Choosing a Major: Three Essential Considerations

By Tyler F

Approaching the close of the semester, more than a few students are uncertain about their classes next semester. It’s possible your grades took some unexpected hits or the subject matter seemed stupid or boring. In either case, consider the following before deciding you need a change in major: Grades can be fixed (was it the professor), what setting you want to work in, and how can you incorporate your interests (learning style and hobbies).

Firstly, one lame semester doesn’t mean your career has to change. Often it was one class that dragged you down and the professor is to blame. Professors run academia, so they make the rules. And though they know their field so well that they got a degree in it, teaching is a different subject entirely. Despite how well they know the information, when it comes to simplifying it to make sense, your professor may be the worst person for the job. Next time this is the case, get a tutor! This way you have access to a human processor for the information only you professor understands. And most importantly: don’t let one semester change the course of your studies.

Next, you must to look into the future -and yes, anyone can be his or her own fortuneteller. You have to consider what setting you’ll be working in. It is obvious when you consider the ambiguities of your field. If you are studying business, you may find yourself in a corporate office. If you’re a chemist, you may end up in a lab. And if you’re an engineer, heavy machinery is a possibility. Once you consider the possibilities, ask yourself if that’s where you want to be. There are always exceptions you’d never foretell, but know that your studies will take you places, whether you like it or not.

To top it all off, interests and learning styles go hand-in-hand to help make subjects interesting and easy to learn. By the time a person progresses into a professional role, some of the work they do can feel intuitive. Getting to an intuitive level, however, is hard. It takes a lot of time and energy. So pick something that’s interesting in preparation for the long haul.

With grades, vision and ambition in line, you should have no problem succeeding in, what is one of the first steps of your college experience.

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