Major Myths or Facts?
Test your skills in identifying myth versus reality. Click each statement to reveal whether or not you are prone to believing common misconceptions about college majors and careers.
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Myth or Fact: Choosing your major is choosing your career?
MYTH. It is true that certain majors such as Nursing, Computer Science, and Accounting prepare students for fairly specific career fields. However, a great number of Liberal Arts majors find they have a wide variety of careers to choose from because their background is so broad.
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Myth or Fact: Job market demand should be the primary determinant of academic and career choices?
MYTH. Selecting a major and pursuing a career just because it's "hot" in the job market can be dangerous. What is currently in demand now may not always be later. Even worse, you may not enjoy the classes and the job you get post-graduation. New career fields and jobs emerge every year as a result of changes in technology, public policy, and economic trends.
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Myth or Fact: Liberal Arts majors are employable?
FACT. Liberal Arts graduates develop marketable skills that are highly valued by employers that are applicable to a wide variety of professional jobs. Examples of marketable skills include leadership, problem-solving, communication, technical, and computer skills to name a few.
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Myth or Fact: You must have a specific undergraduate major to gain admission to post-graduate professional schools in such fields as business, law or medicine?
MYTH. Some post-graduate professional schools require or recommend the completion of certain academic prerequisites, but in most cases no specific major is required.
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Myth or Fact: There is much you can do beyond course work in your major to improve your changes of career success?
FACT. Course work alone does not determine career success. Invaluable experience can be gained and important skills can be developed through extracurricular activities, such as student organizations, athletic teams, social groups, and student government. Internships, summer and part-time jobs and volunteer activities play an important part in developing great understanding of yourself and the world. Supplemental courses and independent study projects can also be helpful.