Students that head off the college are faced with a number of challenges. One particular challenge is picking a major, which may set them on a particular vocational path. Of course, students are subtly pressured from an early age to think about their careers. Even when they are very young, students are asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Unfortunately, students and parents can forget that college is more than just a job-training program. Rather, college is about maturing and developing the mind in order to prepare for many different aspects of life. College isn’t just about the first job. Still, a major needs to be picked at some point. How should students make their selection?
What are you interested in?
Interests are a good place to start. Some students already have a pretty good idea about their career when they are in high school. College may simply be an opportunity to train for something they have always dreamed of doing. Of course, some students aren’t really sure about what interests them. These students should not be discouraged. College is a time of exploration and discovery. It is a time to look around and experiment with different academic subjects. Every student has a different moment when they discover their vocational direction. Some students will need to be patient before picking a major.
What are you good at?
Talents and gifts may be a little harder to assess, particularly in the high school years. There is also the danger that students may underestimate or overestimate their ability. Picking a major may be less about skill set when students are first starting out. Again, college is an opportunity for students to understand not only subject matter, but also themselves. The student is potentially going to change so much during college that there may need to be an ongoing reassessment of what they are really good at in terms of vocational skills.
Money issues
Obviously there are many students and parents that want to pick a career that will lead to financial success. There is nothing particularly wrong with this but students have to be careful that they do not chase a career simply because it is lucrative. A high-paying job may temporarily provide means to live a positive lifestyle, but an unsatisfying job may lead to a career change. As noted by this video, people want to work at a job where they feel a sense of purpose. Money alone cannot provide that kind of purpose. Therefore, students should be careful about chasing the latest list of “hot” careers.
Exploration
For some people, picking a major may be greatly enhanced by connecting with professionals and getting exposed to particular jobs. This is why students should think about shadowing professionals or looking for internships. These types of opportunities can give people a more realistic view on what jobs are really like. Too often, students may have a romanticized perspective on a particular job or career. Watching someone do that job may give students a more accurate perspective.
Potential for change
The reality of today’s college students is that they do not necessarily stick with one vocation, though data is sketchy about how often people might change careers. Throughout a person’s career, they may have multiple types of jobs, depending on the interests of the individual and the conditions of the job market. Therefore, picking a major is important. However, students and parents should not become stressed when they do not pick the perfect major. Rather, the goal is to get through college and develop skills and abilities that will apply to a variety of fields. Jobs may change, but professionals will always succeed if they can write, read, think critically and problem-solve.
The author teaches at the college level and prior to entering the classroom he spent many years in higher education administration. On occasion he also enjoys the pure entertainment of substitute teaching at the high school and middle school levels.
Follow: @tpheifer
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