The pressure is real when it comes to choosing a college major. Sometimes, students are encouraged to pick a major before even graduating high school. Making such a crucial decision with limited real-world experience can be challenging and stressful. To make the right choice, more research must be done! Something to keep in mind: You can always change your major when enrolled, so if you find that your original plan didn’t go as well as you had hoped, you have options. Many graduates even land roles outside of graduation that have little or nothing to do with their college major during undergrad.
Here’s what you’ll need to know about college majors before committing to a specific program.
What is a Major?
A major in college is a specialized area of study outside of the general ed requirement courses. They are designed to provide pathways to career choices upon the completion of the degree that will propel success in whichever industry they have studied. Some students in their initial declaration of major choose “Undecided” and change their major later after self-discovery in the interest of certain classes.
How to Choose a College Major
If you have a variety of interests, skills, and passions, it can be tough to narrow down the options that best represent your dreams. Not to mention, some colleges have an insane number of programs to choose from, which can be overwhelming to say the least.
Find Your Sweet Spot
The National Center for Education Statistics reports that some of the most popular undergraduate degrees every year are those in business and healthcare. Others include liberal arts and humanities, engineering, education, and computer science. Encourage yourself to explore programs outside of these majors if your passions lead you to what you’re good at, because following your passion may be exactly what leads to success. Finding the sweet spot means you’re able to balance your strengths, interests, and skills to support your career path. Working with a student counselor, or career coach, or using an app like Encourage can help navigate all of this as you explore.
Get Out There
In addition to searching the internet for more information about careers, get hands-on and talk with people from your prospective industries, take internships, and shadow. When shadowing, be sure to take note of not only the titles and job tasks but of their overall happiness and job satisfaction. Don’t forget to think about your core values when observing your potential roles. When they are in sync with one another, you can experience a better journey for your mental health and overall satisfaction.
Ask Questions
Asking all the right questions will help you eliminate some options. Choosing a career is a personal decision, so considering things that support your personal, professional, and financial goals when asking questions is highly recommended. Ask about salaries, struggles, and perks of the job. You can visit websites like www.bls.gov or www.onetonline.org to gain knowledge as well. Grab some more information about the requirements and skills needed for the role and any advice they can offer about the journey to get there. Making an informed decision after evaluating different options and the factors described above can pave the way for satisfaction and success after college. But remember, you can always change your major later if you decide you would rather pursue another course of study.
Half the battle is starting, so pat yourself on the back if you’ve already taken the initial steps to make your dreams a reality.
What’s Popular in 2022?
Here are some of 2022’s most popular college majors that offer a lucrative career post-graduation.
Business: With so many careers that can happen with a business degree, this major has statistically been a student favorite for decades. A major in business prepares you for business communications, economics, and risk management with concentrations such as finance, accounting, management, and entrepreneurship.
Nursing: Nursing is a highly respected major, especially since COVID-19, where nurses impacted the care for the pandemic famously. The healthcare field is booming and offers a satisfying career with potential growth success. Nursing typically focuses on courses in biology, anatomy, and pathophysiology, and gaining experience through fieldwork and internships.
Hospitality: Someone must keep the good vibes going. Whether you’re at an event, staying at a hotel, or enjoying a meal with your family, there’s likely a hospitality manager right around the corner to make sure you’re living your best life while in their establishment. People in hospitality typically thrive under pressure because they manage in a collaborative setting, where delegation and problem-solving are daily routines. Those in hospitality must exude organization and critical thinking skills. Courses may include leadership studies, revenue management, risk management, and marketing.
Engineering: There is always a need for new infrastructure, electronics, computers, resources, buildings, and transportation. Engineers use problem-solving skills and technical knowledge to improve and build assets around the globe to contribute to accessible tools we use in our daily lives.
Education: We love our educators and counselors, no doubt. This can be done at any level: from elementary school through college and graduate school. Some students focus on child development and classroom management courses, then develop hands-on experience through student teaching. They often specialize in areas like special education or elementary education. If you’re thinking about teaching older students, there are some additional options available to you. You could train to teach specific subjects like history or science.
Computer Science: Computer science is one of the most in-demand, growing fields in the world. It has a focus on using technology to solve problems and create new solutions. The field is also highly paid and offers some of the highest salaries in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). It attracts individuals who want to work with others on a team or are interested in building an academic understanding through courses in cryptography and data mining.
Either way you go, strive for what is truly going to make you happy and provide a comfortable life for yourself. Aligning your core values, passions, and interests with skills is the key to winning with your chosen college major.
Learn something new? Head over to www.encourageme.com to download the app and match with colleges and majors that are perfect for you!