The age old dilemma, you do all that work and wind up with a major in...what? Take your choice: sociology, psychology, ethnic studies, physics, classics, women's studies, organizational behavior and...not English lit. You didn't do a major in English lit, did you?
Well, don't fret about it. It's all water under the bridge, now. The fact is you did do all that hard work; put in those long, long nights of cramming for your exams, parties passed on to hit the books, and now here you are. Finally, a light bulb goes off in your head: Heck, what am I going to do now? What can I do with this major? Admittedly, this can be a daunting revelation. The real world is suddenly posed right outside your dorm room door. But there's no reason to panic; I'm here to help. And, no, you haven't just flushed the last four years of your life down the drain.
Having said all that, though, a little ounce of prevention might be in order to get us started. It is possible of course that you may be thinking about this before registering for a major. Well, aren't you clever? If that's the case, here are some tips to get you headed in the right direction.
1. At the risk of stating the obvious, you have to figure out what actually interests you.If you haven't done that, do it immediately. One smart step is to carefully examine options for majors provided by your college of choice. Rank them in order of priority.
2. When you do know what major(s) are most of interest, ask around for those with experience in the same fields. Don't be surprised to learn that you are, or someone you know is, acquainted with someone or maybe a few people who have taken the same major. What have they done with it?
3. Your high school and your intended college will have counselors and advisers who do just this sort of thing. Use the resources available to you.
4. Heck, just try a focused Google search: what in darn can I do with this English lit major? (You might actually find something.)
No need to fret though if it's too late for such proactive prevention. The fact of the matter is that all those suggestions in points 2 through 4 are just as good for figuring out what to do when you already have your major. Find what have been the career options and choices of those with the same major. However forlorn you feel about your future, rest assured that the college adviser has heard it all before. Furthermore, lots of universities these days have career centers. Don't think for a second that you're the first major in Renaissance poetry to wander in looking for career leads.
Be sure though, not to pass over that Google search. The Big G, you know, is the fount of all knowledge and wisdom. (Okay, maybe you actually have to bring the wisdom, but for knowledge you can't beat it.) For instance, such a search reveals that many universities have online resources great for just this sort of thing. For instance, you can check out the University of California career center online.
There you can find data on career possibilities for dozens of majors. They have some fairly obscure ones. Heck, they might even have yours!
For instance, check this out all you English majors. You can pull in an average salary of $43,589. (That'll buy you a whole lot of Canterbury Tales.) Even better, have a gander at your career options. They include opportunities to work as an analyst, an editorial assistant, a product development coordinator or even...you're going to want to sit down for this...a college adviser! Yes, my friends, that's right: you too can lean back with an air of bemusement, while you rest your feet on the desktop, and fold your hands behind your head, smiling to yourself with each new glaze-eyed grad that wanders into your office, stammering the question: uh, what can I do with this major?
So heads up all you grads, regardless of your major. There is hope and even a future. Possibly even a pay check!
Well, don't fret about it. It's all water under the bridge, now. The fact is you did do all that hard work; put in those long, long nights of cramming for your exams, parties passed on to hit the books, and now here you are. Finally, a light bulb goes off in your head: Heck, what am I going to do now? What can I do with this major? Admittedly, this can be a daunting revelation. The real world is suddenly posed right outside your dorm room door. But there's no reason to panic; I'm here to help. And, no, you haven't just flushed the last four years of your life down the drain.
Having said all that, though, a little ounce of prevention might be in order to get us started. It is possible of course that you may be thinking about this before registering for a major. Well, aren't you clever? If that's the case, here are some tips to get you headed in the right direction.
1. At the risk of stating the obvious, you have to figure out what actually interests you.If you haven't done that, do it immediately. One smart step is to carefully examine options for majors provided by your college of choice. Rank them in order of priority.
2. When you do know what major(s) are most of interest, ask around for those with experience in the same fields. Don't be surprised to learn that you are, or someone you know is, acquainted with someone or maybe a few people who have taken the same major. What have they done with it?
3. Your high school and your intended college will have counselors and advisers who do just this sort of thing. Use the resources available to you.
4. Heck, just try a focused Google search: what in darn can I do with this English lit major? (You might actually find something.)
No need to fret though if it's too late for such proactive prevention. The fact of the matter is that all those suggestions in points 2 through 4 are just as good for figuring out what to do when you already have your major. Find what have been the career options and choices of those with the same major. However forlorn you feel about your future, rest assured that the college adviser has heard it all before. Furthermore, lots of universities these days have career centers. Don't think for a second that you're the first major in Renaissance poetry to wander in looking for career leads.
Be sure though, not to pass over that Google search. The Big G, you know, is the fount of all knowledge and wisdom. (Okay, maybe you actually have to bring the wisdom, but for knowledge you can't beat it.) For instance, such a search reveals that many universities have online resources great for just this sort of thing. For instance, you can check out the University of California career center online.
There you can find data on career possibilities for dozens of majors. They have some fairly obscure ones. Heck, they might even have yours!
For instance, check this out all you English majors. You can pull in an average salary of $43,589. (That'll buy you a whole lot of Canterbury Tales.) Even better, have a gander at your career options. They include opportunities to work as an analyst, an editorial assistant, a product development coordinator or even...you're going to want to sit down for this...a college adviser! Yes, my friends, that's right: you too can lean back with an air of bemusement, while you rest your feet on the desktop, and fold your hands behind your head, smiling to yourself with each new glaze-eyed grad that wanders into your office, stammering the question: uh, what can I do with this major?
So heads up all you grads, regardless of your major. There is hope and even a future. Possibly even a pay check!
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