Choosing Your College Degree Major
How to Select a Field to Study for a College or University Education
Getting a college degree requires choosing a major. Many college students find this a difficult choice. What is your passion?
College Major
Getting a college or university degree requires selecting a major. Some college students know exactly what they want to do, but many are unsure. An uncertain college student has a more difficult time selecting a major.
Select the right major for you. It will determine what college courses you will take and how you will be spending much of your time until you earn your college degree. It will also play a large role in your career options for the next 40 years.
You must decide what is right for you. Your parents, siblings, friends, professors, and roommates may all try to tell you what major to choose. Listen to their advice, but don't select the right major for them. Select the right major for you. That must come from inside of you.
Job Opportunities
Many people select majors based on the job opportunities available. This strategy may insure employability, but it does have flaws.
For example, there is a critical national shortage of science and math teachers. A college student who majors in science or math education will find a job. If you love science, math, kids, and teaching, this would be a good major for you. If you hate science, math, kids, and teaching, this major could lead to your spending 30 to 40 years in a job you dislike.
Majoring in business or accounting, for another example, can lead to jobs that pay much better than teaching. If you like working in the business world, these majors can lead to lucrative satisfying careers. But if business and accounting bore you, these majors could lead to spending your life doing something you dislike.
You are not likely to do well at a job you hate, so you won't advance regularly. You are better off selecting a major and career that you like. You are more likely to advance if you like your work.
Find Your Passion
The key question: What do you passionately love? The answer must come from inside of you. It can't come from anybody else. When you answer this question, use the answer to select your major.
If you love science, math, kids, and teaching, then major in math or science education. If you love working with numbers and money, accounting may be the right choice. If you love hiking, camping, and spending time outside, try outdoor recreation. If you love going out at night to look up at the sky, astronomy or physics might be the right choice.
If you have many interests or are not sure what you love the most, select a major that gives you the most options. Vocationally oriented majors train college students for a specific job. For a college student who wants to spend a career at that specific job, such a major is the right one. If you are less certain, choose a broader more fundamental major.
For example an electrical engineering major can lead to good job offers in electrical engineering but not much else. Engineering is however applied physics. A physics major has the fundamental knowledge to go into electrical engineering, any other area of engineering, or a large number of other directions.
If you are certain, select a specific field like electrical engineering. If less certain, select a broad fundamental field that offers many options, like physics.
If you still can't decide, consider a double major or a major and a minor.
If you major in something that you passionately love, you may make less money, but you are more likely to rise to the top of whatever profession you choose. You will also have more life satisfaction.
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