| Trying to choose a college major can
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| | fellow graduates in different disciplines
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| become overwhelming. Here are three
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| | may walk into jobs paying as much as
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| simple questions you should be asking
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| | $24,000 a year more than you the first
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| yourself.
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| | year! That's close to a full year's
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| If you're having trouble choosing a
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| | starting salary for many new grads. If
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| college major, take heart. You're not
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| | you can see that bothering you, take a
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| alone. Almost two-thirds of U.S.
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| | look at the average starting salaries of
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| undergrads change majors before
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| | majors that interest you. Here are a few
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| graduating, according to Ejournal USA.
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| | examples to give you an idea:
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| Many switch out up to four or five majors
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| | • Chemical engineering: $54,256
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| before finally picking one. In fact, some
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| | • Electrical engineering: $52,009
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| institutions prefer that students not
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| | • Marketing: $37,832
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| declare a major until after they have
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| | • Liberal arts: $30,337
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| their college education underway.
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| | Those with degrees in the liberal arts
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| Generally, you can chalk up uncertainty
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| | seem to fare badly when compared with
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| about a major to the average college
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| | those completing their studies in
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| experience. To graduate, though, you do
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| | chemical engineering. If you don't want
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| have to bite the bullet, declare a major,
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| | to go to graduate school but want at
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| and complete the required coursework.
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| | least average earnings, you may need to
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| Careful evaluation can help you find a
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| | consider these starting salaries closely.
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| good match and avoid taking thirty years
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| | However, if you love the liberal arts you
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| to complete a four year degree!
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| | needn't resign yourself to a below
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| #1 Who Are You?
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| | average income. Many liberal arts
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| OK, despite the title of this article,
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| | graduates keep hitting the books in
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| you'll need to ask more than three
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| | graduate school or professional studies.
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| questions to turn up the right major. You
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| | A student completing a B.A. in
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| should start your decision-making process
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| | psychology, for example, faces a very
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| by taking a look at who you are, so
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| | different earning potential than a Ph.D.
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| actually you'll need to ask some good
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| | grad, who can practice as a psychologist
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| questions and perhaps perform a little
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| | or teach at a university. Likewise for
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| research.
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| | someone with a B.A. in history compared
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| • What are your interests and values
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| | to someone with the history B.A. and a
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| and how can your education further them?
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| | law degree.
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| • What are your academic strengths and
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| | Additionally, many employers prefer
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| weaknesses? Going with your strengths
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| | liberal arts degrees because they create
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| sets you up for success instead of
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| | well-rounded employees. Conversely, the
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| frustration.
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| | specific knowledge afforded by degrees
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| • Would you like to attend graduate
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| | such as engineering and information
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| school, or are you eager to begin working
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| | technology can become obsolete--sometimes
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| right away? Some careers have very high
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| | quickly--and these grads have to
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| education requirements and a bachelor's
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| | continually update their education to
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| degree won't get you a very high level
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| | remain competitive in their professions.
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| position.
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| | What you choose as your course of study
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| • How important is money? If money is
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| | has an impact beyond the four-years of
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| very important, look for degree programs
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| | classroom work. When selecting a major,
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| that lead to higher-paying jobs for new
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| | familiarize yourself with your likely
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| graduates--most often in technology,
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| | income, as well as the job and
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| engineering, or business.
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| | educational tracks typically associated
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| • How important is job placement?
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| | with the discipline.
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| Employers swoop in to grab graduates in
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| | #3 Where Are The Jobs?
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| some fields; in others you may have to
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| | Good news for everybody: The U.S. Bureau
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| search extensively or even move to find
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| | of Labor Statistics projects that over
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| work.
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| | the 2004-14 decade, total employment will
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| • Get out your college's course
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| | increase by 18.9 million jobs, or 13
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| catalog. Which course titles pique your
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| | percent. That said, not every industry
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| interest? Which departments sound
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| | and occupation will enjoy the same growth
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| intriguing? Try a low level course in an
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| | rate. If you're eager to get work related
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| interesting program and see if you like
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| | to your major right out of the gate,
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| it.
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| | consider the following information:
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| • Which courses did you enjoy most in
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| | • Nine of the 10 fastest growing
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| high school and/or college?
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| | professions are health or computer (IT)
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| • Go to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
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| | professions.
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| website and have a look at the
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| | • Production occupations and farming,
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| Occupational Handbook. Which job
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| | fishing, and forestry jobs are expected
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| descriptions look like good matches for
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| | to fall over the next decade.
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| you?
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| | • Business and financial operations
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| • Look online for interviews with
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| | jobs are projected to increase faster
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| people who work in fields that interest
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| | than the 13 percent average for all
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| you, or interview a few folks yourself.
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| | occupations.
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| Can you relate to them and their work
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| | • Educational services, health care and
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| experience?
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| | social assistance, along with
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| The more information you gather about
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| | professional and business services are
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| yourself, the easier your decision will
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| | the industry sectors with the most robust
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| become. A guidance counselor or
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| | job growth. The BLS projects these
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| career-counseling center can also help
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| | sectors will grow more than twice as fast
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| you take an interest inventory. If you
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| | as the rest of the economy.
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| don't have access to such inventories
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| | Some grads are willing to sling hash
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| locally, check with a U.S. Educational
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| | while waiting for the perfect
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| Advising/Information Center or similar
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| | professional gig to open up. Those with a
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| program. The U.S. Department of State
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| | drama degree, for example, may continue
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| hosts the EducationUSA program, operating
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| | to find service jobs much easier to land
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| more than 450 of these centers in 170
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| | than leading parts, as five out of the
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| countries.
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| | ten occupations adding the most jobs are
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| #2 Where Is The Money?
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| | in service. Most actors are not
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| The general wisdom to follow your heart
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| | particularly surprised at having to work
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| when selecting a major has the ring of
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| | outside their field to pay the bills. You
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| truth. But look deeply. How important is
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| | needn't choose your major based on job
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| money to your happiness? You'll want to
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| | projections, but you should acquaint
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| answer this question when choosing a
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| | yourself with the projections for any
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| major because your major will very likely
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| | career you're considering. To do this,
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| impact your earnings.
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| | head over to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
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| Even if you don't find money-hunger
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| | website and have a look at the
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| lurking in your heart, consider that
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| | Occupational Handbook.
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