Identifying the Criteria for Major Selection and Internship (Essay Sample)

Identifying the Criteria for Major Selection and Internship Name Institution Course Professor Date Identifying the Criteria for Major Selection and Internship Introduction Choosing a major is a decision that does not come easy for many more so considering the short timeline provided in doing so (Stefanovich, 2011). Over the years, it has become increasingly apparent that students should be provided with ample time to discern what they are good at and over time, choose a major with ease once they enroll for higher education in colleges or universities. The decision criteria for doing so ought to be structured and intentional right from the get-go. The overall objective is to skew the major based on one’s capabilities and to be comfortable with the selection from the beginning till graduation. Criteria for Decision Making Define the Problem Here, it is important to highlight the challenges being faced and seek ways to mitigate them through the decision made. For starters, on average over 50% of students change their major while in college (Stehle & Peters-Burton, 2019). Additionally, there are over 50% of graduates do not utilize the skills learned in college in their daily roles be it in jobs or business (Stehle & Peters-Burton, 2019). The advent of the internet has made the workplace highly versatile and dynamic resulting in frequent changes with every turn, dictating more than one skill set. Graduates are also not sure of what they want to do and stick to an ideal that might not necessarily be theirs in terms of careers (Stefanovich, 2011). It could be stemming from their parents, siblings, and the wider community. As a result, they find themselves going through school, selecting majors that they are not interested in, and in turn, opting out frequently while in school or not pursuing the careers they studied for in school. There is also the dilemma that comes with the real work setting and what happens in class or school. Skills can be taught in school but in a working setup prove largely different in terms of the environment. Medical students have been seen to drop out or not pursue careers in medicine once they have to work within a real setup. Establish the Criteria and Alternatives It is paramount to discern the criteria according to specifications and also priorities. It can be beneficial and necessary to define and elaborate on the criteria selected. It is equally important to jot down how and why the respective majors have been selected (Paolini, 2019). The beauty of doing so is that it serves as a point of focus and provides the necessary direction on how to embark on the next steps. This however should be done in high school as opposed to doing it later on in college. Here, the alternatives should be numerous and internships sought through which some can be removed from the list or others added to it. It is important to arrange them in terms of hierarchy with the one at the top being the one that is liked the most. The same can change over time and with internships being done. The beauty of internships or real work experience is that it provides an avenue to gauge if what is liked resonates in a work real-life setup. Having a Plan of Action, Evaluation and Monitor the Solution A plan of action is as intimated above which is seeking internships pegged on the majors selected (Wolniak & Engberg, 2019). Evaluation is better through research coupled with an internship. Having both research and real-life experience through internships, a holistic approach is used to determine which major is best. Through such an approach, an individual is better placed on deciding what they like and what resonates best (Stefanovich, 2011). It is also worth noting that evaluation can change based on doing other internships along the line. The approach in this particular activity is that there is no right or wrong answer. The ultimate goal is to find a major by the time one is joining a college that stands out and resonates with them. It should invoke their passion and zeal for what they aspire or want to be in life. Monitoring should...