Choosing a major can be hard. You're under pressure. College costs money. You don't want to make the WRONG decision.

Relax! Before you panic and call a psychic hotline, take time to remember these suggestions:

• Your major will not determine what your career (or careers) will be-- YOU will. Your experiences, skills, personality, and (yes) luck will all be contributing factors.
  
• Two main questions to ask yourself about a potential major: Do I like it? Can I do it well? That doesn't mean you will like every single class and topic AND it doesn't mean that you shouldn't challenge yourself.
  
• Pay attention to your interests and skills-- they are important indicators of potential satisfaction with your major.
  
• A trained career adviser (like at Career Services) can help you separate true unhappiness with your major from other factors, such as parental pressure, conflicting values, external pressures, or underlying conflicts.
  
• No matter what your major, there are many potential career options. LEARN as much as you can about what people with your major actually do in the work world. Career Services can help you find information about career options and give you names of graduates in your fields of interest.
  
• Would you buy a car without test driving it first? Then try out your major in the same way-- take an introductory class or two. Talk to a variety of upperclass students in the major you are considering. Meet the faculty in the department and get to know them. By the way, this strategy works for careers, too.
  
• Don't eliminate a particular major of interest JUST to avoid a required course that scares you. Challenge yourself.
  
• Expand your horizons: take a variety of courses, get exposure to different career fields, get involved in your campus and community. Companies need people who have learned how to learn, not just perform a specific skill.
  
• Finally, remember-- it is just fine to be uncertain about your major and your career. There are lots of McDaniel students in the same boat. What matters is how you actively pursue the information and experiences that can help you make a good decision when the time comes.