College Major Selection

What do you do if you’re a freshman in college today? A family friend’s son is starting college this fall, and they asked me what he should study. A simple question -until you really think about it. By the time he graduates in 4 years, the world will look nothing like it does today. The education system won’t change overnight but the job market will. For decades, the logic of higher education was clear: Get a degree → land a junior role → learn by doing → climb the ladder. But now, the tasks that defined entry-level work - summarizing reports, drafting emails, analyzing data - can now be done instantly, at near-zero cost. These weren’t just chores; they were how young employees built judgment, intuition, and experience. And so I keep coming back to this question: if entry-level jobs disappear, where does experience come from? Much of the work that once bridged the gap between “student” and “professional” can now be done instantly, at near-zero cost. Ironically, education may flip. It used to be vocational at the bottom (trade schools) and theoretical at the top (college). But if AI removes the need for junior roles, will universities start training students directly for higher-level decision-making? Will 'entry-level' begin to disappear entirely? If AI continues to eat away at junior roles, colleges will eventually have to change. Maybe that means: 〰️ More apprenticeship models. Real-world experience will matter more than degrees. 〰️ Less focus on knowledge, more on decision-making and creativity. “What’s the right answer?” will be less valuable than “What are the trade-offs?” 〰️ AI-native professions. Knowing how to wield AI, but also where it breaks, will become its own form of expertise. For today’s students, the challenge isn’t just choosing a major - it’s figuring out how to gain experience when experience itself is being automated. If I were 18 today, I’d focus less on what to study and more on how to build - skills, projects, networks. If you were 18 today, how would you approach the next four years? (Pls tell me so I can pass on the advice)

Almost every time I speak with juniors or college students, I get asked the same question: “I’m not sure what field I want to work in. How do I decide what to do?” It’s a completely normal feeling — and honestly, I’ve been there too. When I first entered college, I had no clue what specialization to take or what career path to pursue. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to have it all figured out right away. What you need is a plan to explore and narrow it down. Here’s what I tell anyone who asks: 📍 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 List a few things you genuinely enjoy or find intriguing — like writing, data analysis, designing, or public speaking. Don’t worry about how they translate into a career just yet Action Step: Write down your interests without worrying about how they translate into a career. The point is to recognize your natural inclinations. 📍 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Try out your interests through short-term activities like joining a club, taking a beginner’s course, or volunteering for a project. Give it 2–4 weeks and see if you enjoy the process Action Step: Try something for 2–4 weeks and assess: Did you enjoy the process? Did it feel meaningful? 📍 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘁 Reach out to people working in fields you’re curious about. Ask about their day-to-day work, the skills they use, and what they enjoy or dislike about their roles Action Step: Message 3 professionals on LinkedIn and politely ask for a 15-minute chat. Most people are willing to help if you’re genuinely curious and respectful of their time. 📍 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 Identify the skills you want to develop rather than getting stuck on job titles. Whether it’s data analysis, storytelling, or management, skills are transferable and will shape your career regardless of the role Action Step: Pick one skill you’re curious about and spend an hour a week learning or practicing it. 📍 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 Your first choice doesn’t have to be your final choice. Reflect every few months to see if you’re still enjoying your current path. It’s okay to change directions as you learn more Action Step: Set a reminder to reflect every 3 months: Are you still enjoying your current path? If not, what’s next? The Bottom Line: You don’t have to know your exact career path at 20. Just focus on exploring, learning, and building foundational skills — the clarity will follow. To everyone feeling overwhelmed — take it one step at a time. And remember, not having it all figured out is okay — it’s part of the journey. What’s one career option you’re currently exploring? Share below — I’d love to hear your thoughts!👇 #CareerAdvice #CollegeTips #FindingYourPath #SkillBuilding #CareerExploration #EarlyCareerInsights

Shifting College Majors and Workforce Implications Our latest edition of Labor Matters takes a deep dive into how college major preferences have shifted over the past five years. Using data from the American Community Survey, we compared the distribution of college graduates aged 22-24 from 2018 to 2023 to quantify the percent change in each major's share. The results show a clear trend: students are increasingly choosing majors that align with high-paying, high-growth careers. Fields like computer science, engineering and health are seeing significant growth, reflecting strategic choices that align with evolving labor market demands. However, the decline in majors related to humanities, education and social work raises concerns. These fields foster creativity, critical thinking, and social leadership — all crucial in a complicated AI-driven world. Check out the full analysis, and please let us know your thoughts. https://lnkd.in/g8VBspZr #LaborMatters #HigherEducation #WorkforceTrends #FutureOfWork #labormarkets #recruitment

