Article by: Laura J. Miller
Article provided by
Next Step Magazine
Q: I have no idea what I want to do for a major. Is that normal? (I'm in 11th grade.)
What can I do to help me decide?
A: Do you know what the most popular freshman college major is? Undecided! So if
you are a high school junior and have no clue what you'll major in, it's perfectly
normal!
Most colleges will have you declare your major during the second semester of your
sophomore year. It's always a good idea to begin thinking about the different majors
that are out there, but don't put pressure on yourself to choose a college major
now.
Some students know exactly what they want to study, but the vast majority of students
are open to different academic majors and future career paths.
That's where a liberal arts education can come in handy. While in college, you can
sample different courses to get an idea of what you like and what you don't.
A great resource to get you started is The College Board's Book of Majors,
which lists 900 majors at more than 3,600 colleges nationwide.
Start with a mental inventory of what interests you in and outside of school. What
are your favorite classes? What kinds of hobbies or activities do you enjoy?
One former student who was a whiz at Nintendo decided on a college major of video
game design; another student who enjoyed her waitressing job majored in hospitality
management with dreams of operating her own chic restaurant one day. Think outside
of the box!
And while you're thinking about that future major, keep in mind that you still have
plenty of time to formally declare a major. Keeping your educational options open
is half the fun!