It’s true: choosing a major can be a confusing process, especially if you have no idea what you want to do for the rest of your life. The good news is you don’t need to know what you want to do for the rest of your life in order to choose a major. That’s one of the most common misconceptions about choosing a major, according to Michael J. Leonard of Penn State University. Leonard, who works in the Division of Undergraduate Studies, recently wrote an article entitled, “Some Common Myths about Choosing a Major,” that aims to “bust” the myths that plague undergrads when they are trying to decide their major.
According to Leonard, there are five myths that are the worst offenders that may cause a student to waste valuable time, money and effort. In order to maximize your education dollars and to ensure that the time you spend in class isn’t wasted, this is what Leonard advises:
1. Don’t waste your time taking classes in a major trying to find out if you like it. It may not give you a real feeling for the work, and you may not even be able to enroll in some major classes until you’ve actually declared. Instead of “choosing a major by elimination,” advises Leonard, take the time to read the class syllabus, attend a few classes as an observer, and go to the bookstore to browse some of the textbooks. You’ll spend a lot less time than wasting an entire semester in a class you might not even like.
2. Don’t assume that you can get your Gen Ed classes out of the way before you choose a major. The problem with trying to get your Gen Ed classes finished before you choose a major, warns, Leonard, is that many Gen Ed classes won’t apply to all majors. Each major has a specific Gen Ed schedule, and the best course track that students can follow is what their academic advisor provides.
3. Far too many students think that they are going to actually practice what they study when they graduate. It’s just not true, advises Leonard, because although a person’s career and major may be related, “choosing one doesn’t automatically mean you’ve chosen the other.” For example, not all medical students take pre-med classes before medical school. Leonard says that people who receive BA degrees in subjects as diverse as “theater, anthropology, and history may all be able to find jobs in business, human resources, teaching, the military, and a variety of other occupations.”
4. Just because you choose one major doesn’t mean you have to give up studies in other areas that interest you. There are many ways to incorporate several areas of study in one degree. A student could decide to create a double major, or create a minor studies certificate. Still other programs are specifically designed to cover a broad area of interests, like the Letters, Arts, and Sciences Degree that Penn State offers. Also, it’s important to remember that people who go on to get masters or other graduate degrees don’t always get graduate degrees in the same subject, nor is it required.
5. Finally, Leonard wants students to remember that the major they choose in college isn’t going to lock them into a single career track for the rest of their life. Instead, says Leonard, most undergraduate degrees continue to emphasize “the development of general, transferable skills,” like writing, critical thinking, and problem solving. That’s because many jobs will continue to evolve and change as time goes by (some will even become obsolete), and besides, most people won’t even be working in fields that are “directly related to their undergraduate majors” according to Leonard.
By simply following a few common sense pieces of advice, students can easily eliminate wasted effort and time when choosing a major. Perhaps one of the best things they should remember is to study the things that interest them and which ignites their passion. It will make college a much more interesting experience, and their grades will probably be better for it, too.
August 30, 2010
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August 31, 2010
I had a hard time myself trying to decide on a major. I found that by my 3rd year, everything came togehter.
September 1, 2010
I agree with the article. I majored in Digital Arts and find that my concentration of 3D Animation is not really what I want to pursue at this point. I have friends who are in Film programs and have had much more fun and success acting as an extra or working as a Production Assistant. Also, I took a Graphic Design class which was not part of my required courses, and have found myself enjoying that too. I’d like to see statistics about how many graduates have jobs unrelated to their major.
September 1, 2010
You mentioned a very important word, and that is passion. Students must have a passion for the area of study in order to truly enjoy a fulfilling future career.
September 2, 2010
3 and 4 are pretty much the same, but I feel like they are the most important.
September 5, 2010
#3 can be a curse, always keep your options open
November 28, 2010
I am about to enter college and have no idea what I want to major in. At what point in my degree process do I need to make a final decision?
November 28, 2010
No doubt, the hardest part of earning your degree is deciding on a major. I know way too many people who have a degree in something they will never use. They just finished it because they were already so far into it. Not rushing into something is the best thing you can do.
December 6, 2010
Choosing a major is sometimes difficult. Especially if you really don’t have a passion for a particular career. What do you do in that case?
December 6, 2010
I have changed my major three times. People say I will just go to college forever. How do I know what is best for me?
December 11, 2010
Number four is the most important I feel. Just because you have picked a major doesn’t mean you have to give up interest in every other subject available to you. You can keep those interests alive by picking it up as a minor or even double major! Never give up on your passions and you will turn out alright.
December 12, 2010
This is excellent advice. I never thought about observing a class. My friend is having a really tough time picking his major and I’m going to send this to him. Thanks
December 12, 2010
OMG – So glad I found this tonight! I am losing sleep trying to figure out my major. I have it down to two but I’m still stuck. I am definitely going to see about going to a couple of classes to see if I like them. Maybe this will be exactly what I need to decide – Awesome!
December 13, 2010
So, how do you suggest one determines what to major in if they have not found their passion yet, but want to get a degree?
December 13, 2010
I started out taking classes that were leading me toward becoming a teacher, but now I have decided that I want to go into accounting. How do I find out if all of the classes I have taken so far will work for accounting?
December 13, 2010
Sometimes people I know did not decide what they wanted to do until after they graduated and found a job. Then the job they found dictated the direection they were going in.
January 15, 2011
I usually observe classes before I take them. Can you observe or look at a class that you are taking online?
March 15, 2011
Hey Chelsea. Education Connection has a great “online experience” page to show you what it is like to take online courses.
June 22, 2011
Hey Leah. In order to find out if the classes you already took qualify for an accounting degree you’ll need to speak with an advisor at the institution you currently attend. They can help you along with the process of switching majors. Good luck!
June 22, 2011
Hey Lisa. I’d recommend looking at our back to school section where you can discover more about finding your true calling. Good luck!
June 23, 2011
Hi Rusty. If you are still unsure about what major to pursue maybe you should try taking a personality test to see what interests you. Also, try speaking with an advisor about what you’re interested in for the future, they could be very helpful as well. Good luck!
June 23, 2011
Hi Hugh. Picking a major is definitely a tough decision. I’d suggest taking a few personality tests to figure out your interests and researching careers in those areas of interest. Also, once you have a small list down maybe speak to an advisor about degree programs and the best major for a successful future. Good luck!
June 23, 2011
Hello Dale. This tends to depend on what field you are entering, however, the majority of your first few courses will be general courses such as English composition and so forth. Speak with an advisor about figuring out your major and about the types of courses you should be enrolling in at the beginning of your college career.