What Should I Major In?Answered
Hi,
So I have no clue about what I want to major in. I want to be pre-med so I was thinking of a science major. However, many people in my life have told me to not major in something science-related. They've also told me to major in something that can get me a high-paying job with only a bachelor's degree (so straight out of undergrad).
Any Suggestions? or advice?
Thanks
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4 answers
Hi, I'm a junior in high school and I've been thinking about this a lot as well so here are some tips that can be helpful.
1. Remember that you are the one going to college and that you should always do what you want to do. You wouldn't want to be stuck in a job where you're grumpy all day.
2. What grade are you in? If your anything below a senior in HS, or even a sophomore in college, you still have time to explore. Go out and do free one-week summer programs or join clubs to explore your interests. Maybe you'll find out that you don't even want to be a doctor. I went to a summer program for psychology because I was so sure that I wanted to become a psychiatrist and now, I don't think I want to pursue psychology anymore. People change their minds all the time so figure out if premed or whatever other major/concentration is the one you actually want to pursue.
3. This is kind of based on my previous point but if you don't know what you want to do, you can take career tests (like those who find good fits for you based on your personality). They're not binding but can give good suggestions as to where you might fit. One that I used that was pretty nice is: https://asafuturescape.org/explore
4. You don't have to be a science major to be premed as long as you fulfill the required courses. However, being on the premed track is hard so having a major like business or economics will seriously drain you. But, it also depends on what kind of doctor you want to be. (I'm not 100% sure about this so you might want to do some research about it) If you want both a high-paying job and do premed, you can major in something with technology and become a doctor that uses a lot of tech. If you don't want to be an actual doctor, you can be one of those people who design the equipment for surgeons and stuff and major in engineering (which pays a lot).
5. Keep in mind that nowadays, a bachelor's is not really considered anything anymore. A lot of people have to go to graduate school in order to get better opportunities so don't limit yourself to the few that pay straight out of undergraduate (unless you like it of course). Also, I think there might be some science-related majors that pay well but you will have to look more into that.
Anyways, remember that at the end of the day, the choice is yours (or at least it should be), and just follow your heart/ gut/ whichever organ you want.
Hello,
I was struggling with finding my major as well for a long time until I bought a book from the College Board, The Book of Majors (2018 version). In a matter of 1 month, I managed to figure out my major. It's very descriptive and includes countless majors from all different career clusters. I read the book bit by bit and eliminated the majors that did not suit me until I found the major best for me. Each page or two is dedicated in describing the major as best as possible, including classes you would focus on in that major and possible jobs you can pursue from that major. I ordered it from the College Board website themselves. I definitely recommend this book to you.
Also, based on what you said, I think you should decide your major, not others. If you want to major in something science-related, it's your decision and you should not feel pressured to choose what you want to do in your life. Best of luck in the process to you.
What subjects in school are you good at? If you are horrible at math, don't do a math-related major (or whatever).
If you have one or two colleges you are mostly considering, look at the degree plans they offer. Don't look at ones you wouldn't be interested in, but look at the rest.
Consider which classes you would enjoy taking. I am typically amazing at math classes, but I would hate studying math in high school, so even if I might enjoy becoming a math teacher, I would rather choose a different degree plan; while I would rather study history and become a history teacher instead.
Consider which careers sound interesting. You might enjoy learning about philosophy, but basically the only career you can get with a philosophy degree is teaching philosophy. If you don't want to teach philosophy your entire life, I would suggest looking at a different degree.
Ask your parents, teachers, friends what they think you would be good at (career and degree).
If you're religious, pray about it and ask your religious leaders for guidance.
Good luck choosing a major!!!
I think that if you want to go into pre-med to be a doctor, surgeon, physician, etc., a biology major on a pre-med track (if the school you go to offers it) may be a good choice. I think it all comes down to what you want to do with pre-med, and what programs the college you end up going to offers. Good luck!
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