According to the United States Census Bureau, Missouri has a high school graduation rate of 90.6%. There are 67 colleges in Missouri, including 4-year, public or private institutions, to satisfy the 90.6% of students looking to enroll in their desired major. With so many colleges in the state offering more than 20 majors, alongside various concentrations, certificates, and minors, making a choice can be challenging for students.
A question that haunts most students at this point is, ‘what major should I go for?’ Choosing a major in college is a massive decision as it lays out a path for the rest of your career. It is the point where you decide what field you want to be a part of for the rest of your life. Therefore, aligning your major with your career goals is extremely important.
Experts recommend exploring the college experience, discovering your options, understanding your passion, and deciding on a major. However, suppose you start the process the other way around. In that case, you might not choose the option that fits you perfectly, leaving you with two consequences only: struggling with your unfit career choice for the rest of your life or wanting a do-over that requires a lot of courage, time, patience, and money.
Making the right decision the first time will save you from this stress. So check out these tips that can help you choose the right major the first time around.
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Understand Your Interests
Picking the right major is all about understanding your interests. For example, people who are inclined to help others and visualize themselves working in a hospital can explore nursing programs and which schools in the state have the best program. For instance, there are some great nursing schools in Missouri that you can explore and even opt for an online degree.
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Consider Your Passion
People can be interested in many subjects, but they are passionate about a few. Separate your passion from your interests so that you can pursue a career choice with total commitment, determination, and energy. Majoring in what you enjoy will ensure that you get the most out of the experience. Understand what subject is the object of your strong liking or desire so that you can make a career in your passion.
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Explore All Options Available
When choosing a major, do not let your interest blind you from making a decision. Familiarize yourself with the different major options available to understand what you’re interested in pursuing. Picking an option without introducing yourself to other alternatives or possibilities may leave you wondering about the ‘what if?’ This ‘what if’ doesn’t let you truly commit to a decision, making you feel like you have made the wrong choice.
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Play To Your Strengths
Students must understand that once they pick a major, they will spend at least 3 or 4 years in college pursuing the different aspects of the subject. Imagine the number of classes, assignments, projects, research work, and other deadlines you may have to deal with to major in a field. Therefore, the good idea is to pursue an area that aligns with your strengths. Choose a subject that you’re naturally good at and that doesn’t require you to force yourself to focus. Succeeding in this major will make your college experience rewarding and further build your interest in the field.
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Research Future Careers And Profitability
Figuring out what you’re passionate about can sometimes be tricky as you don’t know whether to rely on your emotions and interests or go with what you think might be best. People who want to make more informed decisions can rely on numbers and stats to choose their perfect college major. Once you’ve narrowed down the long list of majors to a few top choices, you can pick the ideal one based on the opportunities it brings for you. Spend your time researching possible jobs and earning potential for the options left on the list. If a particular career option attracts your attention more than the rest and its potential income sounds promising, pursue that major wholeheartedly.
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Do An Internship In The Field
Suppose you’re struggling with imagining or visualizing your inclination towards a major; experience the field firsthand. Before picking your college major, do an internship in the role or industry you plan to pursue. The experience you have doing the internship will clarify whether the option you chose was the right path or you need to reevaluate your decisions.
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Talk To Your Family And Friends
Some students struggle to make big decisions independently, so discussing major choices with other people is okay. For example, you can talk to seniors to know the inside details about a major and learn from their mistakes while picking a major. You can also interact with people with similar career goals to garner solid advice about choosing the right major. And if all else fails, you can always ask your friends and family (who know you well) to suggest a major that they believe will align well with your interests.
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Set Up Sessions With An Expert
Once students start leaning towards a particular major, they must try to talk to an expert to understand what the field entails. You can book a session with your advisor, academic planner, or faculty member to guide you about a specific major’s career potential, benefits, drawbacks, or more. Getting specific advice about what you’re planning to study will help you commit to your decision.
Conclusion
Making hard choices is a big part of life, and college is only the beginning. Choosing your college major is just the tip of the iceberg; however, most people succumb to the pressure of making the right choices here. It can be scary to choose the ideal major because life does not have a rewind button. You’re either happy or filled with regret after deciding, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of options completely. If the tips mentioned above don’t work out for you and you still choose the wrong major, instead of regretting it for life, take action the first time you realize you’ve made a mistake. The sooner you correct your decision by picking another major, the less courage, time, patience, and money you’ll require. Good luck!
