by Dawn Suiter

Created on: May 12, 2008

Choosing a college major is certainly a daunting task-after all, the course of study that you choose will determine not just the next few years, but your course in life. Take it from someone who switched majors a few times, graduated, and is now back in school for an entirely different degree: it's better to decide early and go with your passion than it is to get a degree that you aren't happy with. There's a financial aspect to it too: think about it...you're probably spending $600+ for each class, plus textbooks. What happens if you get most of the way through your core classes, then realize that you don't like what you're doing and start over with a new major?

You probably have a wide range of interests. The first two years of college provide wonderful opportunities for exploration. Make a list of everything that you're interested in, and brainstorm the possible pros and cons of each potential field, as well as your personal priorities in life. Consider also the geographical region in which you want to live...my city, for instance, is very engineer-friendly, but the competition is fierce for non-engineering jobs. Once you've narrowed down your choices a bit, go through the undergraduate catalog and compare the general education requirements for each major. If you see overlaps between them, select classes that look interesting to you that will apply to any of your choices once you make a final decision. Some of the general ed classes will apply also to your potential major and will help you to narrow down your options.

One of my professors (one of those classes that served double duty as a general ed requirement and as a core class) gave me a piece of advice that resulted in my last (and final) change of majors: she told us that you will never be truly happy until you're in your niche. This does not apply only to the subject itself, but also to the people that you're working with. Then she recommended seeing the career counselor if we had any doubt about what we were doing ("best $5 you'll ever spend," she added). Check with your university's career services office...chances are, they'll offer either free or very inexpensive career counseling. I heeded her advice, went to the counselor, changed my major, and felt completely comfortable with myself for the first time in my life. Seriously...if you have any doubt in your mind about a certain field, see the counselor. You won't regret it.

A final piece of advice that I have is to search online for personality profile tests. The Jung-Myers-Briggs Typology test will help you to understand yourself. I tried it and it confirmed that I chose the best major. I wish that I had done it before I completed my last degree! Try a few different ones to make sure that they overlap correctly.

It's not an easy task to select a major, but you'll know when you've made the best decision for you. Use common sense, but follow your heart...after all, it's your future!

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