Major Decisions Burtchaell Analysis

Throughout almost everyone’s life, there is a focus on the future, more specifically in a future career. As young children, we have the hopes of being doctors, police officers, fairies, and princess. When we grow older we learn about the realities and the limits of our futures. We understand that we cannot be fairies or the Flash. However, the pressure to decide what to do in life is always there. A pressure which is the most prevalent in the first years of college. In “Major Decisions” by James Tunstead Burtchaell he explores the ways that picking a major in college is less of a pathway to a certain career, but more to wider possibilities in the future. The importance in not in the career that can be the final goal but rather the knowledge about
The article argues that most college students changes their major once or even twice. This is due to the fact that there are so many majors which as high school students we do not have the opportunity to explore. In college, the first couple of years should be used to explore these different fields and give themselves an opportunity for self-discovery. In my opinion, I agree with Burctchaell because of the fact that most people are choosing a “career choice” when they are only 18. A decision which would affect them for the rest of their lives. I personally want to explore the different majors which might lead me to a career that I am actually happy to wake up too.
Another point which Burctchaell explores is the fact that majors are not roads paved to a specific profession. He mentions how only half of architectures, for example, are in the architecture field as professionals. A major is a guiding tool for a certain field, and it narrows the choices for professional careers but it not destined to one