Each year, millions of college students across the globe graduate with different majors of study. From the STEM field of Biology to the social science Anthropology, universities offer a wide range of majors to choose from. However, with such a multitude of options, it can be extraordinarily difficult to decide which one is the best for your career path. The first thing to remember is that you can always change your major. Recent studies indicate that roughly fifty percent of the students that apply to college are “undecided,” or unsure about their future careers. As a result, the majority of students will end up changing their major at least once, if not multiple times, as their interests evolve throughout their studies in university.
From my own experience, I initially applied to university as a Psychology major, quickly changing my gears to Management shortly after committing to UMass Boston. Primarily, after meticulous research on the job outlook for Psychology graduates, I found myself jumping back and forth from Management and Psychology. I realized that Management truly represented my intense passion for problem-solving. However, I chose to pursue a minor in Psychology as my secondary focus of study due to my interest in understanding human behavior and the mind. Currently, I’m pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Management with a minor in Psychology.
More often than not, students in the pre-med track tend to choose biological sciences including Biology, Chemistry, or Physics as their major field of study. However, it’s important to note that social science majors such as Psychology are just as likely to get accepted into medical school. I would recommend exploring through the courses that are being offered within different subjects or areas of study in your university; find what interests you based on the course description. Generally, colleges also offer to advise programs for pre-med and pre-law students. I would highly encourage you to check them out. Consider what professions you see yourself doing in the future. If you can’t narrow down your interests to one major, you can absolutely double major and expand your opportunities! Check out the different class requirements for majors and see which ones you would be willing to take. Take classes from different subjects and see which ones you like the most! Ask yourself what you’re good at.
Identify your strengths and weaknesses. It’s probably not a great idea to pick a major that would be hard for you to complete requirements for. Perhaps, avoid subjects you have low grades in as this may result in a struggle to graduate. Do your research. Make sure to check out the employment rates and average income for graduates in your major of interest. Narrow your search down to two or three majors. Think about why you want to major in a specific field. If you don’t have good reasoning for why you chose your major, chances are you might not be fit for it. Consider your hobbies. What is something you enjoy doing? If you enjoy painting, drawing, and have a passion for creativity, you might want to consider a major in Fine Art.
In fact, UMass Boston offers a BA in Art, which may be of interest to you. Do you enjoy reading and writing? You may be interested in obtaining a well-rounded liberal arts degree with a focus on important skills such as critical thinking and communication, rather than studying STEM. It can be overwhelming to pick a major from all the different options that you may have. But there’s a major for everyone. My best advice to students out there who are undecided would be to choose a major you love, regardless of the job outlook or salary.
1. https://blog.collegeboard.org/what-college-major-and-how-choose-one
2. https://www.princetonreview.com/med-school-advice/how-to-choose-a-pre-med-major
3. https://studybreaks.com/college/undecided-how-to-pick-college-major/