Why are you interested in that major?

For many students, the process of choosing a major can take a long time, often through trial and error. It often requires multiple conversations with your advisor, professors, family, and friends, as well as self-reflection.

Questions to Explore

Thinking about your responses to some of the questions listed below will help you to better assess if you have gathered enough information about the major and tested your interest to determine if this path of study is right for you.

How did you become interested in this major?

• What high school courses interested you the most?
• What have you done to determine if this major is right for you?
• Do you see a meaningful or "logical" connection between your choice of major and the time you spend outside of class (in college or high school) devoted to activities or experiences related to your current path of study?
• Have you attended lectures or presentations about topics related to your course of study or possible career path?
• To what degree have family members, friends, teachers, or others encouraged you to pursue this major?
• Have you taken more than one (introductory) course in the major?

What evidence do you have that you will be successful in this major?

• How did your coursework in high school prepare you for this major?
• What skills do you need to be successful in the major?
• Are you enjoying the coursework?
• Have high school teachers or college professors encouraged you to pursue this area of study?
• What grades have you earned in introductory or 100- and 200-level major courses?
• Have you needed additional academic support from instructors, tutors, or peers to earn satisfactory grades in 100- and 200-level major courses?
• How are your grades in your major classes compared to other classes?
• Are you making satisfactory academic progress in the major?

What are your career interests and goals and professional values?

• What have you done to learn more about potential career opportunities associated with this major?
• Are you aware that choosing a major is not the same thing as choosing a career, and that a major in humanities, the arts, or social sciences can lead to jobs in business and many other professions?
• Do you have work or volunteer experience in areas related to your career interests?
• What factors, criteria, or considerations have motivated you to work in this profession?
• Have you selected the career primarily because of job opportunities, social prestige, or salary?
• Have you talked to or "shadowed" someone in your field of interest?
• Have you learned about specific and hidden job responsibilities, the characteristics of workplace culture, and if your personality and preferred working conditions (like working independently or with a team) align with what you would do on a daily basis?                                                                                                                                                                    

What have you done to learn about, or "test" your interest in, this major?

• Have you talked to anyone in Career Connection about your major and career interests and goals?
• Have you talked to your advisor or to a professor in the department about this major?
• Have you talked to upper-class students in this major?
• What research, work, and internship opportunities are available to majors?
• Have you learned the academic requirements for this major?
• Are you aware of departmental or major prerequisites, program admission requirements, course sequences, writing-option courses, and other curriculum information and requirements?
• Do you know what the average GPA is for majors in your program of study?
• Are you aware of the GPA required for graduate programs in this area?

How committed are you to this major?

• Would you describe your commitment to this major as "firm," "leaning toward," or "considering?"
• Are there any required courses for this major you might find challenging?
• Would you be willing to take an overload of courses one or two semesters, take summer courses, retake one or more courses, and/or spend one or more additional semesters at school to complete this major?
• What criteria or circumstances would convince you that your course of study might not be the most suitable major?
• What is your current GPA in your major, and what are your target and ideal GPA goals?
• Would you be content with a GPA of 2.5 or lower in your major course of study?
• How long would you continue on this major track if your grades do not match your target or ideal GPA goals?
• How upsetting would it be to switch to another major, particularly one that might be a significant departure from your original choice (for example, switching from biochemistry to history)?
• If academic challenges prevented you from pursuing this major, would you see this as a personal failure or as a typical scenario experienced by many college students?

Do you have a parallel or an alternative major in mind?

• Are there additional areas of study or courses you are interested in or would like to explore?
• In what non-major courses have you been most successful?