“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
“What’s your major?”
“What do you want to do with [your major]?”
As you make your way through grade school and into college, people will ask you different variations of those three questions. One of the biggest decisions you will make for college is what you’ll major in. Your major molds the foundation of your knowledge and skillset and prepares you for the beginning of your career.
It can feel like there is a lot of pressure to live up to certain expectations or choose the right major and career path. Throughout your college journey, remember that it is your choice and it should be made with you and your future in mind.
Regardless whether you’ve chosen your major yet or not, you can follow these steps to address your choices and feel content with your decision.
There are different reasons students choose their major. Some want to pursue a passion, like whether it be graphic design or mechanical engineering. Some aim to become high-level executives and bring home a substantial income. Some see work as a means to an end, so they can pursue other activities and interests outside of work.
There is no right or wrong answer and you shouldn’t let anyone dictate what should do with your college career. It’s important to choose a major based on what your career will mean to you. Research salary information, work/life balance and job field outlooks of the careers you’re interested in. Reach out to professionals near you that would be willing to talk with you about their job.
Once you’ve made this decision, you can begin to narrow down your options.
One of the best ways to make a difficult decision is to create a pro/con list. Beyond just listing the good and bad about a specific major, cross comparing multiple options gives you a head-to-head comparison. To do this, you’ll give the pros and cons of two different majors relative to each other.
A pro for one major could be “Higher job outlook” and a con could be “Lower starting salary.” Once you’ve finished your list, you can apply weight to each bullet point, using a scale of 1–5 or 1–10. Tally up the totals and compare.
You shouldn’t make your decision solely based on the final numbers. Instead, use it as a tool to help formulate your thoughts and make your decision more tangible.
This is also a good time to make a list of your strengths vs weaknesses and your passions vs things you’re not that fond of. These lists can further help make your decision easier.
You’re not alone! Every year, millions of students pack their bags, charge their calculators, sharpen their pencils and head off to college. Talk over your options with people you trust. This includes friends, parents, family members and trusted adults.
Take advantage of college advisors at your desired universities and counselors at your high school. They can’t give you the answers, but they can help you visualize the paths ahead of you. Specialized advisors for different colleges can help explain why their unique program can get you where you want to go.
To reach out to your local Texas A&M University advisor, click here. You can also find events in your area, like college fairs and application workshops.
Once you’ve come close to a decision, check the websites of your top schools. Most universities offer a listing of all their majors. Make sure the colleges you are going to apply to have the major you’re interested in. If they don’t, look for something similar or within the same academic school.
When you apply to school, you will be asked to declare a major. Some universities require students to test into highly competitive programs like Nursing, Business and Engineering. You’ll likely apply as “General Business” or “General Engineering” major. Texas A&M’s Engineering process is known as Entry to a Major, or ETAM.
Make sure to double check whether your desired major has a prerequisite program like ETAM.
It’s pretty common for college students to feel “stuck” within their major. These feelings usually materialize during “weed out” classes — courses that are intentionally challenging to “weed out” students who aren’t prepared for the advanced curriculum beyond — in your sophomore year. As you explore your major more, these feelings usually fade, then resurface after graduation and during the job hunt.
Don’t worry, you’re not stuck with the major you choose at your freshman orientation. More than 80 percent of college students change their major while enrolled, according to the National Center for Education Statistics; about 10 percent change their major more than once. It’s okay to change your mind. If you get to that point, come back and run through the above steps to make sure you’re thinking through your decision clearly.
What happens if you graduate and realize you don’t want to work in your field anymore or can’t find a relevant job? Again, don’t fret; more than 29 percent of graduates over the age of 25 do not work in the field they got their degree in. This number is high for lots of reasons, but rest assured you won’t be stuck with a narrow range of job opportunities — especially if your degree is from Texas A&M!
The college application process can be stressful, so remember it’s the first step in a very exciting time in your life! Instead of focusing on the decisions to be made, take a deep breath, follow the steps we’ve laid out for you and think about all the fun opportunities you’ll have and useful skills you’ll learn in college!
Texas A&M provides a home to students from all backgrounds. With 1,100+ student organizations and more than 140 undergraduate programs to choose from, the Aggie family extends to people with different interests, passions and hobbies.
Students excel where they feel more comfortable. At Texas A&M, you’ll find a second home and family with students that share your personal and career interests while getting a world-class education. You’ll get access to top-of-the-line resources, undergraduate research opportunities and excellent professors.
Texas A&M helps send well-rounded individuals into the world. You’ll learn the skills necessary for your degree and grow in leadership, communication and teamwork. Students from across the world call Aggieland their home — if you want to not only change the world, but improve it, Texas A&M is Where You Belong
Interested in becoming an aggie? Apply today!
“What’s your major?”
“What do you want to do with [your major]?”
