FACT: Within 5 years after graduation, 50% of graduates are working in career fields unrelated to their major.

FACT: A "liberal arts" education prepares students for success in any career field. Hollins graduates prove time and time again that this is indeed true. Liberal arts skills are transferable, functional abilities that are required in many different problem-solving and task-oriented situations. The following "liberal arts" skills emphasize the value of a liberal arts education in the world of work:

• Ability to think, speak, and write with clarity

• Ability to live humanely in a technological world

• Ability to deal with problems and decisions

• Ability to understand the history of human kind

When employers are asked what skills and competencies they value most in college and university applicants, the list always includes the following skills that are acquired through a liberal arts education:

• Excellent communication skills

• Keen intelligence

• Leadership and organizational abilities

• Ability to solve problems creatively

• Analytical competencies

• Quantitative and research proficiencies

• Logical decision-making abilities

Hollins alumna, , Jane Leslie Dees, publishes the annual Off to College magazine that offers some very practical advice for students who are trying to choose a major:

Decisions based on these factors alone are sure to bring frustration and disappointment, because they violate Rule #1 which emphasizes selecting a major based on personal desires, skills, and talents.

Important questions to consider when evaluating a specific major:

Is this a major field that I will enjoy for its own intrinsic value?
Is this a major field in which I expect to perform well?
Do I like and respect most of the faculty members in this department?
Am I keeping my options open to other departments? How are they related to this one?
Do I seek out other students or faculty in this department for informal discussions?
Am I willing to get an advanced degree if necessary to succeed in this field?
 

Network with members of faculty in departments that interest you. Professors have the important academic background that is essential to choosing a major. Many faculty members also have had employment experience and can help students explore options for practical applications of academic majors.

Use the Career Center to help you find out more about your interests and personality. The CC offers three inventories that help students explore these factors in choosing a major: the Strong Interest Inventory (first and second year students), the Campbell Interest and Skill Survey (third and fourth year students), and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (for all students). Students can take these at their convenience; the results are reviewed in small group sessions with individual follow-up recommended.

Schedule a counseling session with the CC director or associate director to "talk through" ideas, options, and concerns. While the ultimate decision belongs to each student, it is often helpful to talk with another person who can offer additional information or a different perspective.

Use the Career Advising Network to talk with Hollins graduates in career fields that interest you. They can offer valuable information on their own experiences in selecting a major and using their liberal arts skills in the real world.