If you’re finding it a challenge to narrow down your interests to a single major, or if you just aren’t sure which major is for you, begin by thinking about yourself—who you are, what you’re good at, what you like to do, and where you want to be in 10 years.

Look at yourself
Before you start to worry too much about what’s out there in the world of business or psychology or biology, start in your own back yard. Take some time to jot down a few important things about yourself. Do you like to work with numbers or with words? With others or alone? With abstract ideas or solid objects? You can use the answers to these questions to begin to define possible major areas:

• What interests you the most?
• What subjects do you like to study?
• What subjects do you do best in? Why?
• What subjects do you do worst in? Why?
• What has been your greatest accomplishment so far in school?
• Do you like to read?
• Do you read for pleasure?
• Do you retain what you read?
• Are you reasonably comfortable working with numbers?
• Do you like math?
• Can you express your thoughts clearly in writing?

Identify your abilities
In general, it’s best to major in an area that you enjoy studying and have the ability to do well. How would you answer the following questions?

• What subjects are you good at?
• What subjects do you struggle with?
• What subjects come easily to you?

If you major in a subject that you are interested in learning, you’ll feel more motivated to study. And the more you study, the better your grades are likely to be—especially if you have some ability in the subject.

Many employers look carefully at grades when they recruit on college campuses, so the higher your grades, the more competitive you may be. If you plan to pursue a graduate degree, you’ll want your undergraduate grades to represent the best work you’re capable of doing.

Imagine your future
Use your answers to these questions to define your personal and professional goals:

• What do you want to be doing 10 years after college?
• Where do you want to live?
• What income do you want to have?
• What will be most important in your life?
• What do you secretly want to do?
• What are the most important qualities in a job: flexible hours, control over decision-making, fun co-workers, lots of travel, etc.

Once you have a sense of what you value, think again about possible majors that correspond to your interests and abilities. Which ones are a good fit with these values? Which ones look promising? Here are a few online resources for this process:

Career Options by Major
UI Career Exploration Handbook (PDF)*
U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Outlook Handbook

A graduation plan
A graduation plan provides a framework for your education. Within this framework, you can create a personalized path to graduation. You and your academic advisor will want to review your graduation plan each year.

Having a plan helps you answer questions like: Should I take summer session classes? If I change my major, can I still graduate in four years? How many electives can I take? Can I do a minor? You and your advisor will look at all of these things as you work on your graduation plan during your first year.

Our Four-Year Graduation Plan
Students follow diverse paths to complete a bachelor’s degree. One path for first-year students is choosing to complete degree requirements within four years of initial enrollment.

Four-Year Graduation Plan for First-Year Students

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