How Do Young People Choose College Majors

Cut through the noise and make better college and career choices This book is about addressing the college-choosing problem. The rankings, metrics, analytics, college visits, and advice that we use today to help us make these decisions are out of step with the progress individual students are trying to make. They don't give students and families the information and context they need to make such a high-stakes decision about whether and where to get an education. Choosing College strips away the noise to help you understand why you’re going to school. What's driving you? What are you trying to accomplish? Once you know why, the book will help you make better choices. The research in this book illustrates that choosing a school is complicated. By constructing more than 200 mini-documentaries of how students chose different postsecondary educational experiences, the authors explore the motivations for how and why people make the decisions that they do at a much deeper, causal level. By the end, you’ll know why you’re going and what you’re really chasing. The book: Identifies the five different Jobs for which students hire postsecondary education Allows you to see your true options for what’s next Offers guidance for how to successfully choose your pathway Illuminates how colleges and entrepreneurs can build better experiences for each Job The authors help readers understand not what job students want out of college, but what "Job" students are hiring college to do for them.

“The College Solution helps readers look beyond over-hyped admission rankings to discover schools that offer a quality education at affordable prices. Taking the guesswork out of saving and finding money for college, this is a practical and insightful must-have guide for every parent!” —Jaye J. Fenderson, Seventeen’s College Columnist and Author, Seventeen’s Guide to Getting into College “This book is a must read in an era of rising tuition and falling admission rates. O’Shaughnessy offers good advice with blessed clarity and brevity.” —Jay Mathews, Washington Post Education Writer and Columnist “I would recommend any parent of a college-bound student read The College Solution.” —Kal Chany, Author, The Princeton Review’s Paying for College Without Going Broke “The College Solution goes beyond other guidebooks in providing an abundance of information about how to afford college, in addition to how to approach the selection process by putting the student first.” —Martha “Marty” O’Connell, Executive Director, Colleges That Change Lives “Lynn O’Shaughnessy always focuses on what’s in the consumer’s best interest, telling families how to save money and avoid making costly mistakes.” —Mark Kantrowitz, Publisher, FinAid.org and Author, FastWeb College Gold “An antidote to the hype and hysteria about getting in and paying for college! O’Shaughnessy has produced an excellent overview that demystifies the college planning process for students and families.” —Barmak Nassirian, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers For millions of families, the college planning experience has become extremely stressful. And, unless your child is an elite student in the academic top 1%, most books on the subject won’t help you. Now, however, there’s a college guide for everyone. In The College Solution, top personal finance journalist Lynn O’Shaughnessy presents an easy-to-use roadmap to finding the right college program (not just the most hyped) and dramatically reducing the cost of college, too. Forget the rankings! Discover what really matters: the quality and value of the programs your child wants and deserves. O’Shaughnessy uncovers “industry secrets” on how colleges actually parcel out financial aid—and how even “average” students can maximize their share. Learn how to send your kids to expensive private schools for virtually the cost of an in-state public college...and how promising students can pay significantly less than the “sticker price” even at the best state universities. No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing a college...and no other book will save you as much money! • Secrets your school’s guidance counselor doesn’t know yet The surprising ways colleges have changed how they do business • Get every dime of financial aid that’s out there for you Be a “fly on the wall” inside the college financial aid office • U.S. News & World Report: clueless about your child Beyond one-size-fits-all rankings: finding the right program for your teenager • The best bargains in higher education Overlooked academic choices that just might be perfect for you

