5 Tips on Picking a Major in College

Deciding on a major is one of the scariest decisions at the beginning of the college process, but it can also be the most exciting part because it is where you get to finally dive deep into a topic you are passionate about. Here are 5 tips on how to pick your major.

1. Do Research

Oftentimes, picking a major is scary because it is the unknown. You might not be 100% sure on what career you could have in your field, or if you have the right personality for it. Doing research on your career path is going to show you what steps you have to take in the future, such as getting a masters degree. You may find that you have to take on a wide variety of roles to finally work your way up to your desired position. Connect with people on LinkedIn and ask what their career path looked like. They can provide their real experiences that you will not be able to find online as easily.

2. Take Risks

If you are completely unsure which path you want to take in your college career, use the opportunity to expand your experiences as much as possible. Take one-off classes that sound interesting, even if it’s because the opportunity is right in front of you. I decided to take a Hospitality class at DePaul that is all about wine, and I discovered that I want to go into the beverage industry for marketing. Every experience is an opportunity for success.

3. Be Honest with Yourself

People often fall into career paths because they think they are doing the right thing, even if they know it’s not what they should be doing. If your dad owns an accounting firm and you don’t like math, don’t feel forced to follow in his footsteps and take over the business. Every career requires specific skills that you can only fake for so long. Don’t choose something that you know you will not enjoy doing.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Change Your Mind

College is an extremely mind opening time and you will learn so much about yourself. You may be coming into college with a complete idea of who you are and what you want to do, but I can almost guarantee that there is going to be a time where you change your mind, or at the very least, consider different options. Much like taking risks, sometimes change brings better opportunities than if you didn’t make the change.

5. Plan for Future You

Oftentimes, people plan out their process with the end result as a loose idea. When picking my major, I envisioned what I want my life to look like in the future and discovered that my career path is how I am going to get there. However, I also applied this thought when it came time to actually register for classes. I decided that I would take care of all of my college requirements and keep most of my electives free incase I wanted to add a minor or switch my major. When it came to my liberal arts requirements, I was sure to take classes out of my comfort zone.

Picking a major can be very daunting, but remember that it is your life and you can change your mind as many times as you like. Do something that will make you happy.