7 Tips for Picking Your Major in College ...

One of the first tips for picking your major is to understand that it is completely okay to switch your major once or twice, even if it delays your graduation a little bit. In fact, the average college student changes their mind at least once within the first two years of college. No one is going to judge you for switching out of something you may not have liked studying, or something new you might have found a passion for.

DO NOT take Biochemistry at a 300-level just because your friend Jenna is doing it. From personal experience, some people have an easier time with science and math than others - I failed to realize this which is why I have a ton of C’s on my transcript in all of my science classes and not enough A’s because I haven’t taken enough writing classes. Just because your best friend is majoring in something that might seem like you want to do, don’t do it for her. Choose for yourself.

This is a point I’ve thought about time and time again. Originally I was a psychology major and sure I could have graduated and continued on to get my Master’s and eventually my Ph.D. I could have then opened my own practice, made $85,000+ to start off, etc. Instead, I am taking a bunch of media classes that I’m having a blast in, getting all A’s and will probably not get my Master’s or make even close to $85,000+ to start. I will however, be doing what I love and will be happy.

With any general degree, there are many paths you can go down depending on what your interests are. For example, I’m a Media major. I’ve been taking classes in public relations, marketing, journalism, and music business. Some students choose to pick one of these fields to specialize in but if you don’t want to, you can do them all! The best part about this is, you can pick and choose what you want to pursue and try to find internships that match your interests.

This may come to a surprise to some people, but a lot of jobs don’t care what you majored in as long as you’ve had experience or the right skill set for the job you’re applying for. Having good writing and verbal communication skills can be applied to any job, even in fields like finance, where people think that being good at math is more important.

In my three years of college, I’ve done about three internships all in different fields of media. I can honestly say that these internships have taught me more about what a career in media is like, more than any class I could ever take at school. Picking your major is required, but experiencing a career firsthand at a company is what will help you make the most of your degree.

The great thing about college is that most schools give you the option to get a minor degree. This is great because you get to take classes in what you want, but it doesn’t take up as many credits as the major. So if you’re undecided about a field, try to minor in it.

These tips for picking your major can be helpful to those of you starting college in the fall or those of you already in college as well. Remember to do what you love and follow through with it. You’ll know that you’ve found the right major when you are passionate about what you’re studying. How did you pick your major? Do you have any other tips to share?