One of the most significant decisions your child will face in college is choosing a major. As a parent, your role is to decide guide, support, and help them explore options with confidence.
Choosing a major isn’t a one-time decision; it’s a process of exploration. By combining honest self-assessment, real conversations with professionals, and ongoing curiosity, your student can make thoughtful choices that lead to both fulfillment and opportunity. Keep in mind that only about 46% of graduates end up working directly in their field of study, which shows how often skills transfer across careers.
High school coursework lays an important foundation. Students who complete a well-rounded set of challenging academic classes keep more doors open when it comes to college majors. They enter college better prepared and less likely to spend time catching up in subjects they avoided. Remember, roughly one-third to half of the classes a college student takes will be in their major, so a strong general foundation pays off.
Encourage exploration beyond the classroom. Support your child’s involvement in extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and hobbies that reflect genuine interests. Summer enrichment programs, internships, or part-time jobs help students “test drive” interests. Just as valuable are conversations with adults who work in careers that interest your teen. Encourage your student to ask questions: What does a typical day look like? What did you major in? What do you wish you’d known in college? These conversations often spark insight and confidence.
Many high schoolers have only a vague idea of how majors differ in focus, workload, or style of learning. Together, look at curriculum guides on college websites to see what courses are required for different majors. Marquette University’s “Choosing Your Major” page offers a clear overview of how to explore academic interests and connect them to career paths.
Encourage them to use free online tools to understand their strengths and interests better. Students can also explore the O*NET Interest Profiler, which matches personal interests with potential career fields, the 123test Career Test, or the University of Arizona’s CareerExplorer, which links personality traits and skills to career options. Using multiple assessments helps reveal consistent patterns and new ideas.
When your student gets their results, encourage reflection rather than rigid conclusions. Ask: Which careers sound exciting or surprising? Which feels like me? Then take it a step further, talk with professionals or family members in various fields, seek out summer internships or programs where you can explore majors/fields. Interests often evolve, so revisiting these tools every year or two can be eye-opening.
As you and your student look at colleges, ask about academic advising and career support. A good advising program helps students make informed choices, plan course loads, and connect with internships and mentors. Even the best services, however, only work when students use them. Encourage your child to meet with advisors early, even if they think they already know their path.
Finally, reassure your teen that it’s okay to change direction. According to several sources, 35%-80% of students change majors. Studies show that switching majors doesn’t always delay graduation and can actually lead to a better academic fit.