How do you know when you choose the wrong major?

Question

thanks everybody these are all great answers!

Answer 1

Niza,

As a former university career counselor, I've answered this question a LOT for many students. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you feel anxious or panicky when you're in class, turning in a paper, or taking a test in that major?

2. Do you find yourself daydreaming about other classes you'd LOVE to be taking right now, but can't?

3. Does your dream job seem better suited or connected to a different major?

4. Are you majoring in this area because you feel you "owe it" to your parents, since they're paying for school?

5. Are your parents pressuring you to be in this major, though you really don't enjoy it?

6. Are your grades not so great in your major, but terrific in classes related to a different major?

7. Do you skip classes in your major, but go to your favorite (non-major) classes?

8. And, are you in this major not because you love it, but because you think it's "practical" - in other words, you think it's a solid lead for a job after graduation, it pays a lot of money, etc.?

The more you answer yes, the better chance this major is not for you. Students feel challenged and often scared they've picked the wrong major. What I've learned is - here's the secret:

Often it's not the major that matters in your ultimate career choice, but the experience you gain while still in college (ie. internships, externships, research, volunteer work) that matters to employers looking to hire.

Yes, there are fields where you really ought to choose the obvious major (you'll be an accountant lots easier if you major in accounting) but in other careers, there are many paths to get there.

Since you're in school such a long time, I generally recommend to study something you love to learn about, and bolster it with other classes that can aid your career or support your path. THEN, get yourself to career services, and squeeze and squeeze and squeeze out every service you can use to help you get internships, summer jobs, externships in your career field.

Someday your college years will mean less and less on a resume. What employers will care about is your experience. So, pick something you love, and then start getting some experience!

Best of luck,

Michelle Watson Gellas
(former career counselor for Villanova University, Lehigh University, Ursinus College, and Loyola Marymount University)

Answer 2

Well, as a person who has been to two colleges and three separate majors, (and who just graduated last weekend!) I will say this: It's hard to choose a major! Most people have more than one. If you find you are not interested in the classes you are taking that pertain to your major, or if you find that your major does not actually seem to be leading you towards any of your life goals (which I realize are probably changing monthly), then it is time to look at new majors.

If you are just entering school, then keep in mind that you do not have to have a major from the start. If you start out undeclared and take classes that seem like they would be interesting to you, you will find a major you are interested in.

Good luck!

Answer 3

When you realize you're educating/training yourself for a job that you will be unhappy performing. Sometimes one may enjoying studying subjects but will not be happy with the job they lead to. It's important to find out exactly what you will be doing in the job. I'm also a great believer in listening to intuition, too. Bottom line: Although all professions involve some work we might prefer not to do, the majority of the work should be satisfying. Try talking to people who are actually doing the job you're training for and try to work one or more internships to see what it's like in the trenches. These actions will help you decided if you're choosing the wrong major.

Answer 4

If your major and the possible career choices it leads to don't fit your interests, you've probably chosen the wrong major. If you've started taking your major classes and they are boring or you are not doing well in them (though you're putting in a lot of effort), you've probably chosen the wrong major. And if everyone seems surprised when you tell them your major, and you don't feel comfortable with it, either, you've probably chosen the wrong major. The link below (you may have to register with FastWeb) has some other thoughts on this area, but what I've stated are the main things I believe you need to think about. Remember, you don't HAVE to follow your major into a career, but certain careers require certain degrees in certain areas, and having a degree in the right area can be very beneficial when trying to get a job you really want.

Answer 5

I wasn't sure about my first undergrad major. And so 3 1/2 years in to it, I changed. It took me 5.5 years for my first degree. Good thing was that my Masters only took 2, and I have been working in the field now for 4 years. Bad thing is that I'm considering a career change because I'm not challenged enough. SO, I don't know HOW exactly you know when you've got the wrong major, but you can always change.

Answer 6

You have to do something you enjoy, not just something you are good at doing. I majored in math and thought I wanted to be an actuary, but I got bored thinking that I would spend the rest of my life calculating how long people will live. So, now I work with computers in a health care setting. It is rewarding to help the nurses and physicians that help people that are ill. I like what I do, and I love working with new technology. So, I do something I enjoy, and I think that you would be selling yourself short if you didn't do the same. Unfortunately, it is hard to know what you want when you are in college. You have people steering you towards things and feel pressured to do what they want you to do. And, if you are like me, you have no idea what you really want to do and are just trying to get a degree. Know that when you get out of college that you will probably work at least 40 years before you retire, so you might as well do something you like.

Short answer: If you lose interest in going to class.

Answer 7

If you are bored by the classes you are taking and the projects you are doing, then that's a good indication that you're preparing for the wrong field. If you work as an intern or whatever in a certain field and find yourself thinking, "Thank God that's over..." at the end of the day, that's another good indication of a wrong major.

If you enjoy your classes, are interested in your coursework, and feel that what you are doing is rewarding, exciting, or interesting, then you probably made the right choice.

Answer 8

When you ask a question like..."how do you know when you chose the wrong major..." When you start to have doubts and you stop liking to go to class and you feel like you are no longer learning or are excited about this field...then you probably chose the wrong one...but there is always time to change your major..believe me I have changed my major...and I am graduating soon and I still don't know what I want to do...now I am thinking about going into a completely different field than what I am getting a degree in...so there's always time...take more classes...get more involved on campus...you will find your "niche"

Answer 9

If you don't look forward to doing homework for the class nor getting out into the workforce in that field, then you might want to reconsider your major. If you are taking a variety of classes, I suggest ranking the classes from the most informative and enjoyable to those you would rather not attend. If you find that you enjoy History classes rather than those in your English major, or Languages instead of Art, change your major or fine tune it with a minor relative to another field.

Answer 10

I don't believe you CAN choose the wrong major. Our interests always change, and if you decide as you're studying your major that you don't like it or you like something else better - that's great! That means you learned not only something about yourself, but learned about something. Follow your interests, or make the best choice you can, and it can only lead you in the right direction.

The only problem comes in when you don't acknowledge your change of heart, and stick to some career plan or job you hate. Life is about trying, not half-heartedly, and being honest with yourself.

Answer 11

When you aren't excited about the information you are learning for the major. If you aren't happy with the major you have choosen, choose another one. You definately want to be happy in what you choose for work for the rest of your life. You might as well make sure its the right one before you get too far into it.