Selecting a College Major - Four Considerations to Keep in Mind

Selecting a major can be one of the most difficult things that a college student must do. Fortunately, most universities offer a variety of majors that allow a student many options. Unfortunately, the availability of so many majors can make the process of picking a single major much more difficult. In this article, I describe four things that a college student should consider when choosing a major.

College Major Consideration #1 - Interests
First, what do you like? If you are going to dedicate four or more years of your life to studying a specific topic, you should be passionate about the material. If you aren't, your college work will be much less enjoyable and you will get a lot less out of the experience.

College Major Consideration #2 - Abilities
When choosing a major, it's important to be realistic. For example, a person that struggled to get B's in high school math classes should probably not be a math major. Granted, a strong interest and work ethic can allow a college student to excel at something that doesn't come naturally to him or her, but it may be an uphill battle. If you have the opportunity, take one or two classes in your major of interest before declaring to make sure that you can handle the material.

College Major Consideration #3 - Difficulty
For some students, such as those that simply want to have a college degree on their resume, an "easier" major is suitable. Others may desire a major that challenges them academically, even if they won't do as well. The difficulty of a major is often related to how much time must be spent studying and doing work outside of class, so consider your priorities. Remember, the difficulty of a major is largely subjective and should never be the only factor in a college student's choice. But likewise, it shouldn't be ignored.

College Major Consideration #4 - Career Opportunities
Some professions require certain academic backgrounds. If your career goal is to become a research scientist, for example, you need a background in the field. Do some investigation and determine whether or not specific preparation is needed for your career of choice.

What You Shouldn't Consider
Some bad reasons for selecting a major: it was a parent or parents' major, it sounds hard or prestigious, or you'll be able to make a lot of money. Yes, consider career possibilities (see #4), but make sure that the career itself interests you, not just the paycheck.

Picking a college major can be difficult, but ultimately it must be done. For some people, the decision will be obvious, while others will struggle to pick between multiple fields. There is nothing wrong with some uncertainty - most people change majors multiple times. Whatever you do, make sure that you are passionate about your field and willing to do the necessary work.

Can you think of any other things a college student should keep in mind when selecting a major? If so, feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of a comment below. Thank you for reading!