Should I minor in college?

That depends.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this and even the following things I will ask you to consider also are different for each person.

Minors aren’t a requirement for college. A minor is a smaller area of concentration when someone takes designated courses required to get more in-depth knowledge in a subject or skill.

For example, maybe you are a business major and want to work in Personal Finance. Depending on what exactly you want to do, it might be helpful to take an economics course or take a set of courses that would result in an economics minor. Maybe you have always been interested in traveling and want a career where you travel or work internationally. In college, it might be helpful to take a class in international business or cultural courses, or maybe even minor in international studies or a foreign language.

Another reason you might minor is because you really love something and want to learn more, but don’t want to major in it. Maybe you love taking pictures and want to learn all you can about it but you don’t want to major in Photography because you’re going to be a Nurse, here is when a minor might make sense. Maybe you love Philosophy and the kinds of discussions that happen in class but you are majoring in Mechanical Engineering, here’s another time when a minor might make sense.

Never get a minor just to have it. Minors should make sense. They should add value to your life or future goals. I’ve advised many students that want 2 majors and 3 minors because they think it makes them more marketable. It might. It might also show future employers that you’re not sure what you want, so you just did a bunch of things to be more marketable. This can give employers a conflicting feeling of wanting you because you have diverse knowledge and not wanting you because they risk losing you to another job or career because you don’t seem as committed or sure of yourself.

I know it’s hard to make decisions at 18 or 19 years old that will serve you for the rest of your life. I’m here to ease some of that pressure. You don’t have to know what you’ll do for the rest of your life. Most people that graduate from college don’t even work in their major! So, what’s the point and how do you choose? I’ll have another post about picking majors in college, but for now, I’ll tell you that you need to pick something you enjoy and would like to know more about and possibly obtain a career in. Then, do very well in your classes, take advantage of networking, internships, externships, clubs, and service organizations so that when you graduate you’ll be the ideal candidate for each job you apply for.

I’m here to listen and help you flush out your thoughts and ideas. If you want to talk more, feel free to send me a message and let’s set up a time to talk on the phone or via Zoom. I’d love to help calm your fears, answer your questions, and offer my insight to help you save time and money. College isn’t cheap! I’m here for ya!

All my love,
LouAnna