Questions...
... to help you explore areas of personal preference and interests regarding a choice of major.
Questions for yourself
- Why did I come to college? Can I identify my reasons for coming?
- What course subjects have I enjoyed in high school and college and/or done well in?
- What kinds of books, magazines, tv shows, newspaper articles grab my attention?
- What skills and strengths do I have? What are my weaknesses?
- Where do I find satisfaction?
- What really excites me; what could I get passionate about?
- What values are important to me, and how do these relate to what I want to achieve in life?
- How do I make decisions? Hastily or deliberately? Who or what seems to influence me in making decisions?
- How hard am I willing to work to get what I want?
- Do I enjoy being told exactly what to do and how to do it, or would I rather work things out by myself without extensive instructions and supervision?
- Would I rather help other people or earn more money?
- Do I like exploring open-ended problems that may never be entirely resolved, or do I prefer practical solutions?
- Do I enjoy working with others, or do I prefer to work on my own?
- Will my skills be marketable?
- What do I have to offer?
- What do I want to get out of life?
- What implications might my answers above have for a choice of majors?
Questions for professors
- What can graduates do with __________ major?
- What jobs are recent graduates getting?
- Can you give me a name and phone number of a junior or senior in _______________ major who is a good student and whom I may contact?
- What professional organizations or students' groups should I belong to if interested in choosing this major?
- Can you recommend any journal articles or books I should read related to _______________ career?
- What skills are needed of a student in ____________ field?
- Can you tell me specifics about ___________ courses offered by ______________ major?
- Tell me about the the background of the staff teaching in __________?
- How did you get into this field? What is your background (education and experience)?
- Is there personal advice you would give a person entering this field?
- Do you think there is a need in this area for this kind of major? Why?
- Can you provide me with names of other people who might provide me with additional information? May I use your name?
- What do you think is the best educational preparation for a career in _________________?
- How well do you think I would fit in _______________ department with my background?
- Do you foresee developments in _______________ (major, department structure, career paths) that will affect any future career opportunities?
QUESTIONS FOR OTHER STUDENTS:
- What classes have you enjoyed? What classes have you like the least?
- Do you participate in any clubs, organizations related to _______________ major? If so, how have they helped?
- Have you had any part-time job, internship, or co-op experience related to _______________ major?
- What occupations can you obtain with this degree? What occupations are you seeking? Can you tell me about them?
- Is there personal advice you would give a person entering this field?
- How or why did you decide to choose this major?
- If you started out again, would you do anything different with choosing your major, or the courses or memberships you joined?
- Where, in your opinion, is the best place to look for a job in this field?
- What other courses not listed in the core curriculum should I take? Why?
- Can you recommend any other person who might provide me with additional information?