Accounting delivers a 261% return on investment after just five years in the workforce. 🤑 I recently came across a study from Student Choice that analyzed college degree ROI, and the results for accounting are incredible. They looked at salaries five years after graduation, divided by total degree cost. The top performers? Engineering leads at 327% ROI - you'll earn three times what you paid for college. Computer science/IT hits 310%, nursing gets 281%, and accounting comes in fourth at 261%. But here's what makes accounting even better than those other high-ROI degrees: the lifestyle. Engineers and computer scientists get paid well, but companies make them work constantly. Sure, Big Four firms will also push you hard, but there are so many small accounting firms with better work-life balance. The real advantage? Accounting sets you up to own your own business. You can easily go off on your own - do tax work, accounting services, whatever you want. Plus, you have the financial background to start any kind of business and actually keep it profitable. This matters because college now costs an average of $38,000 annually, and 43 million Americans carry federal student loan debt. My advice - avoid debt, work while in school, and don't overpay for your degree. I went back to school as a career changer and completed all my accounting credits for ~$10,000. My ROI? Absolutely insane - if we ignore my expensive music degree from that top university. That's just a sunk cost at this point. 😅

How to target the industries you wish to work with as a fresh graduate? Well, I get 100s of inquiries from freshers who are passionate about a skill or industry but unaware of how to approach it. And most of them take up whatever roles they get just to start. Here’s a roadmap to help you find clarity and start working towards the career you truly want. 1. Self-Assessment: Discover what really drives you. Take time to list your interests, values, and skills. Ask yourself: ~ What tasks make me lose track of time? ~ What do people come to me for advice about? ~ If money were no object, what would I spend my time doing? Answering these can give you a starting point and help you identify roles that align with your strengths and values. 🎗️Pro Tip: If you know what you’re good at but aren’t sure how to make a career out of it, try Googling careers or income streams related to your skills. You can also use tools like ChatGPT to explore ways your skills can be applied in different industries. 2. Research Career Options: Once you know your areas of interest, explore relevant industries and roles. Resources like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and informational interviews with people already in these fields can help you learn: ~ What skills are most valued? ~ What are the career paths within this industry? ~ What growth opportunities do these roles offer? 3. Skill Development: Build the tools for success. If you’ve identified a field you want to pursue, start bridging any skill gaps. Choose one or two new skills to focus on, and use online courses, volunteering, or side projects to gain hands-on experience. Even small projects can make a difference in your resume and LinkedIn profile. 4. Networking: Connect with people in your desired industry. Networking doesn’t mean asking for a job right away. Start by reaching out to professionals for a quick chat. Ask them about their career journey and any advice they have. Attend relevant webinars, join LinkedIn groups, and share industry insights on your profile to make connections and learn more about the field. 5. Create a Mini-Plan: Small steps, big results. Set short-term, achievable goals to make steady progress. For example: Goal 1: Complete an introductory online course in your field. Goal 2: Reach out to three professionals for informational interviews. Goal 3: Apply for internships, projects, or volunteer roles that offer relevant experience. When your approach to it is laser-focused, standing out becomes the easiest. How did you approach your job search in college? Follow Priya Narang Nagpal for more Career & Corporate training strategies! Repost 🔁 if found useful. #careergrowth #jobsearch #corporatetrainer