This dissertation examines the strategies that students use for navigating their way through college and the steps they take in preparation for college graduation. I wrote this dissertation because I wanted to understand how students go from being freshmen not long out of high school to young adults prepared (or not prepared) to enter the workforce or attend graduate or professional school. Past research has found that as high school students, many young people are generally directionless when it comes to learning about different career paths (Schneider and Stevenson 2006). Moreover, in the U.S., there is very little structural support for helping students navigate the transition from student to worker. While universities may offer programs that can aid students in finding jobs or applying to graduate schools, it is largely up to students to seek these programs out. This dissertation therefore investigates the question, "How much do college students plan for their post-college lives?" To accomplish my research goals, I focus on two areas in which students may demonstrate planfulness: choosing a college major and planning for post-graduation careers or schooling. I seek to answer three general questions. First, what reasons do students give for attending college? Second, how planful are students when selecting their college majors? Third, how planful are students in preparing for their future educational and occupational goals? To answer these questions, I collected my own data using a mixed methodology research design that included in-depth interviews with 31 students and a survey of nearly 500 college seniors at a large, northeastern university. This study adds to the literature on the transition to adulthood by studying the school-to-work transition. It also contributes to the sociology of education literature by shedding light on how college students make decisions about college majors. The survey shows that many students simultaneously hold both utilitarian and liberal arts philosophies toward higher education. The majority of survey respondents reported that they were motivated to attend college because of both the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards that a college education offers. Meanwhile, the in-depth interviews suggest that parental expectations, which were also commonly cited by survey respondents as reasons for attending college, are very powerful influences in students' decisions to attend college. Regarding college major choices, the survey results suggest that students find school experience more influential than the prospects of a potential career. In total, about two-thirds of respondents gave "present-oriented" rather than "future-oriented" reasons for choosing their majors. When looking at individual reasons for selecting a major, I found that passion for or interest in a subject was by far the reason cited most often as most important. The in-depth interview data provide further insight into the relationship between college majors and post-graduation plans. These interviews show that it is common for students to set post-graduation goals after they have chosen a college major. This was true regardless of whether students were present or future-oriented when making their initial college major decision. It was not unusual for students to select a major because of an interest in a particular occupation, but later decide that they no longer wanted to pursue that profession. Thus, I find that students can be future-oriented when selecting a major as freshmen or sophomores yet uncertain about their short-term post-graduation goals during their senior year. I also look at other ways that students can demonstrate planfulness, including seeking advice from others and participating in "development activities", which are activities that allow students to explore their interests. The survey shows that students vary in how often they seek advice from professors, advisors, and parents. On the other hand, most survey respondents participated in at least one development activity. The survey shows that social class was associated with these planfulness indicators. Both household income and parental education predicted the frequency with which students sought advice from their parents about choosing majors and making post-graduation plans. Family background was also associated with participating in activities that might help students explore their interests. Respondents from families with higher household incomes participated in more career-related activities than respondents from families with lower household incomes. Meanwhile, respondents with college-educated parents participated in more academic research activities than their classmates without college-educated parents. In my last analysis, I return to my qualitative research and introduce a typology of student planfulness that can be used to describe the different approaches students use in preparing for life after college graduation. In my conclusion, I suggest future areas of research that could extend our knowledge of student planfulness. I also provide policy recommendations that address how universities could help students make well-informed decisions about college majors, career goals, and plans for graduate study.

This dissertation examines the strategies that students use for navigating their way through college and the steps they take in preparation for college graduation. I wrote this dissertation because I wanted to understand how students go from being freshmen not long out of high school to young adults prepared (or not prepared) to enter the workforce or attend graduate or professional school. Past research has found that as high school students, many young people are generally directionless when it comes to learning about different career paths (Schneider and Stevenson 2006). Moreover, in the U.S., there is very little structural support for helping students navigate the transition from student to worker. While universities may offer programs that can aid students in finding jobs or applying to graduate schools, it is largely up to students to seek these programs out. This dissertation therefore investigates the question, "How much do college students plan for their post-college lives?" To accomplish my research goals, I focus on two areas in which students may demonstrate planfulness: choosing a college major and planning for post-graduation careers or schooling. I seek to answer three general questions. First, what reasons do students give for attending college? Second, how planful are students when selecting their college majors? Third, how planful are students in preparing for their future educational and occupational goals? To answer these questions, I collected my own data using a mixed methodology research design that included in-depth interviews with 31 students and a survey of nearly 500 college seniors at a large, northeastern university. This study adds to the literature on the transition to adulthood by studying the school-to-work transition. It also contributes to the sociology of education literature by shedding light on how college students make decisions about college majors. The survey shows that many students simultaneously hold both utilitarian and liberal arts philosophies toward higher education. The majority of survey respondents reported that they were motivated to attend college because of both the extrinsic and intrinsic rewards that a college education offers. Meanwhile, the in-depth interviews suggest that parental expectations, which were also commonly cited by survey respondents as reasons for attending college, are very powerful influences in students' decisions to attend college. Regarding college major choices, the survey results suggest that students find school experience more influential than the prospects of a potential career. In total, about two-thirds of respondents gave "present-oriented" rather than "future-oriented" reasons for choosing their majors. When looking at individual reasons for selecting a major, I found that passion for or interest in a subject was by far the reason cited most often as most important. The in-depth interview data provide further insight into the relationship between college majors and post-graduation plans. These interviews show that it is common for students to set post-graduation goals after they have chosen a college major. This was true regardless of whether students were present or future-oriented when making their initial college major decision. It was not unusual for students to select a major because of an interest in a particular occupation, but later decide that they no longer wanted to pursue that profession. Thus, I find that students can be future-oriented when selecting a major as freshmen or sophomores yet uncertain about their short-term post-graduation goals during their senior year. I also look at other ways that students can demonstrate planfulness, including seeking advice from others and participating in "development activities", which are activities that allow students to explore their interests. The survey shows that students vary in how often they seek advice from professors, advisors, and parents. On the other hand, most survey respondents participated in at least one development activity. The survey shows that social class was associated with these planfulness indicators. Both household income and parental education predicted the frequency with which students sought advice from their parents about choosing majors and making post-graduation plans. Family background was also associated with participating in activities that might help students explore their interests. Respondents from families with higher household incomes participated in more career-related activities than respondents from families with lower household incomes. Meanwhile, respondents with college-educated parents participated in more academic research activities than their classmates without college-educated parents. In my last analysis, I return to my qualitative research and introduce a typology of student planfulness that can be used to describe the different approaches students use in preparing for life after college graduation. In my conclusion, I suggest future areas of research that could extend our knowledge of student planfulness. I also provide policy recommendations that address how universities could help students make well-informed decisions about college majors, career goals, and plans for graduate study.

