Dear Advisor,
I have NO idea what to major in. I am thinking about Accounting because even though I HATE math I hear CPAs make a lot of money. What do you think?
Still looking…
Dear Looking,
You are looking in all the wrong places for a major. Many students are attracted to majors that promise money or job security without really understanding what the major and consequently, the job entail. For instance, let’s say you do “stick it out” and manage to graduate with a degree in Accounting. Now, you will have a job working with math everyday, not just the 16 weeks of the semester.
Here are two words that will help you figure out what to major in: Know thyself. If you loved English in high school, and love to read for fun, major in English. In many fields, employers are looking for people who are passionate, have excellent critical thinking skills, and can write. It is also important to have a good work ethic; my most frequently unemployed 20-something friend was an accounting major – but he has been fired twice for laziness and being late to work. So no major is your golden ticket to success, but loving what you do and working hard are good predictors of your potential success.
Still not convinced? In the book, Getting Rich Your Own Way, Srully Blotnick writes about a research project where 1500 people were divided into two groups and followed for 20 years. Group A made up 83% of the sample and were starting careers chosen to make money. Group B, the other 17% chose their career based on what they wanted to do and felt passionate about. At the end of the twenty years, 101 of the 1500 had become millionaires. Of the millionaires, all but one – 100 out of 101 were the group that had chosen to pursue what they loved. In the end, passion will bring you personal success!
Finally, mark your calendar for Thursday, October 19 2006. The Career Development and Gloria S. Williams Advisement Center will be hosting Majors and Minors Day in the Atrium Lobby from 12 to 2 PM. This is a great opportunity to speak with faculty and find out what each academic department at William Paterson University has to offer.
If you have a question, please e-mail it to asktheadvisor@wpunj.edu. All published questions will be anonymous.
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