Choosing a college major is a quest that plagues even the most driven and academically successful students. It is perhaps even more stressful than choosing the college itself as it actually determines what you will be able to do later in life. At the moment JC gives great guidance to students about major choices during junior year, but this guidance needs to be taken one step further.

Right now, juniors in Junior Guidance explore sites such as collegemajors101.com and take several career interest inventories that help them select a career path and ultimately a major. College Counselor Carrie Siemsen then meets with each student and helps them along through their ideas and what schools would fit their respective major.

This is an excellent introduction for students just starting to think about colleges, but the guidance shouldn’t stop there.

Students consistently change their majors and it is the minority of students that stick with the major idea that they select in their first explorations as a high school junior.

Students should take the same career interest inventories at the beginning of senior year to reevaluate their major choices. No matter how set students are in their belief that a certain school or major is right for them, students should be asked to take another look.

All seniors should be required to do this. It would aid students in finding out what it is they are good at and help them find their niche in further education.

Asking students to constantly reevaluate or in some cases reaffirm their major and/or college selections would cut down on unnecessary time and money spent on applications to schools that a student should have no interest in. It might ultimately cut down on the number of college transfers completed by graduates.

At the moment, juniors are receiving great guidance in how to choose what area of study they want to pursue, but JC needs to make sure they are not left stranded in that field as they move into senior year. Continuing to guide them on the major they want to pursue and the college process will be much more beneficial for students, parents, and guidance departments alike.

Bryan Doherty is an Opinion Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.