College students are often wrought with indecision about who they are, their future, and their interest. Without help, this uncertainty can cause students to panic, particularly when they are being pressured to define their college major. This new guide helps college students make that decision and many more with confidence and ease. It addresses the problems many undeclared students have, including the fear of making the wrong decision, little awareness of their skills and interests, and a lack of information about majors and careers. First, readers will learn about the key components of a college major decision. Next, they will quickly and systematically pinpoint the best majors for their interest and skills. Finally, readers will be able to learn more about the college majors that interest them most, as well as careers that relate to these majors. Packed with information, this book covers 120 majors that link to 250 careers. Author Laurence Shatkin, PH.D., gives readers an overview of each college major and provides additional information about specializations in the majors, the typical sequence of high school and college courses, and related CIP program codes, everything students need to know to overcome panic and lay the foundation for a rich and rewarding education.

How is it possible that both university graduates and unfilled job openings are both at record-breaking highs? Our world has changed. New and emerging occupations in every industry now require a combination of academic knowledge and technical ability. With rising education costs, mounting student debt, fierce competition for jobs, and the oversaturation of some academic majors in the workforce, we need to once again guide students towards personality-aligned careers and not just into college. Extensively researched, (Re)Defining the Goal deconstructs the prevalent "one-size-fits-all" education agenda. The author provides a fresh perspective, replicable strategies, and outlines six proven steps to help students secure a competitive advantage in the new economy. Gain a new paradigm and the right resources to help students avoid the pitfalls of unemployment, or underemployment, after graduation.

This easy-to-use guide moves from self-assessment to information to decision making. The decision-making process begins with an explanation of what a college major is and what should be considered when making a decision. The next chapters offer three quick exercises to help readers clarify dimensions that are relevant to the choice of a major: their personality type, their strongest skills, and their favorite high school courses. Using the results of these exercises, readers construct a "hot list" of the college majors that seem to suit them the most, plus any others that look interesting. Then they explore their possible choices by reading fact-packed descriptions of 61 popular college majors and the 164 occupations and 95 job specializations linked to these majors. Finally, readers fill out a decision-making checklist, comparing the results of their self-assessment exercises with the facts they have learned about various majors. They weigh the pros and cons to reach a tentative conclusion and receive hints about how to do additional exploration to confirm their decision. With Quick Guide to Choosing Your College Major, the reader will be able to determine their future path fast!

With a current lack of Emirati engineers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this study investigates what motivates Emirati students in their choice of majors. The study grew out of the researcher's personal experiences participating in Khalifa University of Science and Technology's entrance interviews. These interviews revealed that a significant number of students chose engineering for reasons not typically found in the West. To further investigate this phenomenon, a campus survey was conducted along with group interviews. This paper explores the development of education in the UAE, the reasons why students choose certain majors in the West, as well as examining student motivation in choosing engineering majors both in the West and in the UAE. A detailed discussion of the findings and their implications then follows. The paper finds that, in contrast to the West, one's duty to nation and family was the most important factor in student choice. To increase the number of Emirati engineers, university campaigns might consider redirecting their focus to the wants, needs, and desires of the leadership of the nation. Emirati youth listen to, respect, and honor the leadership of their country and families, and harbor a sincere desire to help the nation in any way possible.