College majors chosen based on practicality, not interest, study suggests

Despite findings of a recent study which indicate fewer students are choosing college majors based on personal preference, Boston University students said a student’s level of interest in the subject is still an important factor in choosing a major and a career path.

“Generally, you should do something that at least you’re interested in,” said College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Chelsea Waida, a computer science major. “You want to have a job when you get out [of college], but you don’t want to go into something that you absolutely hate.”

A third of incoming college students said their prospective choice of major does not match up with their personal interests, according to American College Testing’s 2013-14 College Choice Report, released Monday.

Thirty-six percent of students described their intended major as a “good” fit based on interest, while 32 percent described it as a “poor” fit, the report stated. Of those who selected an intended major, more than four-fifths said they were “fairly sure” or “very sure” about their choice of major.

Researchers calculated results using data from students’ ACT Interest Inventory scores and choices from a list of 294 college majors, the report stated.

In addition, those who scored lowest on the ACT, with results between 1 and 15, were the least likely to choose a major that matched their interest, the report stated.

College of Engineering sophomore Courtney Torres said she chose her major, biomedical engineering, based on both interest and practicality.

“It was a mix,” she said. “I chose BME because I was good at the subject and the job prospects are higher than other degrees.”

CAS junior Katie Rice, a history major, said although she chose her career path based on her interests, it is unfortunate that other students do not always take their passion for a subject into account.

“It’s sad that they feel like they need to do that, but I understand why,” she said. “We’re at BU, and it’s very expensive. You have to be able to pay off the loans you’re taking out to be here. You do have to be practical, to a certain extent, but I do think it’s unfortunate if you really couldn’t care less about what you’re majoring in.”

School of Management sophomore Emily Cloutier, who is majoring in business and concentrating in law and finance, said she changed her major from psychology to business based on job availability.

“When I came here, I was a psychology major, but then I realized I would have to go to grad school and get a Ph.D. before I could make a living on my own,” she said. “So I switched for the money and the security of knowing that an SMG degree would get me a job.”

Unfortunately, students must sometimes sacrifice majoring in the field that interests them to make a practical career choice, Cloutier said.

“For me personally, it’s sad that you have to split between what you’re interested in and what’s going to make you money, but it’s just kind of the way the world turns now,” she said.

School of Education sophomore Megan Smith, a special education major, said she chose her major because she knew she wanted to work in special education after experience in high school.

“I’ve been working with special populations for a while,” she said. “A lot of people told me, ‘oh, you’re really patient, you should try teaching.’ I worked with some kids with disabilities all through high school, and that’s how I came to the decision.”

While students have different priorities and circumstances that affect their choice of major, their level of interest should factor into their decision in some way, Smith said.

“Everyone has a different situation,” she said. “Everyone is expecting something different from their college experience. So it has a lot to do with other factors, but for the most part, it’s not going to mean anything to you unless you’re interested in it, [even] a little bit.”