Searching for a college can be one of the most fun and most stressful moments for a high school student. It seems like you have to choose your entire future right then and there, even when that’s not the case for some. It can even be stressful picking out a major. Many students have a variety of things they’d like to do and picking just one can be difficult. 

Senior Abby Witzke was asked if she had picked a college major yet. 

“I have not, but I am entering a BFA program,” Witzke said. “So, some of them don’t have majors but if I do have to pick a major, it’ll be painting fine arts.” A BFA is a bachelor of fine arts degree and is an option for those who are considering studying a more artistic and creative path for college.

There are many options out there instead of picking a big college. Community college, tech school, trade school, and other programs can be options for those who may not know what they want to do and just want to start with their general studies. 

When asked about if it was stressful to make their choice, Witzke said, “It wasn’t too stressful, I already kinda knew I wanted to do a BFA. In the last year, I’ve just done a lot of painting and BFAs are pretty flexible so if I wanted to, I could always just choose to focus on one major.”

Senior Madeline Francis is focused on majoring in film and cinema.

“It was stressful for me to pick between music production or movie producer so I decided to meet in the middle and be a film major,” Francis said.

Even after you’ve picked a major, a lot of colleges have options to have a minor in a certain subject that you also show interest for. If you end up not liking your major, there is always an option to switch to a different one. 

Francis plans on attending Columbia College in Chicago while Witzke is still deciding. 

When picking a college, it is recommended that you check and make sure that you have all the high school credits you need to be able to go to that college. One college may ask you to have three math credits while others may ask you to have four credits. 

Francis had some help with making these big decisions “but this decision was mostly made by me alone.”

Witzke also replied saying, “I’ve been to some intensive programs before which helped lead me more towards painting instead of illustration, but otherwise I kinda just knew what I wanted to do.” If you’re stuck with making a tough decision for your future, a parent or guardian can help. There are also counselors who can help you sort out what you need help with. 

When asked if they were happy overall with their choice, Witzke replied, “Yeah, I’m pretty happy. I think whatever school I go to is gonna work out for me.” Francis also said she was happy with her decision.

College is a big step up from high school, making sure you make the right choice can cause some unwanted stress. If you know where you want to end up, put in the effort and you will succeed.