!
Here are some great websites to help you explore different majors:
MyMajors.com – Helps you match your interests and strengths with potential majors.
CollegeBoard.org – Provides a database of majors and programs available at universities across the U.S.
BigFuture by College Board – Offers quizzes and exploration tools to help you identify possible majors.
O*NET Online – Shows you career options and related majors based on your skills and preferences.
University Websites – Most universities have detailed descriptions of their majors, course offerings, and career outcomes.
How do you know if a major is right for you?
Ask yourself: What subjects do I enjoy studying? What problems do I like solving?
Think about your long-term goals and whether a particular major can lead you to them.
Try taking introductory courses or looking into internships or part-time work in areas you're interested in. This will give you a feel for the field.
Talk to current students or professionals in the field—they can provide valuable insights.
Take your time, explore, and remember that it’s okay to change your mind as you learn more!
Martha Kramer
Corporate Training, Communications
335
Answers
Stamford, Connecticut
Updated
Martha’s Answer
Hi Quinn - this is an excellent question, and I agree with the advice you have received from Sarah and Adit. A few more thoughts:
- Your school likely has a tool like Naviance to help you identify colleges to apply to. That same tool, which already has your data, should have career advice as well. If your school doesn't have that, your local library might.
- Ask people who know you (such as your family and teachers) what they see as your strengths. Compile a list, with extra weight on strengths that are mentioned more than once. Then search majors that draw upon your top strengths.
- As the others have said, try taking free courses or reading articles about potential majors. If you consistently don't like them, that may indicate that the major is not a good fit. (I don't say definitely because sometimes a major becomes more interesting after the introductory phase.)
- If you have definite ideas about career(s) you want to pursue, work backwards. By this, I mean identify majors most often associated with that career.
Good luck!
- Your school likely has a tool like Naviance to help you identify colleges to apply to. That same tool, which already has your data, should have career advice as well. If your school doesn't have that, your local library might.
- Ask people who know you (such as your family and teachers) what they see as your strengths. Compile a list, with extra weight on strengths that are mentioned more than once. Then search majors that draw upon your top strengths.
- As the others have said, try taking free courses or reading articles about potential majors. If you consistently don't like them, that may indicate that the major is not a good fit. (I don't say definitely because sometimes a major becomes more interesting after the introductory phase.)
- If you have definite ideas about career(s) you want to pursue, work backwards. By this, I mean identify majors most often associated with that career.
Good luck!
Sarah Meyer
2
Answers
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Updated
Sarah’s Answer
Hi Quinn! Picking the right major in college is a tricky thing to decide. It is not uncommon to change your major while studying for your undergraduate degree. One thing I can suggest is to attend a college with multiple degree options. This allows you to change your major when you decide you like a specific topic. Going undecided is another way that people find out what they are interested in because the university places you in a variety of classes to spark an interest in your undergraduate degree. Although websites can help narrow down the field you are stearing towards, experience and learning of subjects with be the best way to strike the best major for you.
Below I have placed some websites that may help strike that interest before starting college!
-Find Your College Major: futurescape.asa.org
-Choose Your Major Quiz, Marquette University https://www.marquette.edu › explore › choose-your-major/
I hope that this steers you in the right direction of your college education!!
Below I have placed some websites that may help strike that interest before starting college!
-Find Your College Major: futurescape.asa.org
-Choose Your Major Quiz, Marquette University https://www.marquette.edu › explore › choose-your-major/
I hope that this steers you in the right direction of your college education!!
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