SalahJaradat, M. (2015). What’s Really Matter When Choosing a College Major! International Journal of Arts and Commerce, [online] 4(2), pp.92–110. Available at: https://ijac.org.uk/images/frontImages/gallery/Vol._4_No._2/13._92-110.pdf [Accessed 30 Mar. 2021].
Factors Influence College Major Choice:
1. Different sources of information and influence
1.1 Some students are influenced by the direct or indirect recommendations of people they knew or met
1.2 the advice students receive from parents, friends and school and college advisors
1.3 university catalogs and department brochures as being influential resource that influence major choice
2. Characteristics of the Job
2.1 Future earnings have been measured as the most important characteristic of the job
2.2 the choice of major was promoted by students’ confidence in their ability to make appropriate decisions to choose careers that result in higher earnings.
3. student fit and interest in the subject
3.1 students’ general abilities and their major- specific abilities play an important role in explaining college major choices.
3.2 student interest in the subject is an important influence on major choice
3.3 passion drive students’ life, and tastes for majors are a dominant factor for choosing specific majors by students.
Results
The three hypotheses the researcher analyzed were:
- Students will choose majors that are recommended by parents, friends, teachers, advisors andrecruiters (Different sources of information & influence category).
- Students will choose majors that provide them with potential job opportunities, career advancementand pay them well (Characteristics of the job category).
- Students will choose majors that well-match their interest and abilities (Student fit &interest in thesubject category).