How to Decide What to Study in College

You may have read surveys that say the majority of college graduates do not end up working in their major field of study, but that doesn't mean you should make this decision at random. What you study during your college years does have an impact on your life, and since you've paid (or will be paying) a lot of money for your education you need to get the most out of it. Here are some steps you may want to consider in making this decision:

1) What would you like to learn more about?

This seems like a simplified question, but just because you don't have a background in a subject doesn't mean you wouldn't like it. I was a shy person in high school, and to some extent I wanted to challenge myself into becoming more of a people person. So I took psychology (the major was very short at the time) and later broadcasting. In that situation, I was more focused on what skills I could gain rather than betting my future on a career I may or may not want to pursue after I graduated.

2) What's your dream?

I think a lot of people have a dream in life, but it doesn't always hit people at the same time. I figured out what I wanted to do with my life a few months into my senior year of college. Other people just know what they want to do for a career when they're very young. Neither option is wrong. If you have an idea of what you want, what you study needs to relate directly or indirectly into you reaching your goal.

3) What life skills do you need?

I think personal finance is one of the most neglected subjects on the high school and college level that everyone needs to know about. You may have to study this on your own if you don't have an opportunity in a formal classroom setting. It's worth it however to study life skills that you need along side academics.

4) What opportunities does a major or class open for you?

Certain majors will actually get you around people who can help you either through their experience and/or their influence. When it comes to success, no one does it on his or her own. If you can surround yourself with caring and successful people, it will rub off on you. On the opposite side of that, never let yourself get stuck in a course of study where you're very limited in what you can do beyond the classroom.

I hope you've found these tips helpful. This isn't something that usually happens overnight, so take the time to give it some thought. Good luck and best wishes to you!