Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which comes first, choosing a college, career, or major? These questions do not necessarily have definitive answers, but the latter is a question frequently asked by students as they begin the college application process. Let’s take a look at considerations.
The most common answer to this question, although not necessarily the correct answer, is that the choice of major is the most important decision and drives the career choice, so major should be chosen first. The question students are typically asked is, “What are you going to major in?”. Therefore the student feels compelled to choose a major so that they have an answer when asked. A less common question is, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” However, perhaps this is a better question to ask.
Knowing what they want to do when they graduate can be a tough decision for a high school student. After all, there are adults who have been working for many years who still do not know what they want to be when they grow up! However, although it is difficult, it is important for students to begin the process of thinking about it, and narrowing it down to a career field. Once a career field has been chosen, students can look at majors and then search for colleges that offer that major.
So why is it important to have direction when choosing a major? Think about this:
Nearly half of America’s college students drop out before getting their degree. The cost of college is one of the reasons for this. Changing majors increases the amount of time it takes to graduate, thus adding more financial burden to the student and their family. If the student knows what career he/she wants, then it is best to choose an appropriate major. If a student does not know what career to choose, an undeclared major is also an acceptable choice. In fact “undeclared” is the most popular major choice by incoming freshmen. But keep your eye on the prize. Get the diploma as quickly as possible.
So now we are back to our original question of whether to choose a major or a career path first. In reality, there is no perfect answer for this question. However, it is important to have valid reasons for choosing one or the other. Let’s look at some things for students to consider.
- Self-assessment: Get to know yourself. There are many tools to help you explore yourself.
- Identify your interests. You want to be able to enjoy your future career and college classes, so it helps if you are interested in your area of study. I know a student who loved the outdoors and science. He decided to major in engineering because it seemed more lucrative. He is now an engineer, works indoors all day, and hates his job.
- Explore your talents and skills. You also need to be realistic when choosing a major/career. For example, a student who hates math and science should probably not choose medicine as a career. Learn your academic strengths and weaknesses.
- Indentify your values. Do you like to work with others or alone? Do you love the outdoors or prefer air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter?
- Know your personality. How do you learn? What kind of work environment fits your personality? Do you prefer structure or flexibility?
- There are many tools to help with this self exploration, and it is well worth pursuing.
2. Major/Career Exploration. There are several ways to explore careers and majors.
- In can be as simple as looking up a major in a college catalogue and reading about the major. Also read the course descriptions. Can you see yourself in classes described under certain majors?
- Job shadow. Summer is a great time for students to job shadow careers of interest.
- Volunteer. Find a career of interest and ask if you can volunteer. Sometimes connections with family friends or high school teachers can help with this.
- Get a job. Once at college, internships are a great way to develop an understanding od different careers. many times, the internship leads to post graduation employment. Research colleges that offer co-ops or internships.
3. Make a decision. Remember that your choice is not a “death sentence”.
You can change your mind. Just remember that it IS important to be headed in the right direction for the sake of cost. That is why research is important.
Undeclared is a decision you make when you are undecided! It is okay to choose undecided, but it is still important to have some direction. If you go undeclared, explore quickly and get a comfortable path to follow.
Regardless of whether you choose college first, career first, or major first, focus on a plan that allows you to finish in four years, if possible. Check your colleges for their 4 year graduation rate. And most importantly, finish your degree. It will make a difference for the rest of your life!
