Interview with a Counselor - Picking a Major

Hi. I’m Erica Lovelace and I’d like to talk to you all today about choosing a major and some considerations that you might want to look at as you’re planning your future. One of the things that I first want to tell you is where I’m from. I’m from the Department of Rehabilitative Services which is also known as Vocational Rehabilitation. And I say that because you all might be interested in contacting your local VR office to see whether or not they may be able to offer you some assistance in helping you determine your major. They have the ability to do some career assessments, career guidance and counseling and exploration. It’s an excellent resource that you all might wanna consider as you’re planning your college career and looking at what is your major study and what types of employment opportunities might you engage in once you’ve completed your education.

Some of the things that you might wanna consider on your own when you’re looking at a major is what are you interested in, what are the things that you like to do as a hobby, as a vocation, those are things that might direct you in choosing your major. Some of the other things that you might wanna consider are not feeling that you have to choose a major immediately. You don’t have to declare your major until sometimes after your second year. The first year to that you’re enrolled in a college program, you’re really concentrating on your core courses: Your English, your math, your history, your science. You also have to get some electives in. What an opportunity to use those electives to help you determine what your major is going to be. You can look at all of the programs that are available, take a few electives in courses that you think you might be interested in and have that help you as a guide and a tool to use as you’re choosing your major.

Some other things that you wanna consider are following your heart. Look at what it is that you truly want to do. I’ve worked with students for quite a few years and I’ve seen so many students that go into a program based on the amount of money they’re going to be able to earn and it really hasn’t been a good match. The money is not the most important thing when you’re considering choosing a major in your ultimate employment. You’re gonna work many, many years. It’s important that you’re working in a field that you enjoy and that you have a passion for. So keep that in mind and follow your heart in what it is that you really wanna do and the environment that you really wanna be involved in.

You’re also going to get a lot of information from many, many different people. Don’t feel pressured into choosing a major based on the influence and the opinions of others. It has to be something that you’re really interested in. Once you’re looking at your major consider the entire course work. There’s probably gonna be some courses that you may or may not like. So as you’re picking your major look at the entire requirements for the degree program and what the courses are that you’re gonna have to take to satisfy that major.

You might also wanna look at the employment areas that are going to be available to you once you complete a major. You certainly don’t wanna pick a major only to find out that the employment arena for that major is either decreasing and or the jobs are being outsourced, so your likelihood of finding suitable employment is not very great. So keep that in mind. And along those lines some things that you might wanna do while you’re still in high school during your summers in helping you choose a major is to actually visit some employers where you think they have the types of jobs that you might eventually be interested in. Do some informational interviewing where you meet with the employer or you meet with an employee within a certain company and you talk to that employee and you ask some very pointed questions. What type of training do they require, what were their interest, what do they like about the job they’re doing, what do they dislike about the job that they’re currently doing, what is a typical day like for them. And maybe one of the most important questions is if they had it to do over again, would they still choose the same field.

The next step that you can do after the informational interviewing is visit a job site. Ask an employer or an HR Department if you could do some job shadowing where you actually are with an employee for a day, a half a day or a prescribed amount of time and you actually follow that individual for a day and you observe what their activities are and the interaction that they’re required to do with others and the actual work that they are assigned. Those are some good ideas to consider when you’re looking at choosing a major.

The other thing that you might wanna consider when you’re looking at your major and as it ties into employment opportunities what types of additional training might be required beyond completion of a bachelor’s degree. Are you looking at a field that is going to require a master’s degree or certification training or perhaps a PhD? Those might be things that you want to consider as you’re looking at choosing a major. There’s places where you can get information on labor market trends, so that you can look at. What are the jobs that are increasing in demand over a period of time? And if those are jobs that are going to become available and their areas of interest you might wanna look at at the majors.

One of the things that as a VR Counselor, I encourage individuals to do is focus on your employment goal. Look at your employment goal and what are the requirements of that employment goal as opposed to necessarily focusing in on a degree or a major, but look at the actual work that you’re interested in and what are the requirements to meet those work requirements.

Another thing that you might wanna consider in choosing a major is what are the expectations from the university. Are you required to get above a 2.0? Some universities require that you have a 3.0 in your chosen major. Those are some things that you might wanna consider before selecting a major.

Some of the other things that you might wanna look at is whether or not a foreign language is required. Do you have to take a foreign language to satisfy that major? And you need to know these things at the beginning of selecting your major. Not at the end when you’re anticipating having your degree.

