Thinking About College Majors

Thinking About College Majors

When asked about their intended college major, the majority of ninth and tenth graders said they planned to study a STEM-related subject, while the eleventh and twelfth graders were much more divided. High school students in general paid particular attention to the possible career paths associated with potential college majors—though without limiting themselves to financial considerations. For example, one upperclassman shared that, when considering what to study, they factored in potential for steady employment but also the possibility of using their career to better the world.35

The lack of an obvious career path was a common reason for high schoolers not wanting to pursue a major in the humanities. One high school student expressed the belief that one could not do much beyond teaching with an English or history degree.36 Other reasons for not wanting to pursue the humanities included a general lack of interest in the subject, with one high school upperclassman sharing that subjects like English and history just don’t seem “fun” to them.37

The college students interviewed—much like the high school students—frequently imagined direct career paths, like nursing and education, where specific majors are tied to the name of the profession. Some reported that they did not want to study a subject if they were unsure it would lead to a job.

While potential careers were on the minds of college students, they also considered their passions and the personal impact of an area of study. One college student, referencing a potential English and literature major, said of their goal in choosing a major, “I just want to have a better understanding of the things I enjoy, and about being alive.”38 Speaking more generally, another college student said the decision of what to major in “definitely came down to what I was passionate about.”39

Job security and potential careers were also commonly reported reasons for why college students second-guessed their chosen major. Some students looked at the fruitful careers of their peers and wondered whether they would be able to achieve the same in their current field of study. One student majoring in graphic design expressed concern about the role of generative AI in creating graphics. However, among college students with a humanities subject as at least one of their majors, none reported second-guessing their choice to major in the humanities.

In addition to looking at their peers and the changing world around them, college students sought specific advice from a variety of people in their lives on pursuing an area of study. Some students chose their major on their own, but most sought advice when deciding what subject to pursue. Parents were the most frequently cited influence, followed by teachers, college advisors, and friends. Some parents were described as supportive of their children following the path they wanted (“‘Do what you want. It’s your college experience.’ They definitely made me more comfortable in choosing my major.”40), while others actively discouraged their children from pursuing certain subjects (“Like, I love art, and I, like, want to take art classes, but my parents are paying for college, and my dad does not value art, and he thinks that making art in college is such a waste of time and money.”41). Among the interviewees in college, several noted that their coursework influenced which subjects they would like to pursue.