Are you stressing out about which course of study to pursue at college? There are multiple approaches you could take to arrive at a decision about which major to declare. This checklist of ideas will help you narrow it down and decide on the ideal major for you.

Pick a Major Associated With Your Career Path

Since most college students attend school with the intention of using their educations to launch their careers after graduation, a sensible approach is to pick a major that will give you a head start at your career. For example, if you want to be a nurse, it would be beneficial to pursue a nursing degree. If you want to be an engineer, it would be ideal to declare an engineering major.

Choose a Major That Interests You

Not every major has a clear career path associated with it. If you decide to pursue a major in a topic like this, it makes sense to seek the terminal degree in your field after you’ve earned your B.A. That way you’ll have the option to teach your chosen subject to others at the university level. For example, if you love history, declare a history major. Then plan on earning a master’s degree in history after you’ve earned your B.A. and going on to pursue a doctorate afterwards.

Language Skills

If you live in Los Angeles, Spanish language would be a useful subject to major in. There are many jobs available in the import and export niche; if you want to pursue a career in importing, Mandarin Chinese would be a helpful major.

Study with the Professors Whose Expertise Is Most Impressive

If you’re attending a school that’s famous for its medical research facilities, it would be beneficial to take advantage of the opportunity you have to learn from the top medical experts in the field who are available to you. Likewise, if your university has many credentialed journalists for instructors, you might find it satisfying to pursue a journalism degree in order to study under these experts.

These are a few different approaches you could take for deciding your major. No matter which approach you take, it’s important to carefully consider your options; your college major is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Your choice is likely to shape and mold many aspects of your future life, so it’s wise to be thorough and honest with yourself in analyzing which course of study you want to pursue.

Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook.