What to Do if You’re Still in School
Consider changing your major if time and money allow. According to Ruiz, “If you choose a major that not only aligns with your professional and personal goals but also aligns with your talents and strengths, it will always be a more pleasant experience. It will always be something that's going to be more interesting to you as you're studying.” Whether you can still graduate on time or maintain any scholarships or financial aid with a different major depends on the specific program, degree, and school you attend. Chat with an advisor before making any speedy decisions.
Talk to an academic or career advisor about your concerns. Ruiz agrees that you should reach out to a college career advisor if you're worried about what you’ll do after you graduate. “Students pay fees to support things like the career center and the career office. They should use them while they’re on campus because once they graduate, they may not be accessible anymore, depending on the university.” The earlier you can voice your concerns about your major or career prospects, the better. An advisor can help you identify jobs available to you with your major and experience or, if time allows, switch up some of your coursework to include a new concentration, minor, or even a new or additional major.
Take electives or other courses in a field you’re more passionate about. You can still study other subjects, even if you’re sticking with a major you’re not totally enthusiastic about. Look at your school’s course catalog and sign up for an elective that interests you if you have room in your schedule. It could be something niche or specific, like a photography class or a history seminar on a specific era, or even a broad gen ed class like philosophy. Are you able to add a minor that’s more interesting to you, or even double major? Depending on your schedule and coursework, you may only need a handful of classes to supplement your major. Electives are a great way to expose yourself to new ideas, subjects, and people. You never know when something you learned in a random college class will come back to help you later in life or in your career!
Get internships or part-time work in a different field for experience. Just because you didn’t major in a certain field doesn’t mean you’re unqualified to get your foot in the door. Research opportunities for internships, summer jobs, or part-time work outside your major to build up your resume and explore the field. Is it what you thought it would be? Do you find it more aligned with your passions and skills than your current major? College is a great time to dabble in multiple interests and learn more about what you really want out of your life and career. Don’t limit yourself to staying within your major if you have any doubts or regrets about it!
Network with students and professors in multiple majors. Email professors in your major or stop by during office hours to ask questions about life in your field of study. What are the rest of the classes like? What jobs should you look at after graduation? What are the general career prospects? Most professors will be happy to chat with you and answer your questions the best they can! Talk to older students in your program, too. Find out why they chose this field and what they plan to do after graduation. If you see yourself in them, you may just be in the right major. Also check out campus events or clubs related to your major to see if you find them interesting or inspiring. Feel free to network within other majors, too. For example, if you regret not going to art school, chat with a professor in the art department to see what classes you could take or how you could gain work experience in the field with your current major.
Reflect on why you chose your major and any good reasons to stay in it. Maybe the classes you’re in this term aren’t super interesting or you’re struggling with one specific course related to your major. These are definitely reasons to second guess yourself, but take a breath and think about your degree program as a whole. Are there more interesting classes you’ll take later? Do you enjoy most aspects of your major, even if it can be dry or difficult at times? Are you still passionate about what you’re studying? If you think your doubt is just a bump in the road when you look at the bigger picture, then you might be fine to continue with your major. However, if you’re struggling to come up with meaningful reasons to keep going, it may be time to switch things up. Remember, there’s no right or wrong reason to stay in a major or leave it—it’s all about what feels correct to you! Even if you’re close to graduating and can’t switch majors, there’s plenty you can do to expand your knowledge and skills and find your dream career.
Remember that your major doesn’t define you or the jobs you might get. The “major to career pipeline” isn’t totally straight or linear; lots of people end up having satisfying careers that have little or nothing to do with what they went to school for! Many of the skills and experiences you gain in college are applicable to a wide variety of fields, so your major may not be as unaligned with your career goals as you think.
What to Do if You’ve Already Graduated
Highlight transferable skills when applying for jobs you want. You can absolutely still get a job you enjoy, even if it’s not related to what you majored in. The soft skills you acquire in majors like the arts, humanities, or liberal arts make you a fantastic candidate for most jobs, even if you’re lacking certain hard skills (you can always take a class or get a certification to expand your skill set, and some employers offer on-the-job training as well). Some of these coveted soft skills include: Strong written and oral communication skills. Interpersonal skills like teamwork, mediating conflict, or interviewing others. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A willingness to learn and grow in a new position or field. Tip: When you’re writing a cover letter for a job, mention how you’ve used the soft skills above to overcome challenges and succeed. Showing that you’re a thoughtful, professional, and competent person goes a long way in interviews!
Pursue your passion on the side—it might still become your career! There’s nothing that says you can’t have a day job related to your major and a side hustle or serious hobby that you love after work. Continue following your true passions and interests, networking with people in those fields or scenes, and putting in the effort to hone your skills. Your hobby might turn into a small side hustle, then a part-time job, and then maybe even your whole career! Even if it doesn’t become your new job, doing an activity or hobby that you’re passionate about can help restore you mentally and emotionally, making you more refreshed and motivated to do your actual job (even if it isn’t your dream career).
Do online coursework or take community college classes. Depending on what you want to do career-wise, you may not need to invest in another undergraduate degree. Sign up for online or local community college classes to learn new skills, explore new subjects, or get a certification in a specific skill or procedure if you need it to break into a different career. For example, you could take coding classes at your own pace for a lot less money than enrolling at a university if you wanted to shift into a computer science-related field. Online classes are also a cheap way to test if you really like the subject material or not.
Try using your gen ed credits to get another degree in less time. If you feel you truly need a new degree in a wildly different field, research programs that accept your original college credits for gen ed classes. That way, you won’t have to take them again and can focus specifically on your major-related courses. You’ll also be able to complete your degree in much less time—maybe even as little as 2 years. Since this is still a potentially costly and time-consuming decision, take your time deciding if, where, and when to go back. If there’s a clear financial or happiness incentive, it may be the right choice!
Consider pursuing a Master’s degree in a different field or subject. A Master’s may be a good call if you want to pivot careers entirely and need high-level training or education. Most programs are 2 years and are fairly intense, but the exact time and money requirements vary by program and school. Ruiz offers the following advice for submitting a strong grad school application if your work experience doesn’t line up with your intended new degree: “The most impressive applications are going to have a high GPA [and] a fair amount of activities that show leadership engagement on campus because you're trying to show your graduate campus that you can lead others and be engaged at their campus.” When it comes to essays, “[show] something different than the remainder of your application. If your resume is largely professional, then you may want to share some personal experiences or other pieces of yourself in your essays. So, that way, it's not necessarily repetitive.” Ask a professor you worked with for a recommendation if “they liked you and you did good work. Ask them for letters of recommendation if they've had good experiences with you.” Tip: When you’re applying to programs, look for professors who match your academic interest. However, Ruiz says it’s far more important to “understand the program and university before understanding the professors, as a professor might only teach one or two classes, but the university is going to be something that [you’re] there for anywhere between two to four years.”
Is it common to regret your major?
Yes; 36% of Americans would change their field of study if they could. According to a Gallup poll, 51% of Americans who went to college would change their degree type, school or institution, and/or major if they could do it all over again. Out of everyone surveyed, 36% said they would change their field of study completely (this was the biggest reason participants would want to redo college) and 12% said they would get a different type of degree. 28% said they would go to a different school or institution, but were satisfied with their degree or field of study. So, if you’re feeling frustrated with your major choice, know you’re not alone! A lot of people struggle with choosing the major or degree that’s ultimately right for them. Choosing a major is a big decision at a young age that can be influenced by your interests at the time, advice from peers, family, or counselors, finances, and/or the schools that are available to you and what they offer (or don’t). Don’t get down on yourself if you didn’t make the best choice the first time!
Why do people regret their college majors?
Interest in another field is the biggest reason people regret their major. In a survey by Dreambound, 56% of respondents said they would have chosen a different major simply because they were more interested in or passionate about other subjects. The data implies that young people may be choosing a major without exploring other options they may be interested in, based on the salaries they hope to earn later, or due to outside pressure from family or peers to pick a specific field. While there are a lot of factors to consider when picking a major, the data shows that following your passion is a big part of having no regrets later on (even if you don’t ultimately end up working in that field).
Low pay and a lack of job opportunities are also big reasons for many. In the same Dreambound poll, 23% of participants said they regretted their major because of a lack of job opportunities once they got out of college. Almost the same number (21%) said low pay was the biggest reason. Dreambound suggests that a lack of transparency and data around the economic opportunities of different fields and majors may be to blame for students making ill-informed choices related to their financial future.
