Just like the decision to go into higher education or not, choosing the right college major for you is one of the most important decisions you can make. Indeed, selecting the right major will ensure that, while you’re at college, you will learn a lot, can easily use the skills to land a job and, critically, enjoy yourself.
Choosing a college major is not an easy task, as they might vary from school to school as well as from course to course. This guide takes you over everything you need to know about how to choose a college major, including personal and professional tips, as well as FAQs on how to go about this task.
How to choose a college major
Choosing a college major requires plenty of thought and different things to consider. Here are 15 top tips to and factors to consider to help you land on a major that you’ll find rewarding and beneficial.
1. Consider your interests
A great place to start when considering what college major to take is how interested you are in its contents.
This begins with a self-assessment of your personal and career interests. When you have a list of these interests, map out which subjects are aligned to them, coming up with a shortlist of the top five. Here, you can explore what college majors might be the best fit.
Working through a college major that you’re interested in will increase your level of engagement in it, as well as the amount of discretionary effort you’ll put in to get good grades.
2. Consider your career goals
As well as your interests, analyzing your career goals will help you understand what college major might be best aligned with your future. This will mean that you’ll find a sense of purpose in your chosen college major.
When considering your career goals, it’s helpful to start at your ultimate target and move backward. Think about what dream role you want to end up working in, and set out the professional steps needed to get there, whether it’s positions or accreditations. From here, it’s easier to understand what college major will be best to get you to your goal.
3. Take a college major quiz
College major quizzes are usually taken online and assess various factors, such as your career interests, personality, strengths and education preferences, by asking you a series of targeted questions, generating best-fit college majors.
When used alongside other decision-making processes, the main advantage of college major quizzes is that they might highlight college major options that you might not have considered before, helping you to make a balanced and informative choice on the right subject for you.
4. Create a future plan
Creating a future plan is a creative and engaging exercise that helps you visualize your future self and work out what can help get you there. A little more abstract than setting goals, creating a future plan might start with reflecting on where you have come from and then where you want to go.
Create a vision board and develop a mission for yourself. Use this information to map out which college major might get you there, and fill in the blanks with practicalities like salaries, ways of studying, and subjects that interest you.
5. Look into the coursework
Coursework can vary in many ways, such as the amount undertaken, how it contributes to your overall grades, and how it is taken, such as essay-based work or requiring fieldwork or primary research.
Think about what approach to coursework you would prefer, maybe taking a learning style quiz to facilitate this process. Shortlist college majors that offer the type of coursework you prefer, as this might mean you’ll find it easier and more fun to accomplish the tasks.
6. Take a career assessment
Career assessments are a great way to combine many of the analyses we have discussed already, such as looking at your career interests, career goals and learning styles. They will also analyze other factors such as your strengths and development areas.
Such assessments are often professionally developed and use high levels of research and algorithms to give you accurate pointers to the best careers and college majors. When it comes to choosing a career assessment, there are plenty of options, including face-to-face assessments and online ones, including our very own over at CareerHunter.
7. List your strengths
When considering what college major to take, it helps to think about what you’re naturally strongest at. Indeed, choosing a major based on your strengths means that you’ll naturally and easily apply yourself effectively to the material.
Keep in mind that what you’re good at might not necessarily tally with what you enjoy. Try to find a happy mix to make the most out of your college years. When analyzing your strengths, consider taking a personal SWOT analysis, as this will give you insights into your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to your career success.
8. Consult your advisor
Speaking with an advisor can provide useful clarity on what college major to take. These advisors could be a high school teacher, mentor, career guidance counselor, or someone else equipped to provide professional advice.
Advisors will listen to you and help you create a plan or goals for you to target the best college majors for your needs and wants. Not only do they provide professionally credible and relevant advice, but they can also tap into a rich professional network to give you some inroads into the best colleges to study at.
9. Consider the job market
If you’re at a bit of a crossroads as to what college major might be the best option for you, thinking about the current job market might provide you with direction.
When researching job markets, it’s good to look at what careers are highly in demand or currently suffering from tight talent pools, as choosing a college major aligned with them might give you an increased chance at landing a job once you graduate.
