Exploring Your Choices ... Choosing An Arts & Sciences Major

Exploration starts with some self-assessment...

Interests: What do you find interesting?

Identify and reflect on activities or things that you find enjoyable, or that always peaked your curiosity. Some questions you can ask yourself include:

Am I drawn towards certain activities?
Is this a potential a major for me or is it more of a hobby?
Are there certain topics or subjects that I enjoy over others?
Do I prefer being indoors or outdoors?
Do I like solving problems, doing puzzles, etc.?
Do I like working with my hands?

What are some of your interests?

Abilities: What can you do well?

Reflect on both your strengths and weaknesses, as well as skills you have obtained through work or volunteer experiences, or those that come naturally to you. Some questions you can ask yourself include:

Am I a creative person?
Have I been praised by others for something I did?
Have others told me that I am logical or analyze problems well?
Can I focus for long periods of time or pay attention to detail?
Do I have difficulties in, or do well in, certain subjects over others?

What are your abilities?

Core Values: What is important to you?

Reflect on what is important to you, how these things affect the decisions you make, and how you might handle situations where one or more of your values come in conflict with each other. Some questions you can ask yourself include:

How important is it to me to have creative freedom?
How important is it to me that I help others?
How important is it me that I have a high salary or am I looking for something that gives me a comfortable living style?
How important is it to me that I have flexible or standard work hours?
What do I believe in (political, religious, ethical beliefs)?

What are your core values?

Internal and External Motivations: What motivates you to do things?

Reflect on what internal or external factors affect the decisions that you make. Some the questions that you can ask yourself include:

Am I looking at things that interest me or what others think would interest me?
Am I more concerned about career choices that what I would enjoy?
Where do I see myself in ten years?
What outside responsibilities or interests might affect my choices?
Do I take initiative or do I wait to be told to do things?

What internal and external factors motivate you?

Learning Style: what is your preferred method?

Assess what your learning style, or your preferred or best mode for learning and processing information is. The ability to learn is a skill that extends past the years you spend in college. Being a life-long learner allows you to keep pace with changes in technology and the ever-changing global environment that we live in, as well as how these changes affect you and society. It may also influence your academic performance as an undergraduate. Everyone has their own unique learning style - discovering your style in another important step in learning about yourself.

ON-LINE ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Click here to view some on-line resources. As you use these resources, keep in mind that while the results of these assessments may help you learn a little more about yourself (i.e, what your preferences are versus what you are actually capable of doing), they do not define who you are. And while there are many different types of assessment tools available to help you as you begin your journey of exploring potential majors and careers, there is no one test that will give you "the answer."

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Created by Lynne Higa, Michael Kirk-Kuwaye, Dawn Nishida