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How will I find my right major?
I still don't know what major to take
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10 answers
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Natasha’s Answer
You are definitely not alone and it is common to switch majors within your first semester or year. My recommendation would be to take some entry level courses that will meet pre-requisites and allow you to find what you are most interested in. It is okay not to know right when you start college and be open to making a switch if you change your mind. Other recommendations would be to speak with students in different majors and learn more about the types of courses they are taking. Lastly, if there are any careers that interest you, look on people's LinkedIn pages and see what they majored in to help land that job.
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Twilio’s Answer
Avoid going to a college or university where you need to declare your major immediately in order to give yourself some time to figure it out. Try as many things as you can as soon as you can so you can narrow down what you’re interested in. Think about what careers you’re potentially interested in and work backwards towards what major you should choose.
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Veronica’s Answer
Hey Preston,
Let's start by revisiting your childhood passions and see how they connect with the major you've picked. Think of a "major" as a way to polish and perfect the talents you already have. The more natural talent you display, the more likely you are to excel in that subject. College is a wonderful place with countless courses and disciplines waiting for you to discover. You're going to do great!
Let's start by revisiting your childhood passions and see how they connect with the major you've picked. Think of a "major" as a way to polish and perfect the talents you already have. The more natural talent you display, the more likely you are to excel in that subject. College is a wonderful place with countless courses and disciplines waiting for you to discover. You're going to do great!
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Tracy’s Answer
My advice is to first take time to learn who you are and what you want out of life. I majored in something that I did not end up doing for work. However, I must say that when I go to work each day, it does not really feel like work because I really enjoy what I am doing in my job. My work aligns with my personality, heart, and spirit. And, I make enough money to afford a decent living for myself. I truly believe that if you pick a major that will help be the best you that you can be then all things will eventually fall in place. If you are picking a liberal arts degree, I would say from my experience that I learned and benefited more from the people that I met in college and my extra curricular activities than I did from my major. It was as if the degree was more of a formality while the connections that I developed with the people I met in college really provided my real education.
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Karissa’s Answer
Knowing which major to pick may not be a one-time decision. You may have to take unnecessary classes or even major in the wrong thing only to have to go to graduate school later to get the degree that you can use. Here are a few tips:
1) Are there any classes you enjoyed in high school? Try majoring in that subject. As you take more classes you will be able to see what careers are available.
2) Read “What Color is Your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles. This book helps you figure out which career paths match your personality and interests.
3) If you are in college go to the counseling center. Make an appointment with a counselor and ask about a career test.
4) Did you enjoy working in groups in high school? For some people the answer is no. If you did not then working with other people may not be for you.
5) Go through the college catalogue and read through each degree program’s courses. Cross out the ones you know for sure are not right for you.
1) Are there any classes you enjoyed in high school? Try majoring in that subject. As you take more classes you will be able to see what careers are available.
2) Read “What Color is Your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles. This book helps you figure out which career paths match your personality and interests.
3) If you are in college go to the counseling center. Make an appointment with a counselor and ask about a career test.
4) Did you enjoy working in groups in high school? For some people the answer is no. If you did not then working with other people may not be for you.
5) Go through the college catalogue and read through each degree program’s courses. Cross out the ones you know for sure are not right for you.
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Dilawar’s Answer
Hello Preston,
If you're unsure about which major to select, consider exploring videos related to various fields. Investigate how each major operates and what it involves. If you discover a field that truly captivates your interest and you can see yourself enjoying long-term, that's the one you should go for.
If you're unsure about which major to select, consider exploring videos related to various fields. Investigate how each major operates and what it involves. If you discover a field that truly captivates your interest and you can see yourself enjoying long-term, that's the one you should go for.
Updated
Emma’s Answer
Hi Preston! I started off as a Biology major and switched to a Psychology major halfway through my undergraduate program. So, I know how it feels to be unsure about a major, and I leaned into being okay with not fully knowing when I started.
Consider the following when thinking about a major:
- What subject energizes you the most in school? What subject are you gravitated to read the most about? Consider what truly feels fun to learn about.
- Explore LinkedIn for careers you're interested in and see what individuals majored in. Message individuals if you have any questions! People usually love to help out others.
- Attend a college fair and speak to students currently there to learn about their majors.
- Take an online career finder test for fun! These tests consider your interests and suggest a few careers to explore. Of course, you don't need to follow the answers although it's a great starting point.
Consider the following when thinking about a major:
- What subject energizes you the most in school? What subject are you gravitated to read the most about? Consider what truly feels fun to learn about.
- Explore LinkedIn for careers you're interested in and see what individuals majored in. Message individuals if you have any questions! People usually love to help out others.
- Attend a college fair and speak to students currently there to learn about their majors.
- Take an online career finder test for fun! These tests consider your interests and suggest a few careers to explore. Of course, you don't need to follow the answers although it's a great starting point.
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Twilio’s Answer
Unless you have a very specific profession that you know you want to enter (medicine, law, etc.) where you have a set path and the career requires state licensing, your major isn't particularly important in the long run. At least that has been my experience—I majored in journalism and history and now work as a product manager for a tech company. So try not to stress about it too much. Instead, focus on fundamental things that will serve you well like learning to write, research, and solve problems. We are in a time of change, and the best thing you can do is remain curious and learn to love learning. It's always valuable to take some time to think about where you want to go in the long run, while knowing that will change, so you have some direction. But I would recommend focusing more on learning to learn and doing well at whatever you choose rather than what you choose specifically.
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Twilio’s Answer
A lot of the time the degree you have has very little to do with your end career. I have an undergraduate degree in art history and I do marketing for my work. One of the main things if you don’t have a very specific job in mind is just having a degree that helps show that you can think analytically, you know how to communicate with the written word and that you are passionate about learning. Often your activities and internships may have a lot more to do with your long term job prospects than anything in particular that you studied.
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Twilio’s Answer
Try things! If you aren’t sure where to start, don’t declare a major, take courses that count towards your general credits but still give you a chance to see what you like/don't like. Also, try not to stress choosing a major; unless you decide to go into a very specialized field, many careers are flexible about what you major in.