How To Choose a College Major

Choosing a college major can be a daunting task.  A very small percentage of the population is born knowing what they want to do when they grow up.  The rest of us are on a journey to explore the world and find what suits us.  If you want to know how to choose a college major then there is a logical process to follow.  The first part of the process begins with determining potential career targets.

Without a doubt, having at least one tentative career choice selected will increase a student’s academic commitment as well as greatly increase their chances of graduating from college into full-time college-level employment.

Too often, we look at the list of colleges out there and don’t know where to start.  That is a top-down approach to selecting a school.  By looking within each student and determining general interests and values, we can generate a list of potential careers which bring us to selecting a more appropriate school offering that major.  Additionally, with a greater understanding of themselves, they will more likely have a more crystallized idea of not only their educational path but the type of school environment in which they are more likely to succeed.  This is a bottom-up approach which can be facilitated by comprehensive software programs and guidance from your college counselor.

Here is the recommended process to follow:

1.  Assess Interests and Values

2.  Explore potential career targets

3.  Explore educational pathways / Select major

4.  Explore colleges offering those educational pathways

5.  Create a portfolio, resume, journal, etc., for ongoing career development purposes

The journey of how to choose a college major starts early.  Ninth grade is not too soon to start, and twelfth grade is not too late.  Twelfth graders have been busy working on their grades and sports performance most often haven’t had the time to do any real exploration.  Ideally, students will either work with a counselor progressively throughout the school year or jump in for a deep dive during the summer months.

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Julie LaCroix, M.A.,  has a private practice in Newport Beach, CA,  which serves adults of all ages looking for help with how they got “stuck” in their careers.  Maybe it’s the wrong job, maybe it’s the wrong field altogether.  Or maybe you just don’t know what else is out there.  Her practice is designed to help you, wherever you are in your career journey. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from UCI and an M.A. in Educational Clinical Counseling from Azusa Pacific University.  Email Julie at www.julielacroix.com.