Choosing a major field of study can be a difficult, stressful, and overwhelming decision, and today’s college student is under more pressure to “get it right” than ever before, given the high cost of college tuition. Students have much to consider when choosing a major such as their personal interests, their post-college career goals, whether or not to attend graduate school, and not to mention they have navigate the many lines of advice (some unsolicited) provided by family and friends about which major will make them the most successful. Thus, finding the “perfect” major feels like an impossible task. Truthfully, there is no universally “perfect” major, but rather a major that is “perfect” for you.
Here are three easy steps to get started…
Select a major that matches your interest. The reality is that throughout your four or five years in college are going to spend a good majority of your days listening to lectures, reading texts, studying, learning, and doing in your designated field of study. It is important to find a major to peaks and keeps your interest over time. There are multiple tools to help you determine your areas of interests. You may consider taking a personality assessment such as the Myers Briggs Type Indicator or the Holland Code Test. You can take both assessments at the Center for Career Development by meeting with a Career Coach. You can also explore another tool called Focus 2 where you can take several mini assessments and explore career and major options based on your results.
Complete the Major Elimination Activity. Sometimes, it is equally helpful to find out what you do not want like rather than find what you like. The Major Elimination activity helps you identify majors that you are not interested in, and provides you with a list of potential majors. From here, you can learn about the different majors and classes you can take to “test the waters.” I would also recommend reviewing the plan of study for ones that spark your interest.
Talk to people. Talking to others about their major is a great way to gain more insight into the major and the types of classes you will take. There are two great UConn resources to connect with others about their major. First, you can connect with a TME Mentor. They are current UConn students from a variety of different majors. You can ask them questions to help to gauge if that major is perfect for you. The second resource is Husky Mentor Network. This website connects you with UConn alum and professional for 1-1 conversations about a variety of topics, including choose a major.
Finding the perfect major for you is a process and one that you will need work at. Fear not because you are not alone and there are plenty of online resources to help you. You can also visit the Center for Career Development and meet with a Career Coach to help you with this process.
