Feeling Pressure to Pick A College Major?

Don’t.

Before you freak out about making sure that the colleges your student considers have a specific major, check this out. 3 out of every 4 college students don’t find the major they graduate with until after they start college. Surprised? In fact, 75% of college graduates start college with no idea or the wrong idea about what future they should pursue.

Why?

1 in 4 Are Not Good Odds

Turns out, the answer isn’t all that complicated. 17-year-olds can’t be expected to know what kind of work environment fits them best or how they themselves will develop over the next four years. Sure, there are a lucky few who seem to magically mature a lot faster than the rest of us, but be honest; how many of us can look back at our 17-year-old selves and say, “Wow, I was so right about everything back then!”

So why obsess about major during the college search?

Instead of focusing on which colleges offer which major, put your energy into finding a college designed to maximize learning and graduate its students. Want to find out which colleges put their emphasis in the right place?

5 Questions to Steer Your College Search

Ask these five questions of each school you consider.

1. What percentage of freshmen graduate in 4 years?
2. Can my student graduate with minimal or no debt?
3. How often do professors know their students by name?
4. How available is academic support for students who need it?
5. Does the culture on campus make you feel like you belong there?

Dig into these questions with each college you consider, and you’ll be far more likely to pick a college where your student will grow, learn, and succeed after you graduate. No matter what they major in.

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