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How to Pick a Major

Rachel listens to a teenager talk about her major and career options
Counseling and deciding on the college major builds confidence and sets your child on the right path

Choosing the Right College Major

Deciding on the right college major can be overwhelming; many students are unprepared to decide on their career, but it’s crucial to make this determination early. Undecided students may take unnecessary classes and switch majors multiple times, which can delay graduation and increase costs.

Selecting the right major early on can save time and money. Starting with a clear focus helps students gain confidence and take charge of their lives.

How can we figure out the Right College Major?

Assessments like the Strong Interest Inventory can help identify your child’s strengths and interests. These tools, often administered by certified professionals, provide valuable insights into potential career paths. After facilitating these assessments, families can discuss the results and narrow their choices. Understanding what your child truly enjoys and excels at is key. Match potential majors with careers that align with these interests. Websites like O*NET can help your child explore their career options and learn what each job entails.

FAQs

How important is it to select the right major?

Very important. The right major sets the foundation for college success and future career satisfaction. While it’s common for students to change majors, knowing your major early can prevent wasted time and money. It also helps avoid the costs of extra semesters and courses.

Should We Know the College Major Before Starting College?

Having a major in mind before starting college is a good idea. On average, students change their major three times, which can waste time and money. Each extra semester or summer course adds to tuition costs and scholarships and financial aid often run out after four years. Deciding early can help your child stay on track and avoid these extra expenses.

A college student stands below a blackboard covered in question marks.
Starting college thrusts each student into a whirlwind of choice. Major and career counseling removes the guesswork and sets students up for a clear path toward happiness and success.

Do we need counseling to figure out the major?

Working with a certified career counselor can be very beneficial. They can help unpack options through assessments and conversations to reveal your child’s interests and goals. Use concrete assessments like the Strong Interest Inventory, which identifies and matches interests with potential careers and majors. The Strong Interest Inventory is a reliable tool that provides insights into various interest areas such as Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Using this data, you can explore career options that align with these interests.

Remember, Choosing a major is a big decision, but with the right tools and guidance, you can help your child find a path that leads to personal and professional fulfillment.

How do we decide on the right college major?

First, talk to your child about their academic passions and find out what activities they most enjoy. This will help them begin to identify their passions.  Unfortunately, this leads students to waste valuable time and money pursuing the wrong pathways. Even then, over half of US graduates state that they would choose a different major if they had it to do over again. 

Do some college majors make it easier to get accepted?

Some schools look to accept students to fill less popular departments. A strategic approach to

Rachel reviews the results of a student's college major.
Deciding the correct major involves both art and science. Assessments and interpretations lead to a short list of 2-3 right-fit options.

one’s choice of major can help students get accepted to more competitive schools.  I remind students that they can petition to get accepted to their right-fit major once they begin college.  The first step is to land the acceptance.

College major assessment and discovery service

We start with The Strong Interest Inventory for High School Students as early as possible to pinpoint each student’s strengths and interests. 

This inventory is based on the Holland Codes, the most accurate assessment on the market. When Rachel interprets the assessment, the resulting report is reflected by scores in the six General Occupational Themes (GOTs) or interest areas, including Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional

Armed with these results, we can use sites like O’net to help your child understand what each occupation includes, down to the expected income. 

Together, we narrow the choices down to a short list of three majors and three matching careers. 

A inspirational picture of a young man jumping from one cliff to another
Many parents experience stress and concern about their child’s transition to the job market. We all want our kids to land well. This is a great time to enlist a partner to guide your child.

Selecting a College Major

Identifying the broad themes that best match your child’s strengths and interests is key. We help you narrow down and refine these themes to find the perfect major and career path. Whether your child is an Organizer, Persuader, Thinker, Doer, or Creator, we pinpoint the right mix to ensure their pathway to success.

How hard is it to switch college majors?

Schools want their students to be happy to retain them and avoid attrition and drop-out rates. Schools will usually

Smiling woman and teenage boy discuss options
We all know how difficult it can be to have useful conversation with our kids about their future. Delegating this job to a professional can make a positive impact on your child

allow students to switch majors if their grades are good. To set themselves up to switch majors, students must take classes in their department of choice and hobnob with these professors. Then, there’s a formal process to “petition” and get officially accepted to the department.

Should we know the college major before starting college?

Unfortunately, confusion about one’s choice of major wastes time and money. On top of falling behind other entry-level twenty-somethings in the marketplace, switching majors can cost families more in tuition. Each extra semester and summer course costs money. Finally, scholarships and financial aid usually dry up after four years. Don’t put off this decision.

Do we need a career counselor to figure out the college major?

You’ll want to work with a certified Career Counselor who can facilitate assessments, interpret the data, and hold discovery conversations. It’s smart to start by unpacking one’s options through assessments and conversations that reveal each child’s best pathway to happiness and success. 

In most cases, students can only guess what major and career are their best fit. The first step is counseling on choosing a college major and career, which clarifies what can otherwise be a murky and confusing choice. Nobody wants their child to end up in the wrong college or career. These mistakes can derail life’s trajectory, leading to false starts and years of turmoil. 

We all know that teenagers change a lot. Yet, understanding the deeper themes at play is a great place to start. Together, we outline the best areas of study and career fields that match each other. We also look at the long-range view and drill down to the activities associated with these majors and careers. We aim to locate the best pathway to the most satisfying work environments and roles. Finally, we vet our most obvious choices down to salary and whether that salary will allow a student to afford to live in their local area.

Just like in most things, information is power. Focus early, use the right tools, and ensure your child is on the path to college and career success. Don’t let indecision derail their journey. Act now!

 

 

How do we figure out the right college major?

Choosing a college major is about finding a career that will make your teenager happy and successful. Start by exploring different career options and matching them to potential majors. The Strong Interest Inventory for High School Students is the perfect tool. I help students interpret their results to guide them toward their best-fit major and long-term satisfaction.

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