How to Pick The Right Major to Apply For As A High School Student
Picking majors is a major decision
It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of college applications and accept a spot at the first school that offers you admission. It's also possible, however, that you'll end up regretting your decision years down the line if you haven't really thought through what it is that makes sense for your future. While it's totally normal to wander around when you're figuring out what kind of major to pursue or what career path might be right for you, there are some clear signs that indicate whether or not a specific major fits with who you are and where you want to go. If any of these things sound like they pertain to your situation—or perhaps even if none do—chances are good there's another way you could spend four years in college instead:
Do you know where you want to end up?
- Do you know where you want to end up?
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
- What kind of job do you want?
- What kind of career do you want?
Do you know what kind of job you want?
If you know what kind of job you want, then picking the right major may be easier. For example, if you want to work as a nurse or doctor in the future, then it would make sense for you to study biology or medicine.
If this isn't the case for yourself and your goals are still unclear after high school, don't worry! As long as there are some interests that have been growing on your mind lately (or even throughout childhood), those can be great starting points for choosing a field of study.
Are there any majors that interest you?
If you're interested in any of the following majors, it's a good idea to apply for them:
- Business Administration
- Marketing
- Accounting
If you're not interested in any of the above-mentioned majors, then perhaps consider one of these instead:
- Biology or Chemistry (if science is what interests you) * Political Science (if politics does) * History (if history does)
Do your grades reflect your interests and skills?
It's easy to get caught up in the idea that your grades reflect your ability to do the work. And while they certainly do, they're not a reflection of how much you enjoy a subject or if it interests you at all. A lot of students who major in something like biology or physics end up being miserable because they don't actually enjoy these subjects--but because those were their best grades, they think this is what they should do with their life!
Don't worry about picking a major based on GPA; instead, focus on choosing something where your skills match what the job requires (and vice versa).
What do your teachers think about your major choice?
If you have a favorite teacher, or even if they weren't your favorite but they were still pretty good, ask them what they think about your major. They can be a great resource for advice on choosing a major.
If you don't like their answer, ask someone else! There will probably be at least one other person in your life who has an opinion on this subject that's worth listening too (and if there isn't then maybe it's time to find some new friends). If neither of those things work out and nobody has any useful advice for you then do what feels right for yourself!
What do you want out of college?
Before you start looking at majors, it's important to think about what you want from college. As a high school student, you may not know yet exactly what it is that will make your experience successful. Take some time to consider what goals and interests are most important to you--these can change over time as well. You can always change your major later if necessary!
Once you have figured out what kind of career path might be right for you, take some time working on broadening your knowledge base by taking classes outside of your main field of interest (for example: history). This will help make sure that whatever major(s) end up being right for us won't limit our options later on in life or career choices."
Major decisions take major thought
If you're not sure what major to pick, don't rush into it. Take some time and think about what interests you and where you want to end up in life. Then, once you figure out what kind of job or career path would be best suited for that interest, go ahead and choose a major that will help prepare you for it! If you'd like support with admission prep take our free 3-minute assessment to learn how we can help here!
