by Jana
K. Nordstrand
Staff Writer
When freshmen enter college, many are told there is plenty
of time to decide on a major.
About four (or five) years later, students are required to
have 122 hours of credit to graduate with a degree of their
choice.
With more than 90 majors to choose from, Appalachian State
University offers what can be an overwhelming selection.
Students are finding that choosing their major and making
decisions about their future can be a daunting task.
“I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but I took interpersonal
communications freshman year and that helped me to realize
that I was really interested in communications in general.
I wanted the creative aspect of this field, so I chose advertising.
Now that I am about to graduate, I am happy with the choice
I made, but I am worried about getting a job. It is tough,
it is competitive. I wish I had more experience and I wish
that the job market wasn’t so terrible,” senior
advertising major Anne Marie Cotter said.
Some students enter college and know exactly what path they
want to take.
“Both of my parents are teachers, and I have been writing
poetry since the eighth grade. When I came to Appalachian,
I knew that I wanted to be a professor. I am going to be
in school forever, but this is what I love,” sophomore
English major Ashley C. Davis said.
Many students are worried that although they are majoring
in what they are most passionate about, the chances of getting
a job directly relating to their degree is unlikely.
“It seems that some students are just majoring in something
that they know will guarantee them a job or good money, and
are not majoring in what they necessarily love,” Cotter
said.
For students trying to decide what to study and which path
each choice will take them on, Appalachian State has resources
that can help.
The Peer Career Center, located on the second floor of Plemmons
Student Union, offers students a chance to explore their
options and feel more confident in their decisions.
The center operates on a four-step process: self-assessment,
career information, decision-making and career planning.
The center has books available relating to many majors and
personality types.
Some books offer information pertaining to jobs and job titles
that are common in a chosen field and act as a guide to students
who may be interested in a field, but are unsure of occupations
to seek.
“We normally do self-assessment with students who have
a class assignment to do so. We use the discover program
that helps the student explore their interests abilities
and values. All three things are put together to help you
match up with occupations and majors that can be linked with
those occupations. We also use a self-directed search, which
is a workbook that gives you a three-letter code similar
to Myers-Briggs,” peer career counselor Jenna Rector
said.
The Peer Career Center also offers graduate school information
and major checklists so students can see how demanding each
major is.
May 2004 means graduation for many students, and the Career
Development Center located in the John E. Thomas building
is a resource meant to assist with planning for the future.
The Career Development Center has a staff of counselors to
assist with resumes, interviewing techniques, graduate school
and tips on how to prepare for a career.
“I went to the Career Development Center last semester
and they really helped to educate me on the steps to take
when applying to graduate school,” senior communication
disorders major Mary-Todd Vann said.
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