» Selecting an Undergraduate Major/School

Now that you’ve decided on a career in science, how do you go about selecting an undergraduate school and major?

Selecting an Undergraduate Major
It is not unusual for undergraduate students to change majors more than once during their years in college. However, the sooner you can identify the field that you would like to study, the better off you are in terms of class work and years in college.

You should be proactive in your search for a major. Don’t just select a major based on what all your friends are doing. That way you will have a degree in a field about which you are excited.

Here are some ideas to use as you are trying to decide on a major at the college of your choice.

1. Look for majors that sound interesting to you. Find out what courses are required for that major. Find out what some of the elective courses are in that field. Talk to the faculty in that major about the field and careers available to you once you graduate.
2. Search on the web for related information about particular subjects that interested you.
3. Talk to your high school counselor about what they see as your strengths and interests based on your coursework and test scores.
4. Talk to people in the Career Center at the college. There are often both individual and group career counseling sessions available as well as a wealth of other resources.
5. Talk to your family and friends to get their perspectives on your talents/interests.
6. Take a class or two in that major to see if you are enjoying the subject matter.
7. If you plan on continuing your education in either a professional or graduate program, concentrate on those majors that will provide you with a strong foundation for applying to such a program.

Selecting an Undergraduate College
When you are considering which colleges to apply to and then which college to attend, you need to consider the following things:

1. Should I attend a large or small college?
2. In what area of the country do I want to attend college? Do I want to be in a large city or small town?
3. Do I need small classes or are large classes better?
4. Are the courses taught mainly by professors or graduate students? Does that matter to me?
5. What type of career do I want? Does the college have a good program/department in that area?
6. In what type of extracurricular activities am I interested? Does the college offer those activities?
7. What is the tuition/expenses for each college? Are there financial aid programs or scholarships that will help if I need them?
8. What are the living arrangements for students? Will they meet my needs? (Dorm or apartment? Transportation needed or not?)

Below are some sites that might be of use to you in this decision as well as when you enter into your undergraduate years (APS does not endorse or assume responsibility for the information posted on these web sites). 

Searchable list of institutions that offer courses of study in special areas of physiology.