Occupational Handbook:
FAFSA, college financial aid and everything else you do to help pay for college will all be in vain if you don’t take the time to steer yourself in the right direction. Colleges and Universities have guidance offices that can help, but learn about an occupation BEFORE you decide on a major. Many people find out AFTER, when it’s too late, that they might have taken some courses that are no good with counting towards a different degree. This can only add up to another year or two in college.
Tips on picking a major for college:
When you’re putting in the time and money it takes to get a college education, it only makes sense to declare a major (if at all possible). It can be a huge undertaking and there will always be a doubt whether or not you did the right thing.
Choosing a major is a lot like picking apples. You have this beautiful and bountiful apple tree and all the fruit is right at your fingertips. But all the apples on the tree aren’t all prefect looking. So you pick the one that looks the best but you always have the thought that there might even still be a worm because things might look good but until you see the whole picture, you can never be 100% certain.
Start by trying to see yourself in the workplace 10 years from now. Obviously, it will be doing something you like to do. Now, go to the Occupational Handbook (see below) and look up the job and read everything the government knows about that job. Look around at some others ones as well while you are on the site.
Lastly, try to shadow someone who has that exact same job or at least call and talk to that person. If they don’t give you a good review of the profession, ask someone else just to back it up. All you need to ask is simply whats good about the job and what’s bad and what’s bad about it and of course, always ask if they hire.
In my book, I cover picking a major in depth. Even so far as to explain how not to lose grants and scholarships that you could be using to pay for college. Try it, I guarantee that you will learn what you need to know about going to and paying for a college education. You know you want and need help, so don’t wait! What have you got to loose… besides you future?
Click here for the Ultimate Guide
Click here for the Occupational Outlook Handbook