Choosing a major

“So, what’s your major?”

No question evokes quite as much dread for the undeclared student as this one. I know this to be true not only as a Coach who has worked extensively with students, but because I was one my freshman year. And more than anything, I wish someone had told me what I am about to tell you: “It’s OK to be undeclared!” In fact, I think that it might even be preferable to enter college undeclared!

Why do I say that? A few myths debunked…
Being undeclared does not mean that you are a slacker – It means that you are open and flexible to discovering/uncovering various interests and passions.

Being undeclared does not mean that you are going to waste time – It may mean that you are going to save time by not changing your major halfway through, thereby losing classes/units that don’t count towards your new major.

Being undeclared does not mean that you are missing out on networking opportunities – It means that you are building relationships with professors from different departments and being exposed to multiple internship/job possibilities that are not exclusive to one major.

Whether you have already chosen a major, or haven’t yet declared one, here’s some things you may want to do to help you make sure you’re choosing one that’s right for you:

1. Go through a list of the Majors/Minors offered at your university. It may sound simplistic, but just start by crossing off majors that are not even remotely interesting to you, and then circle the ones that you want more info on, and lastly, star the ones that stand out as real possibilities.

2. Consider what opportunities you have for learning more about the major or majors you may be interested in: Are there internships you can explore? Are there clubs on campus? Are there classes you may want to take? Can you find people in the field you are interested in to speak with about their jobs?

3. Spend some time thinking through the pros and cons of different majors / careers from the perspective of life after college:

• How excited would you be to spend your entire day in a job that focuses in that field?
• What are the job market and salary levels like for the different careers you are considering?
• What further degrees would you consider getting, or need to get to be successful in that field?
• What flexibility would you have to live where you want based on the types of jobs that are available?

Your campus Career Center most likely has lots of resources to answer these questions. Most campuses also have “Undeclared Major” workshops/events that allow you to explore possibilities and get questions answered regarding career paths for certain majors.

4. Talk to your Coach. Tell him or her about thoughts you have had in the past about major choices, your expectations and/or concerns about certain majors, or even what other people have thought you should go into and why you thought that was a good or bad idea. Your Coach can really ask you those questions that will get you thinking about major options in a whole new way!