{"id":73808,"date":"2024-08-15T00:42:09","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T04:42:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=73808"},"modified":"2024-08-15T00:42:09","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T04:42:09","slug":"3-strategies-to-help-college-students-pick-the-right-major-the-first-time-around-and-avoid-some-big-hassles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/3-strategies-to-help-college-students-pick-the-right-major-the-first-time-around-and-avoid-some-big-hassles\/","title":{"rendered":"3 strategies to help college students pick the right major the first time around and avoid some big hassles"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Not long after new college students have finished choosing\u00a0the college that is right for them<\/a>, they are asked to declare an academic major. For some students, this decision is easy, as their majors may have actually influenced their choice of college. Unfortunately, this decision is not always an easy one to make, and college students frequently change their minds.<\/p>\n

For instance, according to the National Center for Education Statistics,\u00a030% of undergraduates changed their major<\/a>\u00a0at least once.<\/p>\n

While it may be common for undergraduates to change their major, it can cause them to\u00a0lose time, money and opportunities<\/a>. Students who experience the loss of these resources may be at risk for\u00a0dropping out of college altogether<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While\u00a0earning a Ph.D. in educational psychology<\/a>, I conducted a study that highlighted students\u2019 experiences upon changing their majors. I wanted to know why students made the switch and what that experience was like.<\/p>\n

The results of my study showed that students\u00a0became disoriented about their majors<\/a>\u00a0during their undergraduate education. Oftentimes, they were influenced by professors and advisers who were\u00a0dismissive of their aspirations and abilities<\/a>. These\u00a0students experienced failure<\/a>, which sometimes ruined their motivation. Failure may be commonplace in certain majors, but these students believed themselves to be outliers, viewing failure as a\u00a0hit to their self-esteem<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So, what is a college student to do when faced with such an important decision? It is tempting to give into fear, indecisiveness or worry. But rest assured, using the following strategies to select the right major will also help sustain your motivation when the going gets tough.<\/p>\n

1. Make a career plan<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Creating a career plan is one of the ways that students can bolster their chances of success in their chosen majors. When creating a career plan, think about the career that you want to have in the future and consider the academic and professional paths that could lead to that career. Researchers have found that students who made career plans were\u00a0more likely to persist<\/a>\u00a0in their academic majors.<\/p>\n

When making a career plan, you should reflect on your beliefs about work, your interest in various academic subjects and your abilities. Exploring these factors may be one of the reasons why students who complete career plans are\u00a0more likely to stick with their majors<\/a>. Use your reflections to guide you as you search for careers that you would enjoy. Then, identify a specific career and outline the steps that you will have to take during your time at college that will help prepare you for that career.<\/p>\n

2. Do your research<\/strong><\/h4>\n

College students sometimes drop out of their selected majors because they have become\u00a0disenchanted with the academic area they have chosen<\/a>. Or they may find themselves more\u00a0attracted to a different academic major<\/a>\u00a0altogether. For others, the desire to switch majors may occur after they get a taste of what it is like to work in that field, particularly during work-placement opportunities. One study found this to be\u00a0true for some nursing majors<\/a>, who shared that their first clinical placements showed them that they were not well suited to perform the duties of a nurse.<\/p>\n

To avoid these sorts of outcomes, it is important to do your research about the job that you are interested in pursuing, as well as any related jobs. Is there one that would be better suited to your abilities and your preferences? Is there someone you can talk to who can tell you more about what an average day looks like at a particular job? Ask yourself which aspects of the job you could see yourself enjoying, as well as the parts of the job that you think you might dislike. While it is possible to switch out of your major once your interests become more apparent, you will save a good deal of time and energy by initially choosing a major that is aligned with your interests and abilities.<\/p>\n

3. Brace yourself for challenge<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It may come as a surprise when you are presented with incredibly challenging material during your first semester at college. Students who were at the top of their class may be particularly shocked when they receive their first low grade on an exam. You should not assume, however, that you have made the wrong choice of academic major simply because you performed poorly on one test.\u00a0Negative feedback from college advisers<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0instructors<\/a>\u00a0can influence a student\u2019s choice to switch out of their major.<\/p>\n

The possibility of failure can be so discouraging to students that they can lose their ambition on\u00a0the first day of class<\/a>, before they have experienced any academic failure at all. Hold on to the confidence that guided you to select your major in the first place, and prepare yourself for the academic challenges that await you in whichever major you choose.<\/p>\n

Author Bio:<\/strong> Rachael Cody is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Educational Psychology at the United States Coast Guard Academy, University of Connecticut<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not long after new college students have finished choosing\u00a0the college that is right for them, they are asked to declare an academic major. For some students, this decision is easy, as their majors may have actually influenced their choice of college. 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