For someone starting college, choosing the right major might seem a daunting task. Many students sail through the dilemma with wit and patience, while some drown in anxiousness and uncertainty. It is challenging for everyone and quite a competitive task where you have to choose the right thing at the right time because a wrong step can dwell you into pits.
However, choosing the right major is a time taking process as it is the deciding point that how your future will be, therefore, being careful is important. So, for your help, we bring you seven magical tips that will help you narrow down some options and decide on a major.
Busting the ‘Major’ Myths
There’s always too much tittle-tattle around when it comes to choosing a college major. It eventually makes landing on the decision more and more complex. Here’s what you must know, you must know:
“Your major will be the trajectory of your life.”
Opting for a major will give a direction to your career. However, it will be wrong to claim that the major in its entirety is your career. College degrees are designed to prepare a student for a few subject-specified skills and more basic soft skills. Whatever program you choose to pursue, all of them will provide you with basic industry skills like communication, leadership, research, time management, and teamwork.
“Hasten to choose the major, or you will lose the seat.”
While we understand that the limited batch capacity in colleges makes you worried about your future, there’s always a way out. It is recommended that you value your time and discover your interests. Moreover, a lot of programs have been in the place where you are given a few demo classes before you finally enroll.
7 Tips For Choosing the Your Career Path
Without much ado, let’s have some tips to help you find the right path.
1. Identify your Interest
Ask yourself: “What do I enjoy the most?”
Your interests are a prime factor in determining the route to your career. The increasing competitive spirit in youngsters has propelled them to monetize their interests, and we believe it’s one wise decision. Besides, your values, abilities, and passion also play a key role in discerning the areas of study that you want to pursue. So, if you are enjoying it, chances are that you are ready to tick the first checkbox of choosing the major.
In practice: Write down five subject areas that interest you the most, and under each one, mention the adjective that corresponds to the field. Count the number of synonymous and repeated adjectives, and see what it tells about your peak interests.
2. Assess Your Sweet Spot
Ask Yourself: “What are/aren’t my strengths?”
This is a highly crucial point as you must remember that you may not enjoy everything you are good at. That’s where you need to assess your ‘Sweet Spot.’ A concoction of your interests, strength, and expertise, Sweet Spot can be a real saver when it comes to deciding on your career. Moreover, when you choose a major based on your sweet spot, you will likely excel in it and continue to pursue it for your career.
In practice: Jot down all the academic excellency you have achieved in school. For example, if you have been good at numbers, narrow down the choices by choosing majors like mathematics, engineering, accounting, statistics, etc. Moreover, another way would be to write areas that you are NOT good at, and this way, you will be able to eliminate maximum areas of study.
3. Think of Your Goals
Ask Yourself: “Where do I see myself in 10 years?” or “What’s my end goal with a degree?”
An important driver of growth, goals can be categorized into short-term and long-term. The former are the goals that you seek to pursue in the near future, while the latter are the aspirations for the later future. Narrow the major choices that align with your personal vision, mission, and values for now, the rest will fall in place with time.
In practice: Honestly, there’s no hard and fast rule to certainly know your future goals. As college is just a starting point in your career, you will have so much room to discover about yourself. However, it’s good to give it a thought and ponder what one or other things you passionately want to work around, and finally match them with relevant major options.
4. Consider your Degree Span
Ask Yourself: “How long would I want to stay in college?”
The duration of a degree can help you decide a good fit for your career. Professional fields like medicine and law require you to stay in college for 4-5 years, plus additional years of internships and certifications. On the other hand, some degrees may let you get on your feet in three years or so, with promising job prospects and growth.
In practice: Sit down for a while and assess what you want to choose: A quick job degree or an in-depth specialization. Will you jump for a job right after graduation or looking to master a field with research? These questions may help you check another tick-box for choosing the right major.
5. Determining the Payscale
Ask Yourself: “How much do I want to get paid?”
Firstly, there’s nothing to shy about while assessing your monetary needs. A good salary drives an individual to work and improve the quality of life. Secondly, this doesn’t imply that you must pick the highest-paying major, giving zero importance to other factors in play. The best strategy would be to weigh the options based on the growth of salary over the years of employment.
In practice: Have your research and prepare a list of majors with their minimum and maximum industry wages. Next, check whether the options you have narrowed are in demand or not. Most likely, the jobs in demand pay you a handsome amount and allow for immense growth at the same time.
6. Decide a University
Ask Yourself: “Which University have I dreamt of studying in?”
Another important factor while choosing a major enrolling in a good university may open many doors of opportunity for you. However, you must understand that there’s not a single university offering excellency in all courses. Some have good business schools, while others rank top in medicine specialization. It all boils down to what field you see your future in.
In practice: Keep a note of universities on your radar and arrange them in the order of their national ranking. Moreover, you can connect with existing students and pre-students in your prospective major to get a better picture.
7. Evaluate Yourself
Ask Yourself: “What am I expecting out of the shortlisted major?”
Evaluating yourself is a crucial step in choosing the perfect major. It is more of giving the time you need to know and assess where you stand. On top of that, it allows you to prioritize yourself without having to judge your personality based on what other people think.
In practice: There are various self-assessment and aptitude tests available online that may give you a better understanding of your personality and make it easy to decide on a major. However, the catch lies in being truthful while you perform these tests otherwise it will defeat the purpose.
Conclusion
Choosing a major is not difficult as long as you receive the right guidance and work with patience. If you are still unclear about choosing a major for yourself, you may consult a career counselor. Furthermore, you can take help from peers, teachers, and family members that you trust.
FAQs
1. What are the most useful Majors to pursue?
However, there are various types of majors present in which students can pursue nowadays, but some of the useful ones are:
- Computer Science
- Software engineering
- Pharmaceutical sciences
- Economics
- Political Science
- Business Administration
- General Engineering
- Meteorology
2. What are the keys to choosing the right career?
Choosing the right career is a tough job but finding something related to your skills and preference is good because it helps you to excel in life. If you are in doubt do communicate with others and build the confidence to choose on your own. You must do the following things in order to choose the right career:
- Do self-assessment
- Prioritize events and evaluate their results
- Choose your research options
- Try various options
- Take proper actions
3. What are the things that you should keep in mind while choosing a career?
The things that you should keep in mind while choosing a career are:
- Skills and qualification
- Your interest and passions
- Lifestyle and Preference
- Future Prospects