As you make your way through grade school and into college, people will ask you different variations of those three questions. One of the biggest decisions you will make for college is what you’ll major in. Your major molds the foundation of your knowledge and skillset and prepares you for the beginning of your career.
It can feel like there is a lot of pressure to live up to certain expectations or choose the right major and career path. Throughout your college journey, remember that it is your choice and it should be made with you and your future in mind.
Regardless whether you’ve chosen your major yet or not, you can follow these steps to address your choices and feel content with your decision.
- Begin with the end in mind
There are different reasons students choose their major. Some want to pursue a passion, like whether it be graphic design or mechanical engineering. Some aim to become high-level executives and bring home a substantial income. Some see work as a means to an end, so they can pursue other activities and interests outside of work.
There is no right or wrong answer and you shouldn’t let anyone dictate what should do with your college career. It’s important to choose a major based on what your career will mean to you. Research salary information, work/life balance and job field outlooks of the careers you’re interested in. Reach out to professionals near you that would be willing to talk with you about their job.
Once you’ve made this decision, you can begin to narrow down your options.
- Create a weighted pro/con list
One of the best ways to make a difficult decision is to create a pro/con list. Beyond just listing the good and bad about a specific major, cross comparing multiple options gives you a head-to-head comparison. To do this, you’ll give the pros and cons of two different majors relative to each other.
A pro for one major could be “Higher job outlook” and a con could be “Lower starting salary.” Once you’ve finished your list, you can apply weight to each bullet point, using a scale of 1–5 or 1–10. Tally up the totals and compare.
You shouldn’t make your decision solely based on the final numbers. Instead, use it as a tool to help formulate your thoughts and make your decision more tangible.
This is also a good time to make a list of your strengths vs weaknesses and your passions vs things you’re not that fond of. These lists can further help make your decision easier.
- Talk your choices over with friends, parents, trusted adults or a college advisor
You’re not alone! Every year, millions of students pack their bags, charge their calculators, sharpen their pencils and head off to college. Talk over your options with people you trust. This includes friends, parents, family members and trusted adults.
Take advantage of college advisors at your desired universities and counselors at your high school. They can’t give you the answers, but they can help you visualize the paths ahead of you. Specialized advisors for different colleges can help explain why their unique program can get you where you want to go.
To reach out to your local Texas A&M University advisor, click here. You can also find events in your area, like college fairs and application workshops.
- Check your preferred universities’ majors
Once you’ve come close to a decision, check the websites of your top schools. Most universities offer a listing of all their majors. Make sure the colleges you are going to apply to have the major you’re interested in. If they don’t, look for something similar or within the same academic school.
When you apply to school, you will be asked to declare a major. Some universities require students to test into highly competitive programs like Nursing, Business and Engineering. You’ll likely apply as “General Business” or “General Engineering” major. Texas A&M’s Engineering process is known as Entry to a Major, or ETAM.
Make sure to double check whether your desired major has a prerequisite program like ETAM.
- Don’t feel stuck
It’s pretty common for college students to feel “stuck” within their major. These feelings usually materialize during “weed out” classes — courses that are intentionally challenging to “weed out” students who aren’t prepared for the advanced curriculum beyond — in your sophomore year. As you explore your major more, these feelings usually fade, then resurface after graduation and during the job hunt.
Don’t worry, you’re not stuck with the major you choose at your freshman orientation. More than 80 percent of college students change their major while enrolled, according to the National Center for Education Statistics; about 10 percent change their major more than once. It’s okay to change your mind. If you get to that point, come back and run through the above steps to make sure you’re thinking through your decision clearly.
What happens if you graduate and realize you don’t want to work in your field anymore or can’t find a relevant job? Again, don’t fret; more than 29 percent of graduates over the age of 25 do not work in the field they got their degree in. This number is high for lots of reasons, but rest assured you won’t be stuck with a narrow range of job opportunities — especially if your degree is from Texas A&M!
The college application process can be stressful, so remember it’s the first step in a very exciting time in your life! Instead of focusing on the decisions to be made, take a deep breath, follow the steps we’ve laid out for you and think about all the fun opportunities you’ll have and useful skills you’ll learn in college!
Texas A&M provides a home to students from all backgrounds. With 1,100+ student organizations and more than 140 undergraduate programs to choose from, the Aggie family extends to people with different interests, passions and hobbies.
Students excel where they feel more comfortable. At Texas A&M, you’ll find a second home and family with students that share your personal and career interests while getting a world-class education. You’ll get access to top-of-the-line resources, undergraduate research opportunities and excellent professors.
Texas A&M helps send well-rounded individuals into the world. You’ll learn the skills necessary for your degree and grow in leadership, communication and teamwork. Students from across the world call Aggieland their home — if you want to not only change the world, but improve it, Texas A&M is Where You Belong
Interested in becoming an aggie? Apply today!