The college application stares students down as they pick the field they will study. It seems like too big of a decision to make with just one click of the mouse.
How do you know what is right for you? How do you know if this is what you want for the rest of your life? How do you make the decision that holds great influence for your life?
Many students ask these questions before and after they pick their major. Before students make that big decision, they should find what interests them and what their strengths are.
“Sometimes you don’t really know where your strengths are. Some students don’t know what their strengths are until you’re maybe a year in it,” said Nancy Jones, Connect 4 Completion Associate Project Director here at Sinclair.
It is important to know yourself and what you enjoy doing. Jones encourages students to look at what they enjoyed in high school or as a kid.
There are some doubts that linger over whether students should make their decisions now. Many people argue that community college is only for general education classes and it is not necessary that students decide now.
However, Jones says that the theory is outdated. “The problem is that there are a couple of different pathways that you have to make decisions about pretty early on,” said Jones. “That kind of attitude doesn’t take the future into account.”
Students shouldn’t rely on just finding their passion. Jones says that it is important to find what you enjoy doing, but you should seek out your strengths.
“I am passionate about the arts, but I can’t sing or play an instrument. That’s not my strengths,” Jones said.
While students should find something that they enjoy and want to do for their entire life, they should also be realistic and evaluate what their strengths are.
If you aren’t sure your degree is the right one for you, Jones advises students to talk to people and network as much as possible. She suggests that students talk to career advisors, professors and also talk to people who are in a particular career field.
One of the mistakes that students often make when deciding on their career is that they don’t research it, according to Jones. Students should know the career that they are getting into before they sign up for it.
“I think it’s really hard because Sinclair’s application you have to choose your major when you’re applying,” Jones said.
Jones said that the quick decision of what major students put on their application could be very harmful to some.
Students may not know what they are getting into when they sign up for certain programs.
It seems intimidating to pick out what you will be doing for the rest of your life when you may not even know what you’re doing tomorrow.
“The more you know yourself from the beginning and the more that you explore and make decisions about your path, the theory is the less people will change majors.”
“We’re trying to encourage students to start to think about who they are. What are their strengths? What are their interests? You know, explore,” Jones said.
Deciding Day, an event that is being held on March 31 at Sinclair, is to help with that big decision.
Faculty and advisors from Sinclair will be there from the five areas, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts and Social Studies, Creative Studies, Business, and STEM, to ensure that students get the help they need to make that decision.
Laina Yost
Intern