College Major Search: Deciding on a College Major

By: Eugena Anthony
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:26:26
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There are a lot of students that go to school and pick any old college major with the hopes of figuring out what they'll really want to do sometime before graduation. One drawback to this approach is that you could lose time and waste credits pursuing a major that you decide to change in the future.

The coursework that is necessary to complete a degree program can differ greatly from one major to another. You may start out taking some classes for one major that may not count towards another major, if you decide to make a switch at a later time. You might even decide during your college career that you want to change to a major that isn't even offered at the school you are attending and have to transfer to another college or university.

So how do you go about deciding on a college major? You should start by writing down a list of your interests. What do you enjoy doing? Were there any summer or part-time jobs that you really liked? Take a career assessment test so that you can match your interests to a career.

Thoroughly explore the careers that match your interests. Look at job descriptions that fall within the realm of your selected field of interest. Can you see yourself doing what is described in the job posting? Would you be happy doing the job 40 hours a week, every week? Take a look at the average salary associated with the career and decide if it's acceptable to you.

You should look at the majors that are associated with those careers. Many job postings will specify if you need an associate's degree, bachelor's degree, or higher. They may also list the desired degree fields for the job, for example business, engineering, or education.

Then you will want to consider the course work that goes along with your selected career. Browse through the course descriptions of the classes required for your major. Think about how well you would do in those courses. If the major requires several math courses and you tend to do poorly in math, then you might want to reconsider that particular major. A lot of employers look at the Grade Point Average (GPA) of recent graduates when considering them as candidates for employment. It will not look good if the GPA associated with your area of concentration is low.

The purpose of attending college is to prepare yourself for your career. So doesn't it just make sense to spend the time to find the college major that best suits your needs? Take your time to fully research your college major choices. The process can give you more clarity on your career path. It may also help save you the time and money that you could end up spending taking courses in a major that does not fit you.

Eugena Anthony created College Search Engines and More to help prospective college students with the college search process. Visit http://www.college-search-engines-and-more.com for advice on selecting a major, financing your education, and several other criteria that can help you make an informed college choice.

Article source: Expert Articles

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