How to Choose Your College Major 2022 – Best Majors to Choose from

A college major is a course of study that you choose to study in a degree program. It is the area of study which you choose to focus on in your discipline.

The major determines the path you will take through your academic career and the direction of your studies.

A college major will impact your future aspirations and life outside of school and ultimately determine whether or not you manage to get a good job after graduation.

Check also: 7 Signs that you are not ready for College

Here is a complete guide to help you make the right choice.

Most Popular Majors

The academic world is vast. There are many excellent majors to choose from. The most popular majors include;

  • Business Administration
  • Nursing
  • Computer Science
  • Engineering
  • Medicine
  • Law
  • Education.

You can also choose to study outside of these majors. Most colleges and universities offer a wide variety of majors to choose from.

Check also: 9 signs that you are ready for College Education

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How to Choose College Major

Before you choose a major, it is important to consider some important factors which include your interest and your future. Below are important steps to choosing a profitable College major.

1. Choose Based on Interests

It’s essential to choose a major you are passionate about and one that aligns with your interests and career goals.

There are many ways to find out what you like, such as reading books, magazines, and newspapers, watching movies and TV shows, or even talking with friends.

When you have a clear idea of what you want to study, you will be more confident in your choice. Your talents and personality are important factors when choosing a major.

If you are interested in performing arts, you will want to choose a major related to that field, such as Music, Theatre Arts or Dance. If you are more interested in business, you will likely want to study Marketing or Finance.

It’s important to know what makes you happy. Knowing what makes you tick will help determine if the major is right for you.

Check also: 9 Signs that the College you apply to will accept you

2. Consider Job Opportunities

When choosing a college major, you need to consider what kind of job you would like to have after graduating.

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Jobs can be found through word of mouth or online job postings from companies that hire graduates from your major.

It’s essential to consider the long-term career prospects. Some majors will allow you to become an expert in your field of study and may lead to a well-paying job after graduation.

Other majors will give you a solid foundation for further education, and some may lead to an exciting career you can use as a platform for future development.

The right major can lead to a satisfying career, or it may be the launching pad for something new.

Think about what you would like to do with your degree, and then choose a major that will help you achieve your goals. The right college major will give you the tools you need to succeed in a career.

Check also: 4 early signs that you have been accepted by the College you apply to

3. Consider Potential Salaries

Find out what graduates of your major are earning. You can use college salary data from the U.S. Department of Labor to get an idea of what graduates with your major earn after graduation.

This will give you an idea of the potential salary range for your major and how much more you can earn depending on your major.

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If you want to earn more, you may consider a significant offering of more career prospects. Some majors are more likely to lead to a high-paying job, while others may lead to a lower-paying job.

4. Consider your Future/Career Path

While looking at interest, job opportunities and salary as the core factors for choosing a major, it is also important to consider your career path.

By saying this, I mean, you should consider your future. By this, you should consider if you will consider switching your career in the future, if you will love to further your education, if you will choose to travel and work in another country.

For example, if you will consider switching your career path in the future, then you must choose a major that will enable you switch your career without invalidating your already earned degree(s).

Also, if you are choosing a major for your undergraduate studies and will love to further to postgraduate then you must choose a major that will qualify you to gain admission into the postgraduate program.

The finally, if you have a dream of traveling to, and working in another country with your degree, then you must choose a major that is globally valued and marketable. With that, you will easily get a job in any country with your degree.

5. Think Skill

Another important thing to consider when choosing a College major should be; choosing a major that will help you gain the necessary skills and abilities employers are looking for.

Generally, engineering, business and medical related majors expose students to more practical skills than majors in other fields.

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Secondly, employers prefer graduates with practical skills and abilities to those with mere certificates. So go for a major that will help you gain the necessary skills and abilities employers are looking for.

How Choosing a Major Can Impact College Choice

The major can help students make decisions about the best schools, the best curriculum, and the best professors. A Major is a critical factor for students when choosing a college and higher education.

Knowing what you want to study will help determine if you have selected the right college. If you know what you want to study, then it will be easier to choose your school.

If you don’t know what you want to study, it may be hard to find colleges that offer programs that suit your interests and abilities.

Employers want graduates that have accumulated knowledge and skills from their major.

The most important thing is choosing a major that will help you gain the necessary skills and abilities employers are looking for.

Can you change your major?

Yes! You can change your major but this might affect you negatively.

Changing a major when you have completed your program or when you have been in the college already may cost you a lot, both time and finance because you will likely have to start over.

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For example, if you have completed classes related to one major and later make up your mind to switch major, you may likely have to start over classes for the new major, except of related.

With that, you may have to stay longer in school in order to complete your new major classes and to meet your new major’s credit requirements and that will cost you time and money.

Nevertheless, it is never a bad idea to change major if you are no more passionate about the one you choose earlier. Statistically,  about 3 in 5 graduates always wish they could go back and change their majors. So it’s better you do it now and save the future.

Conclusion:

There are so many choices when choosing a career direction that it can be hard to know where to begin.

Before diving in and spending hours looking at colleges and departments, make sure you understand what you’re getting yourself into.

 

Author: Written by Taylor Thompson, a Digital PR Specialist representing Simpson University

Contributor: Jude Idris, a Publisher on Jilearners

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