choosing a major -- Virtually Advising Q+A

The Q: How do I decide what I want to major in? Should it be career oriented?

The A: I feel it's better to think of your major as an effect, rather than a cause. You shouldn't choose a major because you think it'll get you a job when you graduate or line you up for a lucrative career. I suggest you choose the major that most interests you; the knowledge and skills you gain by taking courses in that major will almost certainly help you find a job you like after you graduate.

In fact, if you're a freshman and your school doesn't force you to choose your major for a while, I'd say don't rush it. Look through your course catalog and make a note of the courses that most interest you. Take a good number of intro courses to help you get a better idea for your options. Try to let a major find you, rather than forcing yourself into a mold you might not fit. Remember that figuring out what you -don't- want to do is often just as useful as figuring out what you -are- interested in doing.

When you get the chance, check out "Major Stressing: How to Choose Your Major," the first of a series of columns we offer on our site about, well, choosing your major. It might be able to lend a hand as well.

A good number of college Web sites also offer handy reference pages that outline some of the more popular job choices people in certain majors make; check out Rutgers (College Majors and Careers), Virginia Tech (Guide to Majors) and UNC-Wilmington for some good examples. Keep in mind, though, that these pages are by no means gospel; for example, science majors don't just take science jobs -- they can and have become successful businessmen, novelists, you name it.

Good luck -- let me know how things go!

—Myles Helfand, General Advisor