What Should Your College Major Actually Be?

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Thinking about what you want to study in college? (If you have no clue, it's okay!) Regardless of what your plans are, explore what options are out there by taking this fun Buzzfeed quiz to predict your future major! Disclaimer: Don't take the results too seriously!

The quiz can be found here.

Spotlight on Academics: English

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This week I will be focusing on the college major of English. If you enjoy curling up with a delicious novel, are crazy about poetry, or just love to read and write, English could be the perfect area for you to study! Studying English could prepare you for a wide range of careers in education, media, publishing, law, and much more!

Why study English? Even if you don’t think you want to be a professional writer (starving young artist, anyone?!), studying literature will provide you with a range of versatile skills in critical thinking, writing, and analyzing complex information. Developing logical arguments in English papers, for example, could help prepare you to craft a coherent line of reasoning as a lawyer. With the writing skills you’ll hone as an English major, you could work for a business corporation, television network, or the government! Because the topic isn’t as skill-specific as something like engineering, the career possibilities with an English degree are almost endless!

How can I prepare now? Luckily, preparing yourself for a major in English isn’t difficult – keep reading and writing as much as possible! Head to your local bookstore or library and pick from among literature, nonfiction, or even collections of poetry – the options are practically limitless! You can also try writing for your school’s newspaper, literary publication, or other forms of print media. Even outside of an academic context, try writing just for fun! You can really never get too much practice.

English is definitely one of the most versatile majors out there, and can prepare you for a HUGE variety of exciting careers. Keep reading and writing, ladies!!

Spotlight on Academics: Biology

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This week I will be focusing on the popular college major of biology. Interested in science, medicine, or learning about how the world works? Biology could be the major for you! Studying bio could prepare you for a career as a biological scientist, forensic scientist, doctor, veterinarian, or one of many other exciting jobs.

What is biology? Put simply, biology is the study of life – whether it’s individual organisms, the communities they live in, or the cells that they’re made of. You’ve probably taken some form of biology or life science in middle or high school. At the college level, you might take more specific classes like biochemistry, genetics, plant anatomy, or zoology. If you’re thinking of going to medical school after college, you may want to consider a science-related major like biology. But regardless of whether or not you want to go into medicine, learning about how our world works can be lots of fun!

What can I do now? As a middle or high school student, there are lots of things you can do now to prepare to study biology in college. Take as many science classes as you can, whether it’s chemistry, physics, or computer science – even in biology, computer skills are becoming more and more important! You might also think about participating in a science fair, attending a science camp, or joining science-related clubs at school. While no college will expect you to know everything going in, a little background knowledge can never hurt!

If you think you’re interested in studying biology, read about the bio programs at some of your favorite colleges to learn about their course offerings and research programs. An exciting career in science or medicine could be yours soon!

You're a leader!

I just got off the phone with my mom. She's in Switzerland at this really cool conference called Davos. It's held every year and world leaders come together for the World Economic Forum where they discuss all sorts of political and economic issues. This year's conference was titled "The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business". I am so incredibly proud that my mom gets invited to this conference - she's such an amazing role model and inspires me to make a difference every day.

However, while looking up Davos I came across a really interesting article in the Huffington Post that had some very sobering facts. Only 15% of attendees were women. The Forum selects 50 of its own Global Shapers of which 50% are women but for the rest - there is such inequality! Women everywhere need to be a part of the discussions that are shaping our world and moving our society forward.

We need to reshape what it means to be a female leader and that starts with you! I want to challenge you this week to put yourself out there. Apply for a position in school, volunteer to lead a project in class, go that extra mile with your homework, audition for the school play and it could lead somewhere. You may discover a new passion! Become involved in the society you are a part of - you will gain valuable experience and it will give you the confidence to develop those leadership skills (and it doesn't hurt on college applications either!).

Big (Wo)man on Campus

via: http://www.makers.com/ruth-simmons

Who? Ruth Simmons

What?  Formerly Brown University's 18th President, first black President of an Ivy League, second female president of an Ivy League, mother of two

Why? Ruth has been an incredible force in breaking the glass ceiling for both women and African Americans in academia. Born to a sharecropper in Texas, Ruth was the youngest of 12 children. She went to college on a full scholarship, which launched her into the world of academics. Prior to her presidency at Brown, Ruth was the president of Smith College, the largest women's college in America, where she helped to start the first engineering program at an all-female college in the United States.

On growing up: "From second grade onward, I was reading all the time. My sisters and brothers used to complain there was something wrong with me...As time went on and I progressed through school that was pretty much the pattern. I was an odd duck...I think I found teachers who supported my oddity and I kept working hard and I managed to rise to the top of my class in high school."

Best advice she received from her mother: "Never consider yourself better than any other human being… Always act as if you have respect for another person even when you disagree with them."

On being a working woman: "I went to my supervisor and I said 'I discovered the salary of my colleague. He is being paid considerably more than I, while I am the senior person of the two. And I only want you to know one thing: I know that this is unfair and I will never feel the same way about working for you again' And that's all I said. So I was always unable to sit and take it, you know? I always spoke up for myself and it worked for me."

You can watch more of her interviews here and here!!

Stay on Your A Game

Aspire to be all that you can be. Work hard and study, study, study. Strive for those A's. Take AP courses and join the IB Program.  Delve into things that you are passionate about, be it science, music, politics, art, math—the sky’s the limit!  One day you could be sitting in a class a Yale in the very same seat that Sanaa Lathan sat in.

 via: http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/10-black-celebrities-who-attended-ivy-league-schools/ 

Or you could get a business degree at Harvard like Tyra Banks. 

 via: http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/10-black-celebrities-who-attended-ivy-league-schools/ 

Keep your HEAD UP, strive for success and push on!

Spotlight on Academics: Political Science

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It’s never too early to think about what you might want to study in college! To give you some ideas, I will be highlighting a popular college major each week. Even if you’re sure you already know what you want to study, it never hurts to try something new, especially in your first year of college – exploring is the best part!

This week I will be focusing on political science. If you have dreams of working for a government agency, interest group, or political organization (first female president, anyone?!), then political science could be the major for you! Even if you’re not interested in  working in politics, studying human behavior and current events through a poli-sci major could prepare you for a variety of exciting careers including business, journalism, and law. Some politicians and celebrities who majored in political science include Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Condoleezza Rice, and Jerry Springer.

Wait, what exactly is political science, anyway? Put simply, it involves the study of political systems, processes, and ideas. You might take courses on American government, comparative politics, international relations, or political thought. Studying political science is a great way to develop valuable skills in writing, communication, and critical thinking. Don’t know anything about politics? That’s okay! The great thing about starting college is that you can take a variety of intro courses your first year – in many cases, background knowledge about the topic isn’t expected at all. Then, you can decide what topics or subject areas you want to explore in more depth.

What can I do now? Think you might want to study political science in college? There are tons of ways you can start to explore the subject area now. Join a club at school related to politics or government processes, whether it’s mock trial, Model United Nations, or student government. Watch or read the news to stay up-to-date on current events and what’s going on in the world. If you feel a little confused (what on earth is a budget sequester?!), talk to your parents or teachers and ask to hear their thoughts on political events and ideas. While no one expects you to join a political party now, it’s never too early to have your own opinions and ideas!

If you think political science is something you might be interested in, check out the websites of your favorite colleges to see what courses and programs they offer. I’ll be back with another popular major to explore next week!