Tips to choosing your college major
Choosing a college major can be tough (Ashley Reyes)
One of the most important decisions you will make in your college career is choosing your college major. Figuring out what you want to do for the rest of your life can be overwhelming. Saddleback College has many tools to help you make your decision.
Follow this guide to choose your college major:
1) Pick a major you love, instead of going after a high salary. There are well paid people in every field and you should not pass up the opportunity to love your job. Whatever you do, do it well and full hearted!
2) Evaluate your interests, to do this you have to ask yourself the question, what do you want to achieve? Taking personality tests can help, if you are an extrovert, a communications or business major might be for you. If you believe you are an innovator, an engineering major might be for you.
“I didn’t really choose it based on my interests, I just choose it because you can get a job with it,” Emily Hanson, communications major, said.
3) Make sure to browse all possible majors, there are hundreds of majors available out there. Finding the perfect one might take more research than expected.
“The ‘biggest mistake’ students make…is failing to research what’s required of the major, and the profession,” Fritz Grupe, creator of MyMajors.com, said.
4) Look into taking an applied psychology class, there are many different forms of this class, including academic planning, career and vocational exploration.
5) Make an appointment with a transfer counselor. They are happy to help with letting you know which universities offer which majors, which can also be a factor in your decision.
“I needed to pick a major, my time was running out, so I chose something that applies to everything, ” Shannon O’Neill, communications major, said.
6) Get active! Joining clubs and volunteering can help with getting to know what type of work you would like to do in your career. There are many different clubs offered at Saddleback College and the best part is they are free to join!
7) Consult your family and friends for advice, sometimes they can recognize your strengths better than you.
Still don’t know what to do?! Don’t worry it can take awhile to make such a big decision. Make a list of your strengths and possible career choices, the rest will fall into place.