9 Steps to Choosing a College:
Step 1 - Determining Your Major

This is Step 1 of the 9 Steps to Choosing a College. Go back to the main page or move on to Step 2.

Step 1: Determine what you might like to study or major in at college.

Yes, many students enter college as "undecided," and that's a perfectly fine thing to do, but if you have some idea of a career or a major, that information can help in finding colleges that offer (and even specialize) in that field.

What if you really have no idea of what you want to do with your life? (Well, first, don't worry about it. Second, you might want to use some of the following resources.)

Here are some tools to help you learn more and/or claify career and major choices:

• Online Career Assessments
• Career Exploration Tools
• What Can I Do With a Major In? Real Jobs for Real Majors
• Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path

Move on to the next step!

Step 2: Develop a list of criteria for evaluating colleges. (Because you'll want to narrow your choices and weed out colleges.)

Have questions about some of the terms used here? Find some answers in the High School College-Bound and College Planning Glossary -- the definitive source for learning about high school, college-bound, and college planning terms -- from the team at Quintessential Careers.