In closing, I hope that you found some of these ideas helpful and that you’ll use some of the ideas. Most importantly follow your heart, have fun, explore your options as you’re choosing your major. Thank you so much.

Deciding on a Major Part 2

Discover your options

If you are uncertain of your major, you may enroll in college with an undeclared major and begin your general education requirements. Sometimes students discover what they want to major in by taking the required general education classes. A general education program in the humanities or liberal arts offers a great deal of variety and can also help you further identify your interests, strengths and values. A liberal arts degree, for example, can provide a solid foundation for many jobs and future career paths. Some courses include “service learning” to provide hands-on experiences for students. You may also volunteer in different organizations or businesses in which you are interested to get a further idea of your career direction. Some businesses even prefer to hire individuals with a liberal arts degree, as it conveys competent skills in critical thinking, writing, problem solving and decision-making, and allows the company to provide its own training to the employee.

Additionally, when you get to college you can meet with a career counselor at the college career center on campus. These centers have many resources to help you with your decision-making. Your career interests and goals will develop and even change over time. The more you can specify what you want, the easier it will be to reach your goal.

Some majors require performance skills in addition to the academics or “book learning” you get in the classroom. For example, a student who wants to become a teacher may need to go into the classroom and observe a classroom in action or even teach a lesson with supervision. The student isn’t just reading about teaching strategies, he or she is actually doing it or seeing it in action.

It’s important to know if you have difficulty with learning performance skills during a required internship; you may need accommodations to acquire the new skills or be able to complete a task. Let’s say you have difficulty reading weekly written assignments provided by your site supervisor. One accommodation might be that you are given an electronic version of the instructions so you can use technology to read it aloud to you. You can understand the instructions, but you may need to access them in a different way. It’s about being creative to get the job done. But you don’t have to do it all on your own. The disability support services office on campus can talk with you about appropriate job site accommodations. The Job Accommodation Network also provides individualized workplace solutions if your disability presents a challenge to complete a required task. And lastly, your state vocational rehabilitation service has expertise in how to accommodate your disability and help you to work efficiently on the job. Think about inviting a representative from your state vocational rehabilitation service to participate in your IEP meeting.

Identify your interests

To begin identifying your potential interests, meet with your guidance counselor to discuss your interests and assessment resources available at your high school. It is recommended to take several career interest surveys and to discuss them with a career professional. Look under “Activities” to find some things you can start doing now to narrow down your choices in majors and careers.

Deciding on a Major Part 1

Decisions, decisions, decisions

Some students are very clear about their passions and know exactly what they want to major in from the very beginning of college. The majority of students, however, are not so certain. What can help you to decide on a major?

A sea of choices

There are thousands of occupations from which to choose, many career assessments to jump start your ideas and frequent listings of top 10 careers or hottest jobs. But there is no specific test that will tell you what to be when you are older or what should be your major! Many students initially choose careers that open up job opportunities that pay very well. But it’s not all about the money.

While earning power is a consideration, it is more important to find a career that you love to do, that is right for you and that you can’t believe you are getting paid to do! Your values and what you deem important in life will ultimately play a role in your career satisfaction. Especially important for students with disabilities is to choose a major in which your strengths will be utilized on a regular basis and a major that allows you to compensate for less important skills that are not as strong. These considerations will maximize your chances for success.

What is a major?

A major is an area of study that allows you to build knowledge and skills around a specific subject or specialty area. To earn a degree in a particular major, each college requires certain courses and course credits and may provide choices for predetermined electives. These established programs are often based on national or state accreditation standards in order to guarantee that graduates are proficient with identified skills and knowledge. Most majors also require general education courses such as English, science, social sciences, math, etc.

Online Resources - Career

Career Information

Occupational Outlook Handbook
http://www.bld.gov/oco/

Jobweb
http://www.jobweb.org/

Employment Guide
http://www.employmentguide.com/

Job Options
http://www.joboptions.com/

When to Choose a Major

One of the most important decisions you will make when embarking on your college career is what you will select as your major. Despite the importance of this decision, many undergraduates come to this conclusion very early, some before they even set foot on campus.

