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Selecting a college major is an important and difficult decision. Check out these tips to help guide you on your decision on what to major in. 
Enjoy it. The first step in selecting a college major involves discovering and identifying your interests. When you enjoy your major the hard work required to obtain a degree is more enjoyable and meaningful to you then if you are not interested in your educational focus. If you are not sure what it is you enjoy doing, ask yourself these questions:
- What subjects did I enjoy in high school?
- What types of assignments interest me?
- What are my hobbies?
- What have I always seen myself doing?
- When I loose track of the time, what is it that I’m doing?
Selecting a major in a field of work that you enjoy makes the learning process pleasant and significant to you and your future goals. This way required and related volunteer and internship work throughout your undergraduate experience is pleasant and fun.
Be good at it. The second step in selecting your college major is pin pointing what it is you are good at doing. Choose a field that you can excel in and be proud of your work. If you are not sure about what it is you are good at, ask yourself these questions:
- What subjects do I get the best grades in?
- What have other people encouraged me in and given me positive feedback for?
- What have I won awards for during my childhood?
By analyzing what is you both enjoy doing and are good at you can narrow down the choices on what to major in.
Pursue a major that qualifies you. Go to school for things that you need a degree to be certified to do. I have found that for certain jobs real life experience is more valuable to employers and a much better investment than educational experience. For example, rather than majoring in a language you can actually become more proficient by volunteering and working in a place where the language is spoken. But you can not however, teach in a public school with out a degree and necessary credentials that must be obtained at a college or university.
Investigate majors and what will be required of you. Read through the list of majors and their descriptions that are in your area of interest that are offered at your college and circle the ones that appeal to you. Research the possible career paths you would be able to follow with the majors that you are interested in. Make note of the requirements needed to reach your desired job. Do you need to study for more than 5 years? Must you continue on to a graduate school in order to pursue the job of your choice? Ask yourself if the requirements for the major and related jobs are appealing to you.
Don’t let your school’s selection limit you. Self-designing your own major is a great way to get a personalized and focused degree in something that you are passionate about. Smaller schools often only offer a small selection of majors. Rather than transferring to another school with a major that you prefer you can petition to create your own major at the school you currently attend. Every school has a different petitioning process, speak to your academic counselor for more details.
Explore job opportunities. It is also good to make sure that there are employment possibilities available for you when you do graduate. With the recent recession the job markets have changed and have become much more competitive. Look for ways to make you and your resume stand out in your desired career while still in school. For example, if you wish to be an educator due to a low number of math and science teachers focusing on teaching math and science will guarantee you a job more than if you focus on teaching the arts. You could choose to get an additional credential, become certified in CPR, or focus on mastering another language- really anything that will get you one step ahead of other job applicants.
While it is true that you do not necessarily need to have studied a major that relates to your career path later in life, the type of job you initially get out of college does relate to your undergraduate focus. Your chosen major shows where your interests lie and what skills have been developed.
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