Student loan debt causes major regrets, too (especially for Millennials). In a survey by PayScale, 27.1% of participants said their biggest regret is taking out large loans to afford their degree (this was the biggest regret indicated in the survey). This is especially true for younger graduates, like Millennials, and those who majored in lower-earning fields at expensive private universities. In fact, the share of college graduates who regret their student loans is ballooning across generations. For example, only 13.4% of Baby Boomers have regrets about student loans and their major.
How to Choose a Major
Choose a major that suits your interests, skills, and future job needs. Some people know exactly what they want to do from a young age, while others need some time, experience, and reflection to figure out a major they’d thrive in. If you’re at a loss, ask yourself these questions to get started: Which is most important to you: your potential salary, your passions, or your skills? In other words, do you value money, doing what interests you, or doing what comes easily to you more? What are you interested in? You’re more likely to stay engaged and succeed if you have a genuine interest in your field of study. What are you good at? What are your natural skills and talents and what fields are they useful in? Do fields that make a lot of money interest you? If finances are your primary motivation, a STEM field may be a better choice than the arts, for example. How hard is the coursework? Your major determines how time-consuming and difficult your studies are; check with an academic counselor for more information on specific programs. Still not sure what to major in? Take our “What Should I Major In at College?” quiz to get some ideas!
Take your gen ed courses first while you decide if your major is the right fit. If you’ve started college and still aren’t sure what to major in (or you think you know but want to be extra sure), prioritize your gen ed classes for your first year or two. This gives you some time to explore other subjects and learn more about your intended major before officially declaring it. Some schools allow you to take your gen ed requirements any time before graduating, while others may require you to complete certain courses by certain times. Consult with your academic advisor if you have any questions on what to take or when to take it.
The Most & Least Regretted Majors
The most regretted majors are… Interestingly, there are some trends in which fields or majors are most regretted (and which aren’t) based on things like job satisfaction, compensation, and opportunities to move or advance in your field. According to a poll by ZipRecruiter, the most regretted majors include: Journalism Sociology Liberal Arts & General Studies Communications Education Marketing Management & Research Medical/Clinical Assisting Political Science & Government Biology English Language & Literature
The least regretted majors are… However, some fields and majors show strong favorability from graduates and degree holders. Some majors that survey participants say they would do all over again include: Computer & Information Sciences Criminology Engineering Nursing Health Business Management & Administration Finance Psychology Construction Trades Human Resources Management
Our Editors Share Their Experiences
“I was confident that majoring in music was right for me, but now I enjoy a totally different career.” “I was dead set on becoming a musician and even got a Master’s degree in it! But when I started working, I realized how competitive it was and how hectic it is piecing together a living through freelancing, teaching, and other side work—not the lifestyle I envisioned. But, my music degree made me self-disciplined, analytical, detail-oriented, and able to “trust the process” when learning new things. All of these skills have been super valuable in every job I’ve ever had.” - staff writer Dan H. His advice: “Major in what you’re passionate about and give it your all, even if you’re not sure how a career in that field will shake out. Even if you end up going a different route, being a hard worker who’s willing to learn will open doors to so many jobs and opportunities that might not have anything to do with your major.”
“Don’t be afraid to go against the grain.” “When I taught undergraduates, some of them were passionate about their majors—but others confessed they were only majoring in what they thought they “should” do. Those students inevitably had a hard time feeling excited about what they were studying, but the ones that took time to reflect on what they wanted were much happier with their choices and often thrived in their field—even if it meant dropping their current major and starting over, or choosing a less “lucrative” major.” - staff writer Dev M.
“If you’re worried it’s too late to switch majors, don’t give up until you talk to a counselor!” “In college, one of my best friends was a pre-med student, and she was extremely stressed out and unhappy. She was super passionate about literature, though, and she loved to talk to me about what I was learning as an English major. One day, I asked her if she ever considered switching majors, and she said she thought it was too late because we were already juniors.” “Long story short, we went to the English department that day to ask, and by the end of the meeting, they had switched her major. She got straight A's in her first quarter with her new major, and she has no regrets about switching to something she’s more passionate about.” - staff writer Annabelle R.
“Try to find a class or subtopic in your major that you enjoy.” “One of my good friends in college decided in high school that she wanted to become a lawyer. After 3 years of law and political science classes, she realized she didn't have the same goals she did in high school. Although it was too late to change her major, she found classes that she was passionate about and they helped her figure out what she did want to do. If you still have room in your schedule, try to fit in classes outside your major and explore the other job options out there.” - staff writer Cheyenne M.
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