Whether you’re simply a freshman or approaching the deadline requiring you to declare a major, there’s no need to have a major meltdown. If you’re undeclared. Tons of college students come into college not knowing what they want to major in and even more end up changing their minds once they’re on campus. Here are a couple quick tips to help you decide what major could be right for you.
First, if you have a dream job, find a major that will prepare you for it. Whether that’s being a brain surgeon or the next top CEO, certain majors have special programs that prepare you for graduate or professional schools or networking opportunities. If you know where you can see yourself in ten years, pick a major that will help get you there.
For a lot of us though, we don’t know what major we want, let alone what exactly we want to be doing. Lucky for us, those GenEds we all dread can actually be really helpful! Maybe you’ll find a newfound passion for literature or realize that you’re really into physics. If you find yourself really interested in a subject, don’t doubt it as a major. I mean, if you’re going to be studying for four years (maybe more – shout out to my super-seniors!), you might as well like it! Also, talk to the professors. They could give you insight into what upper level classes in these subject areas look like. They may even let you sit it on one of those lectures.
Finally, most schools have some sort of guidance center to offer students. At JMU, check out Career and Academic Planning. They can help you from deciding on a major, to resumes, to even interviewing help. Sometimes all we need is a second opinion or some reassurance to land us our dream major!