Similarly, consider what industries are more accommodating in terms of entry requirements (such as a major from a top school), as this might strongly influence the major you take.
10. Outline possible career choices
When researching colleges, outline career choices to work out what the best option might be. Colleges can be known for specializing in certain industries or professions and are considered the best options for these career paths, while others give you a certain degree of flexibility in terms of what the major might offer you once you graduate.
Also, when considering your own career choices, outline your own different options and think about the various college paths that lead to them. This can result in you being able to map out various college options for different routes through your career.
11. Consider earnings potential
It pays to research what careers are forecast to pay in terms of average salary, as this will also help give you some guidance as to what college majors might offer the most financial opportunity. Plus, using a college major to earn a higher salary means that you could invest in another degree further down the line.
As well as researching careers, you can also find online resources that can guide you to which college majors enable you to earn the most, which can also be very helpful and give you guidance to flexible courses that can boost your earning power in a variety of industries.
12. Take additional courses
Taking additional courses can help you understand what college major might fit your interests and skills. Taking supplementary diplomas, night classes, or other forms of education, for example, can give you powerful insights while allowing you to keep learning.
This also gives you a broader set of skills, allowing you to remain competitive in changing job markets, as well as keeps you networking with different people, which can open up benefits as your career progresses.
13. Talk with family and friends
Seeking counsel from family and friends is a great way to shed some light on the best college majors for you. It’s easy to overlook a certain detail, viewpoint or thought process, and your loved ones can add a lot of clarity in this regard.
They’re best positioned to offer unbiased, objective advice that’s based on your best interests, and they will have infinite time to listen to you and talk things over. Even if they lack the professional or technical expertise that also helps when seeking advice to choose a college major, their perspective is invaluable and comforting.
14. Consider the costs
One of the most important things to consider when choosing a college major is whether it’s affordable. This governs whether you have the money to attend or the level of financing needed to cover tuition.
Attending college is expensive, and each major will vary in terms of cost. Some areas to research are tuition fees, travel costs to the school where the major is taught, or textbooks. When you have a rough idea of the costs, create a budget and undertake a cost-benefit analysis to work out if your desired college major will be affordable or not.
15. Review the requirements
College major requirements can be plentiful, and reviewing these before you go too far into making a decision is important in case there are barriers to starting your chosen major that will take time or expense to overcome.
Such requirements to consider can include maintaining a certain GPA score, or the achievement of prerequisite certifications. Also, look into scholarship options, and whether the major offers flexibility with electives or the option to minor in another subject.
FAQs about college majors
Choosing your major in college requires such careful thought that you’ll probably find that questions you have along the process throw up more questions! Here are some frequently asked questions to give you a little more insight.
Q: Should you double major in college?
Providing you’re sure you can manage the workload, double majoring in college can be beneficial. Doing this can broaden your skills and increase your employability. That said, doing so requires careful time management, and you might need to spend longer at college.
Q: When do you have to declare a major?
The usual college requirement to declare a major is by the end of your sophomore (second) year, though some programs sometimes have later deadlines. This offers a little grace period for you to explore different subjects before committing. Be aware, though, that certain pathways might require earlier declaration, like nursing.
Q: Can you change your major?
Any student can change their major; it’s possible, seeing as it’s common — and understandable — to discover new interests. Be aware that changing majors can extend your time at school or subject you to different requirements or prerequisites, so it’s always a good idea to consult with your advisor if you’re considering this.
Final thoughts
If you’re finding the prospect of choosing a college major a little daunting, take some comfort in knowing you’re not the only one going through this. Also, the chances are that if you’re reading this now, it means you’re still researching college options, and taking a proactive and strategic approach to the task is exactly the attitude you need.
Remember to consider your personal attributes and needs, as well as your professional goals, when choosing a college major. Draw upon all the advice and advisors you have access to — and, finally, prepare, research and consider all the external factors to ensure your decision is as carefully made as possible.
Got any questions? Let us know in the comments section below!
This article is a complete update of an earlier version originally published on June 20, 2019.