There are, in fact, a number of things that should be considered before deciding on a major. Remember, college is more than a trade school. The goal of higher education is to give you a skill set that will help you in the workplace, but it is also designed to make you more of a well-rounded person. You should spend your first couple of semesters taking a variety of courses that interest you, not just fill your core requirements. Not only does this give you more options, but it also gives you information down the road if you decide on a minor.

Please keep in mind that if you do go to college with a major in mind that you find that it is not a good fit for you. You may want to change, but you should try to find this out earlier rather than later…

This is also important because changing your major midway through college can cost you time and money. If you decide in your second or third year that your current major isn’t right for you, you may have to postpone your graduation date and pay for the extra time you are in school.

Step #2: Taking the Right Courses

It is very important for your teenager to be taking the right courses in high school. He will need four years of math, science, history and English. He will also need to take a 2nd language for 2 or 3 years - depending on the college he wishes to attend. You'll need to work with your teenager's school to be sure he is getting all of the right courses offered to him for college preparation.

Your teen should take a look at extracurricular activities such as being involved with a community organization, in sports or being involved in a student club. These are all things colleges will look for on the application.

Maximizing Your College Education Investment

The price of four years at a brand-name state university is approaching $75,000. At a brand-name private college, close to $200,000. And most students take more than four years.

With the possible exception of your home, your child’s college education is the largest purchase you’ll probably ever make, especially if you have two or more children. How do you maximize the value of your investment?

Choosing a College

These recommendations integrate the research findings from the Carnegie Foundation combined with my own years of experience as a college and career counselor.

If your child is Ivy caliber and aspires to a career that insists on a designer-label diploma such as investment banking or corporate law, it’s worth paying even the sticker price of an elite private college such as an Ivy or Stanford and certainly the price of an elite public institution such as Berkeley, UCLA, or the University of Virginia. While these schools have large classes taught by research- rather than teaching-focused professors, and these schools can be pressure cookers, the lifetime income and status gains are typically worth it. In addition, students grow a great deal from spending four years around the nation’s best and brightest.

For most other Ivy-caliber students, for example, those aspiring to be physicians, executives, public-interest attorneys, or other careers in a non-profit or government agency, the best payback probably comes from attending an elite public university. There are ample opportunities for challenge by taking difficult classes and honors programs, and the Ivy-caliber student at these institutions will stand out and thus be tapped for campus leadership positions, opportunities to work one-on-one with professors, which in turn, leads to great recommendations and leads on good jobs.

One client I had, for example, turned down Williams College, one of the nation’s most selective to attend UCLA that cost 75 percent less. There, as a brighter star among lesser lights, she stood out and so got leads into a job working for the White House. If she were at Williams, she probably would not have reaped such an opportunity.

If, however, your family income is less than $50,000 a year and are admitted to an elite private college, your child should probably go. In that case, you’ll probably get enough financial aid to justify it.

If your child is not Ivy caliber and your family income is under $70,000, a small private college probably is the wisest choice. You would get little financial aid at a public university and significant aid from the better and well-endowed privates such as Grinnell, Santa Clara, Guilford, Beloit, College of Wooster, and St. Johns (MD and NM). At such institutions, your child will be taught by dedicated accessible teachers in classes small enough to provide detailed feedback on writing assignments, and to require your child to be prepared for class lest he be called on and left dumbfounded. The campus culture at these institutions is also good for promoting student growth as human beings.

If you have a not-Ivy-caliber child and your family income is much more than $70,000, the balance generally tips in favor of attending one of your state’s well-regarded public universities such as Indiana University, Wisconsin-Madison, Penn State, Oregon State, and the Universities of North Carolina and Washington. Consider in-state schools because out-of-state tuition is usually usurious. Why State U? Because for families earning more than around $70,000, the private colleges will offer little aid, and there are ample benefits of the public university: larger choice of courses and professors, more clubs, library and athletic resources, a bigger alumni network. You might ask, “But shouldn’t we decide whether our child should to a large versus small college based on whether he’d feel comfortable in a large college? With a bit of guidance (provided below) it is easy to make a large university feel small and homey enough.

A word about large non-elite private universities such as the Universities of Southern California and Miami, and Boston, Syracuse, and Tulane Universities. These are rarely worth the money. Not only are they nearly as expensive as an Ivy without the prestige, the most frequently taken classes are usually large and taught by research- rather than teaching-oriented professors. If you’re going to spring for the money for a non-elite private college, small one are usually wiser choices.

Graduate Program Transfer Question

Here is a question from one of my readers...

