Choosing the Right Major

Abhinav Sawhney

Choosing the right major is by far one of the toughest decisions that a student has to make. It's a decision that shapes an individual's life. Such decisions cannot be taken over night, they require a great amount of research. What students need to understand is that, not being sure on what major to pursue is nothing to be embarrassed about. As a matter of fact statistics clearly indicate that between 30-50 percent of students enrolling in college are not sure on the major they want to take.

One of the most common mistakes made by students in relation to choosing a major is being influenced by others. More often than not students end up pursuing a degree that makes their parents happy as opposed to what they actually enjoy doing. A situation like this tends to lead to a student performing below his or her maximum potential. There are other ocassions when students choose certain career options just because they sound good, or just because one of their friends is doing it. These are all techniques that lead to an incorrect decision. A decision such as this should not be influenced by anyone but the individual themself. All they have to do is give themselves that chance. Sooner or later they will be doing exactly what fits their character.

The first step towards choosing the right major would be one of self assessment. It is very important for an individual to identify his or her interests, skills, abilities and values. Doing this gives an idea of what sort of field would suit them. The next step from here is to do intensive research on the careers paths that match one's character. The reason why this is important is because you can never know everything about a certain profession until you study about it in detail. In order to avoid later regrets early research is critical.

Choosing the right major is not something that you can just sit back and hope will happen for you. Put in the effort and it is sure to pay off.