what made you decide to take up (your major/course)

by Lexus Hirthe 3 min read

Your educational background is highly significant in the workforce. Your major may relate to the career you're pursuing, or it may be fairly unrelated. The fact is, you picked your major for a reason. Your thought process behind your choice can be highly interesting to potential employers.

Talking about how you chose your major can tell the interviewer what you're passionate about and what you see in your future. For example, if you chose to major in computer science because you've loved fixing and building computers since you were a teenager, that bodes well for your interest in a job in IT.

Full Answer

How do I choose a major?

Jun 02, 2010 · Connect your major to the role. Use your response as an opportunity to tell a story about how your major connects with your career goals. Highlight your skills and abilities in the response. Show interviewers how your major has helped prepare you for doing excellent work in the role at hand.

How to answer “why Did you choose your college major?

Apr 01, 2021 · Here are some steps to follow to help you answer the question "Why did you choose this course?" in an interview: 1. Consider your interests. Think about your interests. Consider how your hobbies or other things you enjoy affect your decisions. Determine if there was a specific experience that led you to choose this course.

How do you decide what course to take?

Answer (1 of 5): Your question and topic suggests that you mean Undergraduate college major, but description suggests Class 10 stream. Regardless, I'll answer both. For my stream, I chose Science. I disliked commerce since I'm more of a creative/independent person and I felt commerce won't lead ...

What is the right major for You?

Feb 14, 2019 · You selected your degree on the basis that it would provide you with a good academic foundation for a wide variety of potential career options. For example, English, Sociology and History courses provide vital skills that can be transferred into different marketing, teaching and law paths.

How to decide what to do with a degree?

1. Consider your interests. Think about your interests. Consider how your hobbies or other things you enjoy affect your decisions. Determine if there was a specific experience that led you to choose this course.

Why should you not mention enrolled in a course?

Try to avoid mentioning that you enrolled in the course because of potential financial benefits.

Why do interviewers ask questions?

Interviewers ask questions to learn more about you and find out things other than may be on your application or resume. Interviewers may ask about your course selection to learn more about your personality, interests and goals. This question may help them gauge your interest in or passion for a particular subject or field.

How to write a resume for a job?

Include information about your skills and natural talents in your answer. Consider mentioning how your skills align with the subject matter. Focus on your unique strengths that could contribute to your success in the course. Discuss the skills you hope to further develop through the course.

Do colleges require interviews?

Some colleges or universities require prospective students to complete interviews. A school may use this interview to determine a student's eligibility for a specific program, decide if the student deserves a scholarship or assess a student's admittance to the school in general. It's important to prepare for these interviews to provide thoughtful ...

Why do you need a general degree?

General degree to keep your career options open. For other job seekers a more generalist approach is best suited towards your course choices. You selected your degree on the basis that it would provide you with a good academic foundation for a wide variety of potential career options.

Is it wrong to choose a degree?

There is nothing wrong with choosing a degree simply because you enjoy the subject. Not every interview answer has to be about how passionate you are about the role. If you are honest and genuine about your reasoning, its far more likely to gain the interviewers trust.

Why don't you want your interviewer to think you chose your major?

You do not want your interviewer to think you chose your major because your first two options weren't available. Be positive, showing your enthusiasm. Let them know you're excited to be where you are.

How to prepare for an interview?

If you have an upcoming interview, focus on the above tips. This will allow you to effectively plan your answer. Use your major to your advantage. Let your past decisions and accomplishments shine through. Once you nail your interview, you'll be on your way to a successful career path. Photo credit: Flickr.

Is it hard to know what to ask in an interview?

Interviews can most certainly be daunting. It's hard to know exactly what they'll ask, but it's important to be prepared regarding the basics. There are certain questions that are commonly asked, and the major you chose tends to be a classic example. Your educational background is highly significant in the workforce.

What is the most important thing to do when choosing a major?

The Most Important Task for Picking a Major. The most important task for choosing a major in college is deciding on your own priorities and goals. Too much of the advice out there on how to pick a major assumes you have particular goals or tells you what your priorities should be.

Why is it important to pick a major?

Of course, your interests are an important part of picking a major. If you really dislike what you are studying, you will be miserable. Additionally, you won't be particularly motivated to complete your coursework. So it is essential that you are actually interested in what you are studying. As part of that, you should be able to envision yourself using at least some of the skills you are learning in your major in the workforce.

How to choose a college major?

Here are some things you can do while you are still in high school to prepare for choosing a college major: 1 Start exploring majors early: use your free time, extracurriculars, and summer activities as a chance to explore subject areas you are interested in. 2 Plan if you have a specific long-term goal: if you know you have a specific career goal, plan your major and program choice in advance. 3 Select schools and programs wisely: if you are less sure of your major, look for more flexibility in declaring a major at your schools of choice.

Why is choosing a major important?

In many ways, choosing a major functions as a rite of passage in the process of becoming an adult.

What is the truth about picking a college major?

The truth is that the process of thoughtfully selecting the best major for you takes work —work that you need to put in yourself. While I can't do that work for you, I can tell you the foundational principles of investigating and ultimately picking a college major. Or just major in kitty cuddling and call it a day.

What degree will lead to teaching?

For some majors, it's fairly clear what sort of job (s) the degree will lead to. A degree in teaching will lead to teaching, a degree in nursing to nursing, and so on. For others, it's less clear. A degree in communications or sociology or public policy could lead to a variety of jobs.

What professions are facing shortages?

Professions facing shortages include nursing, engineering, various computer science disciplines, accounting and finance, and teaching.

