I received an email from a father whose son is in college and has already changed his major three times and is in his fifth year of college. Yet the son still hasn’t found the right major. The father is lost on how to help his son and needs some guidance.
The impact of changing majors is much bigger now than when we went to school. I changed my major in college and still graduated in four years. That’s not the case not now.
Recent research shows that college students change their major up to six times. YIKES! It’s estimated that every time a student changes their major, it adds another one to two semesters in college. That student becomes a “professional student.” But instead of getting paid, you and your student are paying $30,000 or more a semester.
While they may not say it, teens want our help with figuring this out.
Today’s college students are confused and anxious when it comes to selecting a major.
- 51% of students are not confident in their career path when they enter college.
- Almost two-thirds of students feel overwhelmed by the process of selecting majors.
- Gen Z (68 percent) and Millennials (63 percent) feel the most stress, followed by a large percentage of Gen X students (49 percent).
So what is the solution? How can you help your teen and reduce their anxiety?
First, don’t put a lot of pressure on them. It’s important to start researching careers during the teen’s sophomore year of high school. You have more time to find the right path which equates to less stress.
Second, find a good career assessment that doesn’t just focus on personality and aptitude. These traits do not lead to job success. Having a job that matches your natural interests does.
Third, don’t just rely on the assessment results. Many parents who reach out to me think all the teen needs is the assessment. The assessment is just the first step to getting your teen in the right direction. Some work needs to be done by looking at the job outlook, salary, and other details of the recommended jobs. The teen should also talk to professionals in those careers to gather more information.
Taking these steps will help reduce your teen’s anxiety and get them on the right path. Of course, we know that teens are more likely to receive information from an outside source versus their own parents. We can help with that. Schedule a complimentary College Assessment Plan call where we will talk about you and your teen’s goals and get them on the best path after high school. As one parent said to me, “My teen and I need peace of mind, and you are it.”