When do You Select a Major
Many college applications require you to select a major or state that you are “undeclared”. What is the best way to choose a major? Here are five ideas to guide you.
- Start exploring. It is never too early or too late to start exploring your interests and connecting them to majors or careers.
- Learn about yourself. Take advantage of career surveys, interest inventories and other resources available to you. The more you understand yourself, the better prepared you are for the next steps.
- Research. There are many tools available online or at your school that can help you explore what majors are needed for various career paths. Taking classes in subjects relevant to a major or profession can also help you learn more.
- Try it on. Gain more information by shadowing or interviewing a professional in your career of interest.
- Short-listing. Once you have done your research and talked to professionals, narrow your list of majors to pursue. Often there are many majors you can select from to get to a chosen career or area of interest.
Ode to the Undeclared Major
According to the US Department of Education, nearly one-third of college students change their major at least once during their college career. Many universities or colleges recognize you may not be ready to declare a major when you start as a freshman. Often you do not have to declare a major until sometime in your sophomore year. There are a few universities that don’t offer “undeclared” as an option. You will know which colleges require you to declare majors from websites and application instructions.
Take Action
Review the list of majors offered by a college and narrow down the list to include majors that match your interests and abilities. You can also take online surveys to find a major that suits your personality and preferences. It is also a good idea to explore various professions listed in the Occupational Outlook Handbook and select a major related to a career path of your interest.