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n keeping abreast with job market trends, universities are competing to attract students by offering an array of majors. Meanwhile, faced with an enticingly designed list of majors, parents agonize over which majors best suit their children’s interests and are bewildered by the array of study programs their children are expected to enroll in. While parents’ involvement in helping their children choose the right field of study cannot be overlooked, the last say is certainly the student’s.

Indeed, the choice of the right major will have a lasting impact both on the students’ academic success and on their future professions after graduation. For this reason, the decision of which study program a student should enroll in needs to be preceded by serious and sound consideration.

As fresh high school graduates, student applicants normally do not know which majors to take and what consequences they could face if they choose incorrectly. It is not surprising to hear that they choose a certain major base on their parents’ advice rather than because of their own choice.

Thus, before they decide what major to take, an applicant needs to be mindful of the following advice.

First, determine what really interests you. Remember that one of the contributing factors that determine your academic success is choosing the right major. If your choice is based on your own interest rather than that someone of else, chances are you will be passionate about your studies and the material being learned and will graduate according to plan.

Second, be visionary and think of career preparation. Choosing a major while at the same time envisioning a specific career path or advanced study will help you conduct an effective self-assessment over the suitability of your choice with your future career plans. Thus, during your studies you will be preparing for a future career.

Third, seek advice from education professionals or relatives who are experienced in such matters to assist you in choosing the right major. While it is you who will make the final decision about which major to take, it would be prudent to garner as much as information from people who have experience in education or from a career center. The insights you get can inspire you to choose your major.

Finally, remember to find out the accreditation status of the institution. The programs offered might interest you, but you need to go into detail about the accreditation of the institution. You would, of course, expect to enter an education institution that offers quality programs. Reputable institutions should be accredited by an accrediting agency.

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The writer teaches at the Faculty of Education and Language, Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta. He can be reached at setiono.sugiharto@gmail.com.