6 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND BEFORE CHOOSING A MAJOR

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing A Major

If you have chosen to click on this topic, you’ve most likely finished school and now have probably started brainstorming about colleges and most importantly which major to choose. Now, we all know that it's a bit of a toughie as this single decision will not only decide your next four years but it will prove to be a turning point of your entire career journey that you’re ready to embark upon.

Therefore, such a crucial decision should not be taken lightly and will require your utmost attention. It is often seen with students, especially when they start college, many realize that they are not happy with the major they have chosen and then decide to change it after completing an entire year in college.

Now, this is not to say that there is something wrong with changing your mind about your major, one should obviously go with whatever fuels their interest, especially if it is something that they have to do for the rest of their career. But how nice it would be to take our time deciding on a major that interests us the most, a path that we are interested to grow towards, with utmost precision and guidance. If you are at this spot right now, do not look any further, we have jotted down some pointers that you can keep in mind while you are deciding on a career for yourself —

Find out your Passion

The foremost step to reaching one step closer to making this decision is to identify what you’re passionate about, which could be converted into a career. It could be either that subjects that you picked as major during school if it is so then you could very well be, convenient even, to choose that subject as your major in college. On the other hand, if it is not so then, that’s okay too because now, you have a plethora of options to discover from and you can make a proper list as to what subjects draws you the most, their eligibility, and their entrance exams if any. One can major in a variety of genres, especially these days, it could range from Sciences to Arts to Social Sciences to Music. Students also take up their major as the sub-genres of the above-mentioned subjects, that way your major would be your area of interest, and there are more chances of exponential growth with such a major.

Future Prospects of your Interest

Another crucial consideration before deciding on a major is to look into the future of the field you wish to study. The first step would be to explore the opportunities, the second step would be to study the job market thoroughly, this will influence your decision widely because you can imagine and see for yourself here what kind of jobs you see yourself doing in the next four years. You can find out what kind of jobs were in demand for at least the last one to two years so that you can base your decision on that as well. Not only that but if you want you can even create future prospects yourself, instead of looking for a job from an employer. Entrepreneurship and start-up culture are so in, as I’m sure you might know and if you, as a student, have a knack for making things on your own, you can always opt for a major that gives you ample space, skills, and opportunities so that you can follow your entrepreneurial dream.

Colleges that offer that particular course

After deciding on the possibilities, the following step in selecting a major is to locate the appropriate universities. There are many A-Grade colleges now, however, there are a few criteria to consider when searching for universities, such as cut-offs, specialization, government or private, Ivy leagues or regular. As a candidate, you must prepare a list that includes your criteria for the things you want in your college, as well as the major you intend to pursue.

Determine the areas in your excel.

You must determine your strong points in both academics and extracurricular activities. It is common knowledge that throughout the admissions process, universities and colleges offer separate sections for soft skills and talents, such as athletics or art. All you have to do now is focus on your talents and keep accumulating extracurricular experiences to get into your dream college. There are special categories in several colleges for students who are admitted based on quotas. Aside from that, you must identify the areas in which you shine academically. If there is a subject that you believe you understand and have excelled at in the past, keep it in mind because it could provide you an advantage over an average student who is also applying to that college. Finally, you should identify your areas of strength and link them to the major for which you are applying; this will expedite the process on both sides.

How much will it cost you?

If you choose an unusual major that needs you to relocate, make sure you factor in all of the costs associated with this. Expect to pay extra if you pursue a degree that is only available at a few private colleges or even public universities in other states. Out-of-state tuition is often greater, and the living expenses connected with relocating might be costly. Can you afford to switch majors, considering the difficulty of managing employment and college? Furthermore, getting a degree in a career that requires a substantial amount of schooling after the first four years, such as medicine or law, is significantly more expensive and takes a greater level of commitment. Most people are aware that it takes a fortune to get yourself into your dream college. There are special forms of financial aid that can help you get through college, for instance, student loans. Determine how during your college, are you going to pay for it. Many students work part-time jobs in order to make sure that they are able to repay their student loans.

Consider to an Alumni with the same Major

Talking with someone who has already studied or is now pursuing that degree at other universities is an extremely effective technique to assist you to choose your major. You can go to your desired college's campus and strike up a conversation with a senior there who is studying the same degree as you, and he or she can tell you a lot about the advantages and disadvantages, why you should pursue it, and even why you should not pursue it. This phase has the potential to have a huge impact on your decision.