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No, you don’t need to know your major unless it might be one that is harder to change into after starting college; think engineering and Fine Arts here. Most students are better served by narrowing down their interests the first year or two of college, having identified a broader area (science, liberal arts, social science, etc) prior to starting. This works because the prerequisites for many majors are the same lower division; a bio or chem or physics student needs about the same classes the 1st 2 years, same with the budding history or econ student. And even within the broader area it isn’t too difficult to change, although truth be told it is easier to leave the sciences for the humanities than the reverse because of the required math and science classes for the former. </p>
<p>More important, IMHO, is finding the type of college that is a fit. Your D might have some ideas of what different colleges are like, and even if so they might not be well grounded. So visit examples of various types in your area; a large public and small private, one in an urban area and in a small town, one with small classes from the start that expects student participation and one that educates primarily thru lectures. It is likely she well identify what she likes and what she wants to avoid.</p>
<p>As for career, again with the exception of the types of majors outlined earlier it is not needed to make a decision now. Your D’s changing of mind shows that she is not ready to commit to anything yet, and that’s fine. What she ought to do is not wait for the answer to magically appear but make a low-key effort the next few years (say thru the sophomore year in college) to find out what she likes and doesn’t. The classic book is “What Color is My Parachute?” any edition from the past several years, to get an idea of what broad themes are right for her and only later narrowing it down into industries and careers. She ought to work with the career center in college from the start. They will host career fairs, have books and counselors to help her, at many colleges they will even put you in touch with alums that have volunteered to talk to students about their career. As she identifies areas she is interested in she should get first-hand experience thru internships and volunteer work; even today, for example, she might be able to find places to volunteer to get a sense of what doctors (and the other professionals working with them) do.</p>