How Majors Impact Successful Careers

The following is an excerpt from the Envision White Paper “Youth Believe They Will Surpass Their Parents.”

One of the critical components of a college education is preparation for a career. That means developing the hard and soft skills necessary to build a successful career. Getting a degree can greatly impact a student’s ability to adapt to new skills and embrace new learning and developments.

Unfortunately, according to a YouthTruth survey, only 46% of secondary school students say their school has helped them figure out which career best matches their skillset, and only 49% say their school has helped them determine the steps they need to take to have the career they want.

A recent Accenture study showed that 82% of all 2015 college graduates researched potential jobs and professions before they selected their majors.

Selecting the correct major does have a significant impact on financial well-being and potential debt. Changing majors is the most common reason students don’t finish a degree in four years—in fact, they often take six or more to graduate. That means changing majors adds tens of thousands of dollars to college costs.

Envision academic experts say that as many as 80% of all college students change their majors at least once, and up to three times during their college career.

“Putting more impetus on getting your major right from the outset creates a greater opportunity to graduate faster with less cost,” said Andrew Potter, Chief Academic Officer at Envision. “If you have to finance your education, then changing majors is the fastest way to hamstring yourself with additional economic burdens.”

How important do you think a college major is?

Download the whole white paper “Youth Believe They Will Surpass Their Parents” today.