Decide on What to Study as an Undergrad
Choosing a major is one of your most important decisions as a college student. The right discipline can lead to high-paying job offers or help pave the way for certain graduate degrees.
Higher education experts encourage prospective undergrads to consider the following information when deciding what to study and when to declare it.
1. Explore Out-of-School Experiences
Hands-on learning opportunities can help prospective students understand which careers and majors are a good match for them.
“For example, a student who is considering nonprofit management might decide to volunteer in the administrative office of a local organization,” wrote U.S. News contributor Bradford Holmes in a 2015 blog post.
2. Beware of Advice From Family, Friends
College applicants may get a better understanding of the jobs connected with certain majors by speaking with industry professionals instead of family and friends, experts say.
In a recent survey on students who sought advice on what to major in, 84 percent rated advice they received from people with experience in a field as helpful, and 82 percent rated advice from an employer or coworker as helpful.
3. Think About Requirements
Some majors may seem appealing, but the required classes that come with them may be a turnoff.
“This doesn’t mean you should reject a major just because it has a requirement or two that you aren’t crazy about,” wrote U.S. News contributors Lynn F. Jacobs and Jeremy S. Hyman in a 2009 blog post. “But it does mean you should acquaint yourself with the required program and, if more than a few courses don’t grab you, rethink your choice of major.”
4. Weigh a STEM Discipline
The salary and job prospects for college graduates who major in science, technology, engineering or math, also known as STEM, are promising, experts say.
“STEM workers actually do command higher wages, overall, compared to non-STEM workers, and the growth rate of STEM-related occupations is higher than non-STEM-related occupations,” Christina Tartaglia, a co-founder of Scientista, which supports women in college and graduate school while they pursue STEM careers, told U.S. News earlier this year.
5. Leverage Scholarship Opportunities
College is often a costly investment, but some majors can help students spend less.
There are numerous scholarship options for students who major in accounting, history and English, for example.
6. Calculate Possible Salaries
It can be valuable for prospective and current college students to know which majors are more or less likely to lead to a high salary. Students who have an idea of what they’ll make after college can get a jump-start on budgeting for things like student loan payments or graduate school.
The median starting salary for college grads out of school for zero to five years and whose highest degree earned was a bachelor’s is $68,893 if they majored in mathematics and computer science, according to PayScale data. On the other end of the spectrum, the median salary is just $37,426 for education majors, per PayScale.
7. Consider Your Grad School Applications
If a prospective college student intends to go to graduate school, certain college majors may be more ideal than others.
Aspiring doctors, for example, shouldn’t major in a subject that’s too difficult and could negatively affect their GPAs for medical school applications, wrote U.S. News contributor Edward Chang in a 2013 blog post.
8. Benefit From a Narrower List
College applicants who know they want to study a specific subject, such as chemical engineering or economics, can narrow their college list by looking for schools that specialize in that topic.
Applicants can research an institution’s graduation and employment rates by major to get a better idea of which schools will help them meet their goals, experts say.
9. Look for General Education Curricula
College applicants who are undecided should consider schools with a strong core curriculum that allows them to explore various subjects, Wes Waggoner, associate vice president for enrollment management at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and a former high school counselor, told U.S. News.
10. Know the Cons of Being Undecided
However, students who can’t commit to a major may face some drawbacks.
Undecided freshmen may miss out on special freshman housing or professional development opportunities, wrote U.S. News contributor Holmes in a 2016 blog post.
Learn More About College Majors
Know when you should declare a major as a college applicant, and use the 2018 Best Colleges rankings to help inform your search for the right school.
For more advice and information on how to select a college, connect with U.S. News Education on Twitter and Facebook.
More from U.S. News
Colleges With the Best 4-Year Graduation Rates
Consider Internship Opportunities During a College Search
Find Undergraduate Business Program That Helps You Stand Out
10 Things to Know About Selecting a College Major originally appeared on usnews.com
