The first thing to understand is that decision-making is a process. This process involves a series of steps. Sometimes decision-making seems to happen automatically, and other times it may take a great deal of thinking before the decision can be reached. Either way, whether we realize it or not, there are always steps involved.
STEP 1 – ASSESS what you need to decide
- My future
- My career
- My classes for next semester
- Other things
STEP 2 – EXPLORE your options
- What are my options?
- Read about majors in your catalog.
- Talk with your advisor.
- Consider your interests.
- Visit the Career Hub to take some career assessments.
- Talk to a current student, alumni, or community member in the field. People who are directly involved in the major or field in which you are interested can be very helpful.
- Talk with your professors.
- Consider the pros and cons of each option. What do you like about each option and what are potential obstacles?
- Consider the short and long-term challenges of each option.
- Explore the requirements that must be met to be admitted into the major.
- Determine the required curriculum for the major.
- Determine if it is necessary to attend graduate school.
STEP 3 – DECIDE
- Narrow and prioritize your list of options based on the ones that are the most important to you.
- If you are having difficulty choosing, bring your options to your Academic Advisor and ask for help.
STEP 4 – ACT
- Create an action plan with a time frame for you to implement your decision.
- Work with your Academic Advisor to determine if your plan makes sense.