I've long advocated that colleges, like MBA programs, should be required to provide prospective students with a comprehensive viewbook detailing a wide range of salary outcomes post-graduation - by major, by geography, and more. When you're investing a substantial amount in your degree, you deserve to know what you can expect in return. If someone still chooses a less financially secure path, that's perfectly fine. This isn't a moral judgment. College is one of the biggest expenses most people will ever take on, second only to purchasing a home. It's absurd that we continue to withhold crucial decision-making information from parents and students, as if the only way to encourage majors in less lucrative fields is by keeping them in the dark. As someone whose mother, mother-in-law, wife, and more than 10 other family members are educators, I find this approach baffling and, frankly, a bit insulting to the intelligence of parents and their children. Every student should pursue what they love and be proud of it. But they should make that choice armed with the facts, including 5-, 10-, and 20-year projections of likely financial outcomes, income, debt, and more for graduates in those fields. This isn't difficult to do - MBA programs do it all the time. If the result is that more people choose to enter more lucrative fields after considering this information, great. They should have the self-determination to decide what they want their life to look like. As someone who has spent the past two years in conversation after conversation with tearful students and their families who were sold all kinds of promises and are now months, if not years, out of work, I assure you it's better to have all the information before it's too late. Then, if you still want to pursue your passion, more power to you.

Choosing a career after 12th feels like standing at a giant crossroad with 10 confusing signboards🤷♀️ Everyone’s shouting directions — parents, cousins, Sharma ji, and the neighbour who once cracked NEET in 1997. So how do you actually figure out which path to take? Here are 3 powerful frameworks/models that can help students or their parents choose a career path that makes sense for them(not just society) ✅ 1. IKIGAI Model (The Japanese Secret to a Fulfilling Career) Ask yourself 4 questions: -What do I love? (Interest) -What am I good at? (Skills) -What can I be paid for? (Market) -What does the world need? (Impact) Example: A student I mentored loved designing, was great at storytelling, and didn’t want a traditional desk job. Instead of engineering, she explored UI/UX design. 3 years later, she’s working at a design agency and building her own digital art page on the side. ✅ 2. Career Triangle:Passion – Potential – Practicality Don’t just chase passion blindly. Check if your interest, your aptitude, and the industry demand align. -Passion: Do you enjoy doing this? -Potential: Do you have the skill or willingness to learn? -Practicality: Will this pay your bills and grow in the future? Example A commerce student wanted to become a musician full-time. But she also loved marketing and storytelling. She found a sweet spot in music marketing – she now works with music labels promoting indie artists! How cool right? ✅ 3.The 3C Filter: Clarity – Curiosity – Coaches This is more process-oriented for those still exploring. Clarity- Start with a broad idea (e.g., "I want to work with people" or "I like solving problems"). Curiosity- Intern, shadow, take short courses to test waters. Coaches- Talk to seniors, professionals, career coaches who’ve walked the path. Example: A student I know thought she wanted to do law. After interning under a lawyer and taking a MOOC in psychology, she realised it wasn’t for her. She’s now studying psychology and plans to become a behavioural therapist. Career clarity doesn’t come overnight. It’s a mix of self-awareness, experimentation, and conversations. And it’s okay to not have it all figured out by 18. Instead of following the noise, choose a method that works for YOU. Your career is not a race. It’s a journey of alignment. Would you add another framework to this list? #CareerAdvice #CareerClarity #CareerFrameworks #Ikigai #Careercoach #dhairyadecodes

Just analyzed 1000s academic job postings from 2025. These 15 fields show 150% growth in opportunities. After analyzing recent academic job market trends, I've noticed something striking. While everyone fights for the same traditional positions, smart academics are pivoting to emerging fields. Here's the hard truth: Traditional fields are struggling. New interdisciplinary areas are booming. Most PhDs don't see it coming. Picture this scenario: You spend 7 years perfecting your dissertation. Graduate with honors. Apply to hundreds of positions. Get zero interviews. Meanwhile, your colleague pivots to AI ethics. Gets multiple offers quickly. Same intelligence. Different field choice. From tracking academic job trends across major universities, I'm seeing clear patterns. Some fields are experiencing explosive growth. Others are in decline. The 15 fields with surging demand: • AI and Machine Learning - Universities desperately need AI ethicists and integration specialists • Data Science and Analytics - Research data explosion drives demand • Digital Health and Telemedicine - Post-pandemic healthcare transformation • Climate Science and Sustainability - Every university prioritizing climate research • Cybersecurity - Academic institutions need protection experts • Digital Humanities - Traditional humanities meets technology perfectly • Bioinformatics - Gene sequencing creates massive data needs • Educational Technology - Remote learning revolution continues • Mental Health Research - Student crisis drives urgent hiring needs • Renewable Energy Engineering - Green transition accelerating rapidly • Urban Planning and Smart Cities - Sustainability expertise in high demand • Social Impact Technology - Tech ethics becomes university priority • Quantum Computing - Next computing revolution starting now • Food Security and AgTech - Global challenges drive research funding • Environmental Psychology - Climate behavior research exploding My mentee Maria made this switch last year. Moved from medieval history to digital humanities. Went from struggling to assistant professor in under a year. The secret isn't abandoning your expertise. It's reframing it for growing markets. Your research skills transfer. Your passion adapts. The question isn't whether change is coming. It's whether you'll lead it or get left behind. Which field surprised you most? Follow me for more academic job market insights that actually matter.