How to choose a college major?

Here are some carefully curated resources to read after finishing this article. These will give you a better idea how to choose the best major that is right for you: 1 What Colleges Want in an Applicant (Everything) - New York Times 2 Six Myths About Choosing a College Major - New York Times 3 Comparison: Return on Investment of Various College Degrees - Discover 4 The Six Classes That Will Make Any College Grad Employable - Forbes 5 Graduation rates of first-time, full-time bachelor's degree-seeking students at 4-year postsecondary institutions, by race/ethnicity, time to completion, sex, and control of institution: Selected cohort entry years, 1996 through 2006 - National Center for Education Statistics

When do you leave your major?

In the U.S., it is common to leave the declaration of your intended major until the end of your sophomore year. UCLA conducted a national survey in which they found that over 20% of students who had a major chosen upon entering university had already changed their minds by the end of their first year.

How to increase chances of finding room in the course you desire?

To increase chances of finding room in the course you desire, make sure that you keep your grades up in any coursework required by your major. Consider taking a college major assessment test , which helps you decide how to choose a major by asking several dozen questions.

What are abilities in college?

Abilities are what you are able to do, generally speaking. Understanding what areas you have skills in and which areas could use work is a great way to start the elimination process when choosing a university major.

What is a minor in scholastic semantics?

A minor is a secondary field or concentration that often complements the major, but is different than a double major. A college minor also won’t require as many classes and hours as a full-blown major.

Does every major have downsides?

That scenario doesn’t exist. Yes, every major that you choose will ultimately have some downsides and disadvantages. The only thing you can do is to be aware of them and to make sure that you can handle when they decide to pop up. Determine how likely you’ll be to switch majors.

Do universities have career advisors?

Many universities (and high schools, even) have career counselors on top of their academic advisors. Meeting with these career advisors might be helpful, as they can give you a long-term view of how a particular major or degree will translate to a career down the road.

Is it bad to reward yourself as a nurse?

Are you a nurse? Well, at least you help the people to feel better . If you still have time and you have earned enough to sustain all your needs, you can still pursue what you really wanted right? It's not bad to reward yourself. After all, you've been an obedient daughter.

Do you find a more appropriate course after you graduate?

You found a more appropriate course after you graduated. At least you found one that you really would excel in, though it's late. And even if you don't like your first course that much, it's also true that you would come to love it over time?

When do you decide on a major?

Generally at most four-year colleges you don’t have to decide on a major until the end of your sophomore year. This gives you time to try a couple of classes and see what you like before you decide, and earn general education credits that count toward your degree.

What to do if you decide to change your major?

If you decide to change your major, make sure the credits you need align with your expected graduation date. Go to your counselor for guidance on picking a new major and setting up your schedule. It’s a big decision, but you know yourself and your interests better than anyone.

What can you do with your strengths and weaknesses?

Figuring out your strengths and weaknesses can help you assess what kind of major to go into. For example, if public speaking isn’t really your thing, you might want to avoid majors that could lead to careers like being a news anchor or spokesperson. You can also take your weaknesses and build on them in college.

What is the best source of college advice?

Talk to advisers and professionals. The best source of college advice is your school counselor. They’ve helped lots of students who are making the same decisions you are. Your school counselor can tell you more about college majors and program offerings. Here are five questions you might want to ask a counselor.

What is an associates degree?

Associate Degree The two-year associate of arts (AA) or associate of science (AS). Some students who earn this degree transfer to a four-year bachelor’s program; others use it to go straight to work. Community colleges, career colleges, and some four-year colleges offer associate degrees.

How many times can you change your major?

Studies find that most students change majors at least once and many students switch several times. No matter what year you’re in, sometimes the major you declare doesn’t end up being the right one. If you decide to change your major, make sure the credits you need align with your expected graduation date.

What is a major in college?

A major is a specific subject area college students specialize in. Typically , between one-third and one-half of the courses you’ll take in college will be in your major or related to it. Some colleges even let you design your own major!

When you work hard at something you become good at it?

“Let me make this as clear as possible: 1) When you work hard at something you become good at it. 2) When you become good at something you enjoy doing it more. 3) When you enjoy doing something, there is a good chance you will become passionate about it.”

When do sunk costs come into play?

Sunk costs often come into play 1-3 years after a student has chosen a major – and decides they now might want to switch. Now, a rational decision maker would take only one type of cost into consideration when making the choice to switch or not, and that is the prospective cost.

How long does Tank hack on his computer?

You aren’t going to be a movie character. More importantly, life is not a snapshot. You only see Tank hacking on his computer console for probably 10 minutes total throughout all three Matrix movies.

Is college a Galaxy Quest?

College isn’t Galaxy Quest, and giving up doesn’t mean throwing in the towel, becoming a failure, and watching All in the Family reruns in your sweatpants for the rest of your life. It means turning your attention to a more promising opportunity.

Is human being a rational decision maker?

Unfortunately, human beings are not always rational decision makers. For one, we are irrationally loss-averse. This often causes use to fall victim to the sunk-cost fallacy: The decision to invest additional resources into a losing investment when there are better prospects available.

Do you drift away from friends in college?

As time goes on – and especially in the opportunity-rich environment of college – these differences will only become more pronounced. This means that you will eventually drift away from some of your friends. Others you might stay connected with for a long, long time. Inevitably, though, you’re going to make new ones.

Can you be a tank in Matrix?

You will not be Tank from The Matrix if you major in computer engineering . The world is not currently under attack from killer robots, and you don’t have a crazy ship or a crack team of gun-toting martial artists.