Debunking 4 Common Myths of College Majors

After I graduated with my undergraduate degree, I took on a role as an admissions counselor at my alma mater - my feeble attempt to make enough money to keep the lights on while I figured out what I wanted to do with my life.

College tours and information sessions were my bread and butter.

I talked to high school students and their families day in and day out about choosing a college and, more importantly, the all-encompassing decision of what to study.

"What's your major?" was always the question that put the most deer-in-headlights look on students' faces.

"Umm... I'm not sure yet? Maybe something in medical? I don't know, what do you think?"

It quickly became apparent that the modern education system was putting an immense amount of pressure on students to choose a major - and, in turn, a future career - that they may not be ready for.

The Major Problem with Majors

The weight of picking a major is often felt by students as early as high school.

You might have had a teacher or guidance counselor tell you that you need to start thinking about what you want to do when you grow up and what kind of career you want to have.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a loaded question, and it's one that can cause a lot of anxiety for students who don't have a clear answer.

The pressure to choose a major - and, in turn, a future career - is only amplified when you get to college.

You're given a list of hundreds of majors to choose from, and you're told that the decision you make will determine the rest of your life.

This is a lot of pressure for anyone to handle, let alone someone who is 18 years old and still trying to figure out who they are (and likely spending a fortune to do so.)

The problem with this way of thinking is that it's rooted in a few myths that need to be debunked. Here are four of the most common myths about college majors:

Myth #1: Your major determines your future career

This is probably the most pervasive myth about college majors.

The belief is that if you major in something like engineering, you'll become an engineer. If you major in English, you'll become a teacher. And so on.

This simply isn't true.

In reality, your major has very little to do with your future career. In fact, many employers don't even care what you majored in - they're more interested in your skillset and whether or not you're a good fit for their company.

So if your major doesn't determine your future career, what does?

A lot of it has to do with networking and the connections you make. It's not what you know, it's who you know. And that starts with getting your foot in the door, which is often much easier said than done.

Myth #2: You need to pick a major that will make you a lot of money

This myth is perpetuated by well-meaning parents and relatives who want you to have a successful career.

The thinking goes like this: if you want to make a lot of money, you need to choose a major that will lead to a high-paying career.

This is flawed thinking for a few reasons.

First, as we just established, your major has very little to do with your future career. So even if you do choose a major that leads to a high-paying career, there's no guarantee that you'll actually end up in that field.

Second, even if you do end up in a high-paying career, that doesn't mean you'll be happy. Money can't buy happiness, after all.

What's more important than choosing a major that will make you a lot of money is finding something you're passionate about.

If you're passionate about what you do, you're more likely to be successful and happy in your career - and what's more important than that?

Myth #3: You need to choose a major that you're good at

This myth is closely related to the first one. The belief is that you should choose a major based on your strengths and abilities.

For example, if you're good at math, you should major in engineering. If you're good at writing, you should major in English.

This thinking is flawed for the same reasons as the first myth. Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you'll enjoy doing it as a career.

What's more important than choosing a major you're good at is finding something you're interested in. If you're interested in your major, you're more likely to stick with it and be successful. (Trust me, I know from exprience.)

Myth #4: You need to have your life figured out before you start college

This is probably the most damaging myth of all. The belief is that you need to have your entire life figured out before you start college.

You need to know what you want to do, what you want to major in, and what you want your future career to be.

I remember sitting with a family at the end of a college tour, and watching as the prospective student broke down into tears because she didn't know what she wanted to major in.

This was the moment that I could truly speak into her life and share my own story.

You see, I didn't know what I wanted to major in when I started college. In fact, I changed my major multiple times before finally settling on something I was interested in.

And that's OK! It's perfectly normal to not have your entire life figured out at 18 years old. The key is to just start college and see where it takes you.

Don't Let A Major Myth Hold You Back

By the time I graduated from college, I had changed my major five times. FIVE. That's not a typo.

I started out as a Computer Science major (money, right?), then switched to music (what I thought I was good at), and then business when music didn't pan out.

I finally ended up in English before finishing in Journalism.

Here's the secret: I ended up being the graduation speaker for my college - called on to give advice on how to be successful in college.

And that's because I applied the principles that I'm sharing with you today:

1. Find something you're passionate about
2. Find something you're interested in
3. Find some fun people to do it with you

If I had let the pressure of choosing the "right" major hold me back, I never would have ended up where I am today.

Don't get too caught up in what you think you should do - just start college and see where it takes you! You might be surprised by what you end up loving.