The ground beneath our education and employment systems is shifting—fast. This is not a critique, nor an endorsement. But it is an observation I cannot ignore. At Rishihood University, I increasingly see that what society values as expertise is changing. Traditional markers—elite credentials, seniority, theoretical mastery—are being replaced by indicators that feel more immediate and actionable: industry experience, youth relatability, and digital visibility. Why is this happening? Some possible reasons: - Information Abundance, Attention Scarcity: With knowledge freely available online, the ability to execute becomes more prized than the depth of understanding. People want guides, not just theorists. - Disillusionment with Institutions: Many institutions that symbolized trust—academia, media, bureaucracy—have, in public perception, grown too ideological or slow to adapt. Credibility now has to be earned, not inherited. - Tech-Centric Economy: The economy rewards those who build, launch, and scale—skills honed in industry rather than in research. Learners want to emulate builders, not theorists. - Youth Culture and Identity Economy: In a hyper-social world, identity, relatability, and peer influence carry more weight than seniority. Learners want role models who speak their language. - RoI Mindset in Education: Families and students view education through the lens of returns—jobs, salaries, and startup opportunities. Relevance trumps rigor. What are the long-term consequences if this trend continues? - Higher education will split into two tracks: One, pragmatic, fast-moving, industry-integrated. The other, slower, more philosophical and civilizational—but possibly sidelined unless strongly championed. - Faculty roles will transform: The future university will need faculty who are not just teachers or researchers, but also builders, mentors, co-founders, and communicators. - Universities will be judged by outcomes, not prestige: Rankings and accreditations will matter less than portfolios, placements, and patents. - Depth and wisdom may become a scarcity: As execution gains currency, reflection may lose ground. Civilizations don’t fall because they stop building—but because they stop thinking. - Reputation will be public-first, not peer-first: Scholars and leaders will be required to engage openly with the public. Private reputation in closed academic circles will no longer be enough. I am not making a value judgment—yet. But the shift is real, and accelerating. The question is not whether we approve of it, but how we prepare for it—and whether we can guide it toward a higher purpose - and that is our attempt at Rishihood University. Join us to shape the future of education!

Updated STEM degree list for 2024. If you are a foreign national choosing your major, and you want to have three years of OPT work authorization once you graduate, you need to major in a STEM degree with a CIP code on this list. Many fields have both STEM and non-STEM degrees within them. For example, if you are interested in Business, Management and Marketing (52), and you major in Business Administration, this is not a STEM degree, and you will be eligible for only one year of work authorization on OPT once you graduate. However, there are four degree majors within this field you can choose that qualify as STEM degrees, for example, 52.1301 Management Science, or 52.1302 Business Statistics. Even fields that you do not traditionally think of as related to STEM may have one or two majors that qualify. For example, most of the majors in Communications and Journalism (89) are not STEM, however, 09.0702 Digital Communications and Media/Multimedia is a STEM degree. Also for those who are interested in saving the US and our planet from destroying the environment, climate change and global warming, there are many STEM degrees to choose from, for example: 03.0104 Environmental Science; 03.0199 Natural Resources Conservation and Research; 30.3501 Climate Science; 30.3301 Sustainability Studies; 40.0607 Oceanography, are just a few. What if you have broader interests than just your STEM field? The good news is that the American system of education allows you to take courses outside of your major. So, for example, if you are interested in American Literature or Creative Writing, you will still be able to take plenty of courses in that area while still meeting the requirements for your major. #STEM #Degree #Majors #F1 #foreignstudents #internationalstudents https://lnkd.in/ezWU73cr