by Kennon Dick, former admissions officer at Swarthmore College

This is the time when many seniors are turning their attention from their personal statements, like the Common App main essay, to the range of questions colleges ask via supplemental essays. Not every college requires these additional essays, but the ones that do represent a range of schools, from small liberal arts colleges to large public universities. The essay prompts also vary; they may ask about everything from academic interests to favorite movies or TV shows. One of the more popular questions colleges ask is about a student’s interest in a major.

With college applications looming on the horizon, many rising high school seniors are feeling the pressure to figure out in the next few months, not only where they want to study, but what they want to study. This choice, many believe, will determine the path of the rest of their lives. That’s a weighty burden for a 17-year-old to bear, and some may wonder if all this stress is really necessary. Find out from former Barnard and Whittier College admissions officer, Mary Sue Youn, in this installment of the College Coach video series, Ask the College Admissions Expert. Mary Sue answers the burning question on the minds of rising seniors and their parents, “Is It Okay To Apply To College With An Undecided Major?”

by Sara Calvert-Kubrom, former admissions officer at Lewis & Clark College

In a time of increasing concerns about environmental sustainability, many students are passionate about protecting natural resources and actively engaging in environmental sustainability efforts. For most students this is a strong conviction that shapes their lifestyle and extracurricular activities and, for some, it will develop into an academic and career calling. Many parents I speak to are concerned and unsure of how a student can turn a passion for sustainability into a career, but do not fret—there are lots of options!

When pondering a career in engineering, it’s not always a matter of considering whether one wants to go into a particular field of engineering—civil, mechanical, or electrical, for example. Oftentimes, thought must be given to the role one wants to play within the engineering profession itself. Most students might know about engineers and their overall functions and responsibilities, but there are other careers within the profession that, depending upon a student’s goals and overall strengths, they might want to consider. Engineers don’t necessarily work in a vacuum; they might work with engineering technologists as well as engineering technicians. So what’s the difference between the three? And what path might one need to consider when deciding between them? Let’s break it down.

Computer science programs and majors grow in popularity every year. We’ll explain what they are, who they are for, and what they look for in applicants. In Office Hours, we’re talking through questions to ask on campus tours, whether you’re collecting information to determine which schools should end up on your college list or to figure out how you can afford to pay for them.

Unlike many medical school students, John DeGuardi didn’t have adolescent dreams of becoming a physician. “I liked science, history, political science,” he says, but was undecided on a major or career. His appreciation of multiple subjects is what led him to apply to liberal arts colleges. But where he ended up, Hamilton College, was not initially on his radar; it was on his parents’. Looking back, John admits it was youthful hubris that initially prevented his interest in Hamilton: “I thought I was too good to go to a school I hadn’t heard of.” At his parents’ insistence, he visited campus and instantly clicked with the “down-to-earth people and atmosphere that was collaborative, not competitive.”

For most people, the path from undergraduate studies to a profession is not a straight line. There are changes of heart, changes of major, and changes of career. As college counselors, we talk to many high school students who are convinced the major they indicate on their college applications will determine their futures, so they must choose wisely or be doomed. But a quick poll of, say, anyone around you, will confirm you know plenty of people who work in a role they did not directly prepare for in college. Yet these same people benefit daily from the knowledge and skills they gained as an undergraduate.

When working with high school students on their college admission process, I get a few common questions about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) majors and careers. “I like my math and science classes; what STEM field should I major in?” or “How can I find out if I really like engineering?” or “I want to go further in my STEM studies; where can I start?”  There are literally hundreds of careers that fall under the umbrella of STEM, and sorting out which ones are right for you might seem daunting. The answer may be finding a STEM mentor who can help you explore these questions and help you discover opportunities to further your interests. But where would you look for such an advisor? Here are some of my best tips:

Contemplating a liberal arts degree but concerned about how that will translate into your career? Convinced that your child must major in a pre-professional area if they’re ever going to make a living? We get it: college—and life—are expensive, and these are important concerns. That’s why we’re exploring the value of a liberal arts degree when it comes time to actually get a job. We’re also talking through the impact of owning real estate on the financial aid process.

One of the most popular majors in recent years is business, and more colleges are offering programs in this area. If you’ve ever wondered what students actually study or whether or not you should major in business if you want a career in business, you’ll want to listen to this week’s show. For those looking to spend a semester in another country, we’ll take a closer look at the financial side of study abroad and offer some tools and resources for high school students hoping to discover and explore their interests.