Choosing a Major; What Matters?

A diagram of different majors offered at some if not all universities.

Unknown on StudentScholarships.org

A diagram of different majors offered at some if not all universities.

Bree Callahan, Staff Writer

College is a big deal at the moment. With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, juniors and seniors are working to gather information about what college they want to attend and what path they want to major in. Choosing a major that fits right is essential. Some teenagers struggle to find a major that interests them, instead opting to listen to what their friends or family say. While this can be extremely helpful, it can also cause teenagers to enter the wrong major. Choosing a pathway that interests you, not friends or family, is essential.  

According to Indeed, as of February 3, 2023, some of the most popular majors amongst high school students going into college include business, nursing, biomedical sciences, biology, psychology, history, engineering, communications, computer science, political science, economics, social sciences, art, environmental sciences, information technology (IT), music, physics, education, English, legal studies, architecture, and pharmaceutical sciences. On a different note, research, conducted by OyaSchools, shows that some of the least common majors among soon-to-be college students include educational psychology, drama and theatre arts, human services and community organizations, clinical psychology, composition and speech, visual and performing arts, miscellaneous fine arts, cosmetology services, and culinary sciences. 

However, that is not to say that all teenagers must choose to major in one of the majors listed above. Everyone has their personality and their mind, meaning that everyone is going to go into college with different mindsets and different goals. A good way for teenagers to decide what major they want to pursue during college is the pathway option at high schools. Many high schools offer electives that students can take to determine which pathway they find intriguing and want to complete in college. Some colleges also provide help for teenagers struggling to choose a major. Depending on the college, the first year is a “test year.” Students get to go through, take classes, and determine what interests them. In any case, choosing a pathway to follow through college depends on what the teenager wants to do, not what parents want to do or what their friends want to do. Choosing a major also doesn’t have to depend on how popular or unpopular it is.