Avoiding the High Cost of Major and or School Changes

The cost of changing your major mid stream or even deciding to change schools due to differences in career aspirations can be a costly step. Loss of credits and insuring that you can get what you need can add additional stress and cost to your college experience. How can you avoid these costly steps? 

It is important to do your research and legwork prior to applying for colleges or registering your major. Have you taken the time to dig deep into your areas of true passion, interest and skills. Too many students ignore this important step and find themselves in areas of study that do not support their end career goals. 

What can be done ahead of time to ensure you are heading in the right direction. It starts with simple exercises that you can do on your own to extract your true areas of interest. Mind mapping tools (Mindmeister.com) offer you the chance to put your brain on paper. What are your core 2-4 areas where you will not compromise. You can build off these core areas of interest until you narrow down the areas that will support your dream job or industry. 

Researching the schools to determine their focus as it relates to your areas of interest is critical. Simple searches on the college site for courses, areas of focus, community initiatives and expertise of their professors can help differentiate one school from the next. Using networking tools like LinkedIn can also help you find contacts who attended your college of preference. You can reach out (warm handshake) and ask them about their experience in your area of interest. 

Not all of us can easily narrow down our area of focus. In this case strong liberal arts schools offer you the basic skills that will be required in any area of study or work. How to write a business letter or create a business plan, as an example are basic skills that can be available in most liberal arts settings.

Whatever you choose, take the time to fully investigate how the school will get you on track to reach your career objectives. Let Job-Lander help you through this assessment and planning process. Click here to register for our complimentary 30 minute consultation where we can help you launch a plan to get you on track.