Question: Is it possible to transfer from one college or university to another without starting my program over?

Answer: It is quite common for students to transfer from one school to another at the undergraduate level. In fact, some schools (many 2-year colleges) are designed to be transfer schools and offer only the first two years of undergraduate study. Their graduates often go on to do the last two years of a bachelor’s degree at another school.

The situation regarding graduate programs is more complicated due to the nature of graduate education. It is sometimes possible to transfer to another university after beginning a graduate program in the U.S. The policies, however, will vary by individual school; therefore, it is important that you inquire of the university where you plan to transfer as to exactly what courses they will accept for transfer. You should make sure to inquire about the general transfer policy as well as the specific policy which pertains to the school from which you will be transferring. It is likely that some of your previous graduate credit will not be accepted. You should choose the school you are transferring to carefully, and you should probably discuss this with your current graduate advisor.

Transitioning from a Community College to a Four-Year School

If you want to start out at a community college (or are already enrolled in one) and then transfer to a four-year school, make sure you have a plan. If you try to make the switch without mapping out your steps, then your transition will be harder. Here are the steps you should take to transition from a community college to a four-year school.

Make a list. Come up with a list of objectives to help you determine the right path for you. Think about where you see yourself in five or ten years. Here are some questions to consider:
• What career would you like to pursue?
• What academic preparation is required to enter this career field?
• Which four-year institution has a good academic program for your field of interest?
• What are some of the characteristics you are looking for in a four-year school?

Choose a transfer school. The earlier you can select a four-year institution to attend, the better off you will be. Universities and colleges differ widely in the courses they accept for transfer. By choosing a transfer school as early as possible, you will save a lot of time and effort because you will know in advance which courses will transfer to your selected school. When choosing a transfer school, check to see which schools have articulation agreements. Articulation agreements provide specific transfer policies that make it easier to transfer from one school to another. Be sure to visit schools and take virtual tours of campuses to help you pick a four-year school.

Meet with transfer advisors. Because not all universities and colleges accept the same courses for transfer, it is critical that you work with a transfer advisor at your community college as well as one at the school to which you want to transfer. These advisors will help you map out courses to meet graduation requirements at your community college and transfer requirements for your chosen four-year institution.

Focus on academics and extracurricular activities. Most community colleges operate under an "open admissions" policy, which means that anyone with a high school diploma or GED may attend, regardless of prior academic performance and extracurricular involvement. However, to be accepted into your four-year school of choice, you need to stay focused on academics, achievements, and extracurricular activities. Keep your grades up and become involved in your community. Your transfer school wants well-rounded students.

Research financial aid options. Four-year institutions are more expensive than community colleges, so be sure to look into your financial aid options. Look for scholarships by performing a free scholarship search (never pay for that service). You should also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for state, federal, and institutional aid. Even if you don't think you'll qualify for need-based financial aid, you should still complete the FAFSA to be eligible for low-interest student loans. The FAFSA can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1st of the year for which you are requesting aid.

For more specific information on transferring to a four-year school, contact your community college transfer advisor.

How Some Colleges Deceive Students and Parents

As fall begins, two million students and their families start to make one of life’s most critical decisions: picking a college.

Alas some colleges, even some reputable ones, don’t make the process easy.

DECEPTION: BURIED INFORMATION. Some colleges hide such information as their full published cost of attendance or their four-year graduation rate. The unfortunate truth is that the median four-year graduation rate at four-year colleges is just around 40 percent. The rate at many colleges, including some well-known public universities is even under 10 percent!
SOLUTION: Every college’s 4- and 6-year graduation rate and other key information are at http://nces.ed.gov/globallocator.

DECEPTION: OFFER MAJORS THAT APPEAR TO LEAD TO A COOL CAREER. For example, some colleges offer enticing majors such as journalism, but fail to mention
that students may only enter the major after their sophomore year and, even then, competition may prohibit some students from being admitted to the major. Or a college withholds the fact that most of that college’s graduates never earn enough from journalism to even pay back their student loans.

SOLUTION: Contact the college’s career center and ask, “If I am admitted to the college, am I admitted to the major?” Also ask, “What percentage of graduates in (Insert major) are professionally employed within six months of graduation?”

DECEPTION: LIE WITH STATISTICS #1. For example, the University of California proclaims that half its classes have 20 or fewer students. The problem is that few students take those small classes, for example, Advanced Greek. The commonly taken classes typically have 100 to 500 students.

