I have no idea what I want to major in???

College Majors
1

<p>I am currently a senior in high school. While I know what type of college I'd like to attend, I have no idea what I want to major in. I'll try to give some snap shots of my personality, and I'll take any advice/comments you can offer.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I love helping people and have considered psychology, but I do not think sitting in a room talking to someone about their problems would be fulfilling for me. And, as a female, its a competitive, and not worthwhile field (imo). I would love a major that would provide me with opportunities for a very active job, that maybe includes traveling and a lot of exploration. I want a hands on career path. I've always wanted to find a job that would allow me to actively volunteer and work for an organization or charity. I have felt a special connection with animals as well, but I don't think being a vet is what I want.</p></li>
<li><p>I have always been a creative person, but I fear fully committing myself to an artistic route. I'm a "DIY" (do it yourself) type of person. I have an interest in cosmetic chemistry, but I feel like my interest in the making of beauty products is more of a hobby. I enjoy fashion and expressing myself. I have considered textile engineering, but I just don't know. I LOVE LOVE LOVE concerts, festivals like Bonaroo and Lollapalooza, and the music life, but I have no musical talent myself.</p></li>
<li><p>I could NEVER see myself sitting at a desk, on a computer, or anything like that.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Overall, I want to be able to live comfortably on a personally fulfilling job (haha, hope that makes sense, yeah?). Wow, I know I sound like a mess. And please don't say just do what I love, because I have too many passions to just do that. Thanks for reading and putting up with me! Ask me questions if you need to </p>

<p>~From a confused, stressed, and worried teenager</p>

2

<p>Here is a suggestion for how to approach this:

  • Get a copy of the Book of Majors from the College Board (maybe your guidance counselor or library has it and you can borrow, or buy a copy). Spend some time reading through it with a pack of post-its. Maybe different colored ones - green for “sounds great”, yellow for “maybe interesting”. Just mark everything that strikes you as a possibility.
  • Go back through the post-its and look for patterns. When my D did this she saw a couple of distinct “clusters”. A few outliers as well, but this helped her clarify her thinking quite a bit.
  • Try to narrow it down to 2 or 3 majors/job categories that interest you. Try to pick colleges to apply to that offer those majors and maybe are fairly strong in them.
  • When you get to college, try to take 2 classes in each of the 2-3 areas you picked out in the first 3 semesters. One class isn’t enough to tell for sure, but two gives you a better idea of the department and subject.
  • Spend some time in the college counseling office discussing the majors on your short list with them. Find out what internships and job postings they see for those majors, and if you can find out what alumni with those majors are doing. If you can try out an internship in one after freshman year, that is a bonus.</p>

<p>This should position you well to pick a major by second semester sophomore year. While some majors have long sequences that mean that is late to choose (think engineering or physics, for example), for a lot of majors that timing works okay. Especially if you chip away at general graduation requirements during those first 3 semesters while you are also trying out classes in possible majors.</p>