What should I study in College?

Choosing the right major is a very important decision in your life and yet a very difficult task. You might know some people that have always known their passion and have a clear idea of what degree to study. However, the truth is that the majority of students are usually unsure of what career to pursue and which is the best career path for them. It is very common to be hesitant and if you are currently in this position, do not stress out about it.

There are many ways that will help you figure it out by taking some time to explore the different options and alternatives that will best fit your profile. Here are some tips that will help you choose the right major and recognize your career path:

 

1. Know yourself first

Firstly, before you start learning about the different possibilities, you should try to learn more about yourself. Take a paper and a pencil and start writing a list. Write down what are you good at, what do you enjoy doing and some of your skills and qualities. Also, try to think about subjects that you don’t like and have no interest on studying in the future, so you can start crossing some careers off the list. This is a great exercise and the most important step of the process because you will be building on these personal characteristics during the next tips.

 

 

2. Find your passion

After analyzing yourself, think about any areas that you have excelled at school or while doing other activities. Having that in mind, do you know what your dream job look like? As an example, if you love helping out people, you should use that as a guidance for majors that could make that possible. In that case, maybe you could work on Human Resources and help training, developing and build great employee relations and worker retention! Think about how certain majors would fit into your life and future.

 

3. Ask for advice to the people around you

Finding your passion can be hard, so you should also seek for advice from your family members and friends that know you well. People that spent time with you can help out by seeing some of your qualities that you might not be able to realize by yourself. Asking for an outside opinion and weighting in other perspectives can be very helpful. On the other hand, even though you will receive some valuable advice, do not forget to always be truth to yourself. In addition, you can also find several online career tests that can be used as a guideline as well.

 

4. Research, research & more research

In order to make the right choice, do not be afraid to invest a lot of time in researching and educating yourself about the different degrees offered by universities. Be proactive and find out what the best options are depending on your interests. Research online, visit universities and schedule appointments with academic advisors to learn more and get some great advice from experienced professionals! Take into account any possible variables that are important for you such as cost of tuition, scholarship offers, location or maybe the possibility of studying abroad. You can also check out one of our previous blogs that presented the TOP majors in college.

 

 

5. Narrow your undergraduate programs list

Once you’ve done some research, you can start narrowing down your options. Consider your subjects of interest, your passion and other variables in order to select the undergraduate programs that have the best fit for you.  What do you see yourself doing in a few years? Where do you imagine yourself working? Determine what are your career goals and which university programs align best with that. Furthermore, if you are interested in two different areas, you can search if they are compatible and you might be able to do a double major and get the best out of the college experience.

Some universities also give you some time to choose your undergraduate degree. For instance, studying in the United States provides you a great opportunity to explore different kind of classes because you can have up to two years to declare your major! Some students decide to take different subjects during the beginning of their college careers so they can make sure they are choosing the right degree.

 

6. Get closer to your selected field

Besides meeting with academic advisors and counselors, you can also meet up with some current students and professionals related to the specific field that you may potentially pick. Be prepared before you go to talk with them, so you ensure that all your doubts and questions are being resolved. Current students can talk from their own experience and let you know what to expect and what you will get out of the classes. In addition, professionals can describe how the future of that area can look like, what are the duties of the job, their career path and give you some advice as well.

Jobs keep evolving in a fast pace, so you should make sure to ask about their predictions of the future of the profession. Verify that the major that you want to choose will help you achieve your goals and desired jobs. Find out about where you could work with your majors and see if it is offered in your country or you would have to go work somewhere else. If that is the case, are you prepared to do so?

 

 

7. Get experience

Another way to take a closer look is to get some experience on the field that you are interested. That will be helpful in order to see in first person if that is something that you would enjoy doing on a daily basis. Can you see yourself working on that area in the future?  Try it and you will find out! Some easy ways to get experience is by volunteering at organizations, shadowing professionals or attempting to be part of an internship. With professional insight and your own experience, you will be able to decide if that is the major you want to choose or if you would like to explore some other alternatives.

 

8. Be patient, it takes time!

As you have probably realized by now, choosing the right major requires commitment and an investment of your time. On the other hand, it is something that you won’t ever regret because it will guide you through the right direction for your future. You will know yourself better, have a larger knowledge of all the majors that universities have to offer and be able to decide what is the right career path for you! Don’t give up if you are still unsure about which direction to choose. Sometimes, it takes time to figure it out and you just need to keep educating yourself and keep learning from the different opportunities.