SOLUTION: Don’t sign on the dotted line until you’ve asked students or at least the admissions office, “How many students are in commonly taken classes such as calculus or 20th century literature?”DECEPTION: LIE WITH STATISTICS #2: Be wary of colleges that say things like, "Ninety eight percent of qualified pre-med students get into medical school." A college may well only “qualify” those students who are a sure bet for admission, with the vast majority of pre-meds being deemed “unqualified.”

SOLUTION: Ask the program’s department chair: “Of every 100 students who start out pre-med (or pre-law) what percent end up actually attending medical (or law) school?”

DECEPTION: THE GLOSSY BROCHURE: Beware of colleges that have fancy brochures or web pages touting their, say, pre-med program. A slick presentation does not a good department make.

SOLUTION: Sit in on an advanced class in that program. After class, ask the students how they liked the program.

DECEPTION: THE SCHOLARSHIP SCAM: A college gives you a scholarship. You say, "Wow, I'll go there; they want me." In actuality, most or all freshmen may have received the same scholarship. Many colleges reduce the sticker price of attendance for most students in hopes that students are lured to the college by the "honor" of receiving a scholarship.

SOLUTION: When you receive your financial aid packages, compare the cash dollars you’ll have to come up with and the amount of loan you’ll have to repay. Those are the only numbers that count.

DECEPTION: THE DRUG-DEALER APPROACH TO FINANCIAL AID. A college gives a student a big discount in the first year, but thereafter, knowing the student is hooked, raises the price. A college may even guarantee “the same amount of aid for four years,” but fail to mention that more of the aid will be loan not grant, or that the aid won’t be increased to reflect the inevitable cost increases during the four years. Not to mention what would happen in years five or six?

SOLUTION: Before agreeing to send your child to a college, ask the college's financial aid officer, “If our family’s financial situation stays the same, in years two through four, and if necessary year five, can we count on getting the same percentage of our unmet need met and in the same ratio of grant to loan?” Get it in writing.

DECEPTION: THE WAITLIST SCAM. A college deliberately admits too few students and puts many students on the waitlist. It's human nature to want what you don't yet have, so waitlisted students who are subsequently offered admission are more likely to accept a weak financial aid package. Colleges with insufficient on-campus housing use the same technique, offering admission to waitlisted students who would be willing to live in substandard housing.

SOLUTION: Don’t accept a too-low financial aid package. And before signing on the dotted line, ask what housing you will be guaranteed, and for how long. Get it in writing.

We tend to view colleges in awe, as beneficent nonprofit icons. Alas, too many of them act like businesses, sleazy or not... That’s called Academic Capitalism, and it is a subject for another day.

Common Problems in Choosing a College

So you decided that you do want to go to college? Great, now you face the real problem, deciding where to go… This can be troublesome depending on what kind of a student you are, what kind of career you want, what kind of environment will allow you to thrive and succeed.

Most students would do well in one of a handful of colleges that will meet all of their desires and requirements. Even so, there are some colleges that are unique (or at least unique in that region of the country). Whatever your case may be here are general responses to the most frequent concerns about choosing a college. Of course, a specific response depends on the particular student I’m talking with, but I hope these generic responses can help you.

Concern: All the colleges seem alike.

They do tend to be quite alike. Most college offer similar classes, extracurricular activities, residence halls, and have pretty campuses. Their key differences usually boil down to two things: the student body and the location.

- Student body: Some colleges have mainly A students, others B students, still others C students. Most colleges have a mix of all types of students, but other colleges have predominantly artsy, athletic, religious, preppy, conservative, liberal, activist, and/or studious students.

- Location. Some colleges are in the frozen wasteland; at others, you can wear shorts in February. You also need to decide whether you want to be within quick driving or “laundry distance” of home or move to the farthest place you can think go.

Unless there’s something unusual you’re looking for in a college, such as vegan cafeteria food or a major in entomology, chances are, if you choose your college based just on student body and location, you’ll be satisfied with your choice.


Concern: My girl(boy)friend is going to ______ College.

