High-School Junior with Basketball Passion Ready to Choose College Major

Cara writes:

I am a junior in high school, and I really want to find a major by the end of this year, because I want to know what colleges I should check out. The thing is, I don’t think I’ll like any job, nothing really interests me except basketball. I play all the time and am absolutely in love with it. My parents think I should go into business, but it sounds kind of boring. All in all, I’m just really confused and am wondering what your opinion is on the whole matter.

The Career Doctor responds: a

I am a firm believer in examining all your interests in an effort to find the best career path, the best major. So, your interest in sports can be combined with some of your other interests in psychology to lead to any number of careers in coaching, sports management, and sports psychology. Keep in mind, though, that as you experience new things at college — professors, coaches, other students — your interests may change dramatically. And that change is okay too, because thatis partly what college is all about.

And while I agree with your parents that you should at least take a few business courses, I think only you can decide on your major(s) and minor(s). My personal opinion is that just about any college major could be enhanced with a minor in business, but hey, what else might you expect a business professor to say? Business boring? No way! Don’t get me started!

This year — your junior year — truly is pivotal for you. I think the junior year does not get the attention it deserves; so many critical things happen in your junior year. Consider these issues:

It’s in your junior year that you take the all-important standardized tests that will help determine your admissions fate into the colleges of your choice. In the beginning of the year, the PSATs will put you on the radar of colleges based on your score. Toward the end of the year are AP exams if you have taken AP classes. Then come the SAT or ACT, the two standard college admissions tests.

It’s in your junior year that you start developing — and then narrowing — a list of colleges based on any number of criteria you develop with your family and guidance counselor. It’s also a time to be thinking about career paths so that the schools you consider have majors that will help you the career path you initially have chosen.

It’s in your junior year that you should begin developing a portfolio — including a resume — that highlights your education, your experiences, and your accomplishments. You should do these things not only to prepare for college, but for work as well.

Read more in this article published on Quintessential Careers: The Importance of the High School Junior Year.