10 Factors to Choose the Correct College Major – U.S. College Admissions

By Hubert Ho | Head of Admissions Consulting Services, Kaplan Test Prep and Admission

Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions and can be a tough one for a high school student. The right discipline can lead to a competitive edge for college admissions, as well as to high-paying job offers or pave the way for certain post-graduate study.

When you decide what to study, the following information might be helpful.

• Explore Out-of-School Experiences. Hands-on learning opportunities can help you understand which careers and majors are a good match for you.

• Seek Advices from Industry Professionals or Independent Admissions Counselor. Students may get a better understanding of the jobs connected with certain majors by speaking with industry professionals instead of just family and friends.

• Think About Program Structure & Curriculum. Some majors may seem appealing, but the required classes that come with them may be a disaster to you.

• Weigh a STEM Discipline. The salary and job prospects for college graduates who major in STEM are promising from the past few years’ trend.

• Leverage Scholarship Opportunities. Although college is a costly investment, some majors can help you spend less. There are many scholarship offering to students who major in accounting, history and English as well as international students.

• Calculate Possible Salaries. It can be valuable for you to know which majors are more or less likely to lead to high salary. Students who have an idea of what they’ll make after college can get a jump-start on budgeting for things like graduate school.

• Consider Your Graduate School Applications. If you intend to go to graduate school, certain college majors may be more ideal than others.

• Benefit from a Narrower List. If you know what you want to study, such as chemical engineering or economics, you can narrow your college list by looking for schools that specialize in that topic.

• Look for General Education Curricula. If you are not yet decided, you should consider schools with a strong core curriculum that allows you to explore various subjects.

• Aware of the Cons of Being Undecided. Be aware of that if you cannot commit to a major, you may need to face some drawbacks, such as special freshman housing or professional development opportunities.

Hope the above information can help you understand more about how to choose a major. We are also always here to assist you to have a joyful college admissions journey.

Mr. Hubert Ho
Head of Admissions Consulting Services, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions
Associate Member of IECA, Member of NACAC and AEE
MCom (Finance), UNSW
BCom (Management & Marketing), University of Wollongong

• 10 years+ of experience in education industry
• Proven track record helping students gain admission to US prestigious colleges including Yale University, Stanford University, Cornell University, UCLA, UC-Berkeley, New York University, Boston University