How do I decide?

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.

Assess what you need to decide. Is it:

  • My future?
  • My career?
  • My classes for next semester?
  • Other things?

“What are my options?” Some ways you can explore are to:

  • Consider your interests.
  • Read about majors in your catalog.
  • Talk with your advisor.
  • 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.

It’s time to make your decision. To help weigh your options, you can:

  • Narrow and prioritize your list of options based on the ones that are the most important to you from your exploration process.
  • If you are having difficulty choosing, bring your options to your Academic Advisor and ask for help.
  • 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.