Success is at Your Fingertips
Problem: To a student, choosing a major is like standing at the crossroads of life. A student's future seems to be only a vague mirage, too blurry to see clearly. Though he/she certainly will reach a destination eventually, students fear wasting miles of life traversing in the wrong direction.
Solution: The Career Counseling department of the Paul L. Foster Success Center. Equipped with practical tools, certified career counselors can help guide your student to success.
Step 1: After requesting an appointment, students begin the three-session 
journey to select a major. Focusing on personality, interests, strengths, values and calling, each session helps narrow their options.
Step 2: Through two assessments, the Strong Interest Inventory and
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator,
self-discovery is heightened as a picture of a student's interests forms on paper. Interpreting the results with a career counselor highlights specific majors for students to research.
Step 3: Covering the academic requirements, career opportunities and misconceptions about specific majors, "Meet the Majors" podcast is a useful tool that can be conveniently accessed right from a student's computer.
Spearheaded by career counselor Aaron Baggett, the 9-15 minute interviews with professors from a variety of majors dive into the questions that most often challenge students.
"Students are more apt to engage electronically because they shy away from what they would call 'awkward' moments," Baggett explained. "It can be intimidating for a student to meet with a professor or department chair. Podcasts remove that obstacle."
He added, "Part of a professor's job is to stay up-to-date with not only the academic direction and course curriculum for their major, but to stay current with career potentials also. They are the greatest source for the most up-to-date information."
Step 4: Finally, students are prepared to create a plan of action alongside their career counselor. Now, they can confidently look toward the finish line.
These easy steps, in addition to the Career Planning Timeline, can help parents tackle the "major" decision with their student.
Baylor Alumni Network- Longview Spring Event (5/23)