Choosing a College Major

When I was in high school only a few short years ago, it seemed like everyone around me had their whole lives mapped out. They knew exactly where they wanted to go to college, what they wanted to study, where they wanted to be in eighty years…you name it, they already knew it. No one else seemed to have problems with choosing a college major. 

Meanwhile, I felt like I had nothing figured out. I had chosen a college, but that decision was more about financial aid than anything else. I struggled with what to study because I didn’t know what would be a good fit. I had always loved music, so I chose a major in Music Education in a kind of panic, and then felt locked in.

In retrospect, there were a lot of things I did wrong here.

1. I assumed that I was alone in being unsure. The majority of my friends chose their colleges based on where the best programs were for their chosen fields of study, so I felt like an outsider there. What I didn’t know then was that in just my small circle of close friends, one person would switch universities after a year, and another didn’t actually declare her major until a year into school. I could have waited like her, but instead…
2. I made uninformed choices about my major. The first was picking an education major in a panic; making decisions in a panic is never a good idea. I also ignored early warning signs that I was in the wrong major. I failed the initial music theory test that all music major applicants have to take, and instead of feeling happy about my choice, I was uneasy throughout the two years I remained there. This brings me to my third point, which is…
3. I thought that I had no choices. By the end of my second semester, in which I took an Intro to Music Ed class, I was pretty sure I wasn’t cut out for teaching, but I didn’t know what to do about it. For one thing, I wasn’t any more sure what my major should be at that point than I was before I started college. For another, I was worried that none of my music classes would be applicable to a different degree, not to mention that all of the friends I had made up to that point were in the music program. So…
4. I did nothing. I stayed in a major I knew was wrong for me for two whole years. I was afraid to make changes, but failing to do so came at a price I am still paying today. I have a couple lower grades from music classes in which I couldn’t fully succeed, and I’ll have to complete an additional semester of classes after my senior year to graduate with a degree in my new major.

So, what is my advice for avoiding mistakes like the ones I made? For starters, remember that no one is absolutely certain about what they want at this age, even if it seems like they do from your point of view. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had at least a couple of doubts along the way.

There were a lot of things that I loved about being in music, and if I could do college over, I don’t necessarily think I would give that up. I do, however, think that the best plan is for everyone to go into college with an undeclared major, or at the very least with a major you don’t feel locked into. Use your freshman year to explore as many different fields of study as you can. I chose my new major, English Literature, based on an English elective I took in my sophomore year, and I absolutely love it. I even got to apply my college music credits to a minor in Music Performance, so the classes I took didn’t go to waste.

Most importantly, remember that you always have choices, and if your gut tells you something is wrong, don’t do nothing. Ask for advice, get help, and don’t be afraid to make changes. 

For more tips on choosing a college major, check out this article by the Princeton Review.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services