Affection and romance can be a powerful motivator. It can even make a student go to an inappropriate college just to be with his or her significant other. Of course, if your sweetheart is going to a college that’s also well-suited to you, okay. But fact is, most high school romances don’t last beyond a semester or two of college – there are too many new people to meet and new experiences that make one of you realize that maybe you weren’t so perfect for each other, after all. It would be a shame if you risked your college experience on a relationship that ended soon after you got to college. If your relationship is that perfect, even if you attend different colleges, frequent visits, e-mails, and big phone bills will keep the relationship thriving.

Concern: My parent(s) is(are) pushing College X.

My question is always: why are they pushing College X? Is it because it’s their alma mater? Or because they would like to go there? Or because they want you close to home to avoid their being lonely? Or because they have a rational reason for thinking it would be a great fit for you?

Don’t accept nor reject their recommendation without seriously considering their rationale. Perhaps they’re right – after all, they probably know you pretty well.

Note to parents: I’d feel guilty about pushing my child toward low-cost colleges. But perhaps there really is no reason to feel guilty. The research shows no correlation between college cost and quality. Besides, either way one of you will be paying for that college degree, if it is you, you have a right to spend wisely, if it’s your child, then don’t put them in a situation to increase debt and “waste” money. Therefore, focus on finding a low-cost college that is well-suited to your child.

Concern: I still have no idea where I want to go.

If you’ve tried to figure out where to apply and still are utterly confused or overwhelmed, then think about the following questions:

1) What do you want to study? Make a list of a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice majors – make sure all the schools you apply to have all three.

2) What size do you want? Do you picture yourself in working in small seminar classes at college that is smaller than the typical high school? Or do you want so many activities and choices that a student body in the thousands interests you?

3) How much does location matter? Do you want to be close to home? Would you mind living in a new climate? Are you aware of the local attractions or dominate political views? With that information in mind there are various free services and search engines that can help you narrow down your choices. My favorite is College Navigator, because it was built for students and parents to use (and has some cool advanced features for counselors).

Remember 95% of colleges need you more than you need them – because most colleges never fill all their slots. Be picky!

Should You Go Straight to College?

Many students contemplate life after high school with almost more interest than high school itself… There are many things that students choose to do right out of high school: college, apprenticeship, vocational school, work for the family business, start their own business, even backpack through Europe (or some other form of taking a year off between high school and college).

But you’ve probably been encouraged to go to college. And many, if not most, of you probably should go to college and you should go directly as in no breaks, no vacations, no backpacking through Europe – or, in other words, “Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200.”

But it’s not as obvious a decision as you might think. After all, getting a degree from a four-year college or university, on average, takes 5 years of your life. Only 39%, nationwide, graduate in four years. Why might that be? Scheduling can be difficult at times and if you ever need to retake a course it might only be offered once a year, and what if that course is a prerequisite for the rest of your major. What if, like me (and many college students), you change your major once or twice? College is where students really discover what they are passionate about, what they are good at, and what they want to do. But all of that takes time.

Some students are fortunate to discover what they want while taking general education credits and don’t have to start all over with new or different graduation requirements when they change their major. That is the approach I would recommend. Most students, even if they have a firm grasp of what they want to do, may inevitably change their mind or have an experience that shows them they may wish to change their plans. I call that an “Ah Ha” moment.


Other students take 20 or more credits of a specific major before they have their “Ah Ha” moment and decide to change from, for example, French to Veterinary Sciences. In cases like that most of those French courses won’t count even as electives for the Vet Science degree. And now you not only have to take longer because you need to take other “required” courses, but you also have to pay for both the French that doesn’t count and the new courses. Remember, even after financial aid, that college degree will probably cost you (or at least your parents) a small fortune – even if you pay it back over the next 30 years.

That is why it is generally a good idea to test out other majors or try the interesting elective or Gen Ed classes early in your college career. Some good ways to test the waters:

-Sit in on an advanced class. You may want to speak to the professor or an advisor before doing so.
-Talk with students who are more than halfway finished with their program. Ask, “Do you like the program?” and “What are the best and worst things about it?”
-Oversit. That is, if you plan on taking 4 classes for the term, register for 5 and go to the first session of each. Then you can drop the one that seems least likely to motivate you, the least interesting, or the least relevant to you. (Always remember to drop the class during the Drop/Add period so you don’t get billed)
-Talk to advisors, professors, and the department secretary (they usually know how everything works) about possible careers and their insights.

All of these strategies can also be done before enrolling in or even being accepted to a college, though it may be more difficult if your college of choice is far away. But you can always get email addresses or phone numbers from the college website or by calling that department secretary.