So your college freshman is about to head out on their own but there is just one question that still doesn’t have an answer: what will they be majoring in? You hear their friends talk about majoring in things like business, music, chemistry, communications and so on. But your child has decided to go undeclared in their first semester of college. This could be ok but for a lot of people this can add an element of stress to college because you wonder how and when will your child ever find their major. These tips might just help you and your child get through this confusing time.
The first thing you can do as a parent is have a one-on-one conversation with your child about career options. Find out what they are really interested in and how you could help them turn their interests into a career. If they like music, have them look at all of the music careers that are out there: composing, performance, artist management and so on. If they like chemistry, do they want to be a chemist in a lab or a high school chemistry teacher? There are so many options out there and a lot of pre-college students forget about that.
Both of you can also create a pros and cons list for all of their career ideas as this can help narrow down some thoughts. Also talk about where they want to be in five years and do research together on internships they could try out before and during college.
Next, have your child find a mentor. This can be a great way for them to learn about a career through hands-on activity. It also gives them someone to look up to in their possible career field. Additionally, this can lead to great networking which will benefit them later on down the road when the job hunt begins!
And, while your child may not have found their ideal college don’t forget, we are still here for you. Ideally, you want to make decisions on colleges after a child has decided on a major preferably sometime in that Sophomore or Junior year of high school but, it’s never too late. And, it’s not the end of the world even if it is concerning to see them “undeclared.” We can help them choose the best major for them at their college of choice. Drop me an email at laurie@myidealcollege.org or give me a call (you can schedule by clicking here) and we can chat about where you are in the process and how My Ideal College can help you.