Choosing a Major
With so many majors to pick from and often feeling like a make-or-break decision, choosing a college major often feels like a stressful decision. But with some knowledge and time to think, you can take some of that stress off your back. Read below to find out some quick tips on how to do so.
The Basics
Why It's Important
Understanding what your future may look like as you leave high school is pivotal to making sure you can set a plan for yourself. Additionally, many universities and colleges have popular majors that require you to declare a major on your application, as you would not be able to transfer into that major.
When to Decide
By the start of junior year, you should have a general idea of what you might want to do, not necessarily a major, but a field like science, humanities, or engineering. By the time college applications roll around, you should look at each college and decide which major will fit your interests and what the college or university has to offer. If you feel stuck, many schools allow applicants to apply undecided and declare a major during college.
What to Consider
Making sure your major fits your interests, skills, and abilities is important to ensure you enjoy what you study and potentially pursue later on in life. Despite what it might feel like, choosing a major doesn't lock you into one; a large number of college students switch majors at some point. On top of that, many people end up getting jobs completely different than what they majored in college, and an equally large number of people switch career fields later in life as well.
Lining it up With a College
Depending on which schools you apply to, you might apply for different majors at different schools. This will largely be based on what different schools specialize in and are the best at. For example, you might apply to motorsports engineering at Purdue University, but then apply to mechanical engineering at other schools. As a result, it's important to factor in what majors and programs some schools have that others don't when deciding on a major and which schools to apply to.
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STEM Majors
STEM Majors:
Science
Science majors are typically separated into two groups. Majors such as environmental science, biology, and chemistry typically require 4 years of undergraduate study to earn a degree, with the option to pursue further education in graduate school. On the other hand, becoming a physician/doctor requires 4 years of undergrad on the pre-med track, 4 years of med school, and 4 years of residency to become a fully licensed physician. While it's often a grueling experience, these professions pay off at the end, rewarding those dedicated to the work.
STEM Majors:
Computer Science
Computer science degrees have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, with double the number of graduates with a computer science degree compared to 10 years ago, and often being one of the most popular college majors. Combined with the fact that the degree has a large median salary, many schools have very competitive computer science departments that are difficult to get into. As a result, some schools require applicants to declare computer science as a major on their applications, voiding the opportunity to enter the major during college. All of this combined means getting into a top computer science school requires you to be the best of the best.
STEM Majors:
Engineering
Similar to computer science, engineering has also seen a large uptick in graduates in recent times. A key difference between engineering degrees and other STEM degrees is the large number of possible majors, ranging from civil to aerospace engineering. At many schools, the first two years will be key, as you to take a variety of engineering courses to see which specialization is the best fit for you.
STEM Majors:
Math
A wide-ranging field with many applications, majoring in math looks a lot like science majors like chemistry, physics, biology, etc. 4 years of undergrad with the option to go into grad school, and a wide range of potential professions like data science and finance.