The Undecided Student

The Undecided Student:

Major and Career Exploration Advising

Part III: Facilitation Guides for Exploration

Activities

Self-Assessment

Why Are You Undecided?
Let’s Talk About Interests
What Subjects Do You Enjoy?
What Do You Value As Important?
What Skills Do You Have?

Major Planning

Eliminating Majors

Why Are You Undecided?

One of the places to start the process of exploration is with determining the reasons for why the student is undecided about major and/or career. In addition, it is equally important to determine the level of indecision that exists for the student.

One of the purposes of this activity is to help the student to begin to consider what it is that is keeping them from making a decision. This activity can also assist the advisor in determining the level to which a student is unsure, providing the advisor with a better understanding of where the student is at developmentally. The activity, most importantly, creates an opportunity to begin discussion between the student and the advisor that can lead to embarking on the exploration process.

How to use this activity:

Provide a copy of the activity (from Major Exploration and Decision: Self-Assessment).
Have the student answer the questions, expressing the reasons why they are undecided, and to what extent they are undecided.
If the student expresses that they have an idea or interest, have them also explain what that interest is, and why it is of interest to student in the space provided on the activity sheet.
Discuss the student’s responses with the student. Really listen to what they are saying.
Ask them some related questions. Do they have a great deal of uncertainty? Are they feeling pressured or anxious about choosing a major? Do they have an area of interest or an idea about a major or career? Why that area? Is the interest coming from an external source (i.e. parent, guidance counselor, peer, etc)? Is the student willing to begin exploring options?
Consider if there are concerns that need to be addressed before the student can begin to explore. Does the student need assistance from another community or campus resource?
Copy the completed activity and have the student keep the original to reflect upon later in the exploration process.

Let’s Talk About Interests

Sometimes, when an academic advisor asks a student, “what are you interested in,” the response is, “I don’t know.” Typically, however, the student has some ideas about what they are interested in, but has not thought much about them. Or, the student just has not really ever been asked about their interests. In others cases, the student may have too many interests, or may not know just how to express them.

The purpose of this activity is to help a student begin to look at interests and preferences, and to provide the student and the advisor a place to start the discussion. This activity gives the student a chance to put onto paper some of the things in which they have an interest, which will be important later in the process when trying to integrate self-knowledge with educational and occupational knowledge.

The activity does not contain categories that classify the student’s responses. The student will not complete this activity and be able to say, “well, I am blue,” or, “I am RIA,” for example, as the classification is not what is most important. Important are the student’s responses, and what those responses can tell the student about themselves.

How to use this activity:

Provide a copy of the activity (from Major Exploration and Decision: Self-Assessment).
Have the student answer put a check mark next to any of the statements listed that they feel help to best describe their interests and preferences.
Have the student reflect upon other interests and preferences that they feel describe them, but that are not listed on the activity sheet.
Discuss the student’s responses with the student. What general trends do they see? What do they appear to like and dislike? Do the results fit with how the student views him/herself? How so, or how not so?
Copy the completed activity and have the student keep the original to reflect upon later in the exploration process.

What Subjects Do You Enjoy?

It seems that sometimes students have a tendency to be more certain of what they do not like, then what it is that they do like. At other times, they decided they want to pursue a major that includes a number of courses in a subject area that they do not enjoy at all. And yet, sometimes students find enjoyment in an area, but struggle academically with the subject matter.

The purpose of this activity is to help a student begin to look at the subjects that they enjoy, and in which they are successful. It also has the student begin to consider the reasons behind why they like certain subject areas over others, and how well they achieve in those subjects. This becomes increasingly important as the student begins to increase their educational knowledge.

How to use this activity:

Provide a copy of the activity (from Major Exploration and Decision: Self-Assessment).
Have the student begin by listing those subjects they enjoyed first, and then explaining what it was about those subjects that interested them.
Next, the student will need to rate their ability in those areas on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being highest).
Finally, have the student list those subjects they did not enjoy, and also explain the reasons why.
Discuss the student’s responses with them. What general subject areas do they enjoy, not enjoy, succeed at, or not succeed at? Do they already have a major or two they are considering? Do their abilities and subject area interests match up with courses required of those majors? Are there areas that seem very related to one another? What trends to they see?
Copy the completed activity and have the student keep the original to reflect upon later in the exploration process.

What Do You Value As Important?

Self-knowledge is not simply about personal interests, subject area ability and interest, and understanding the reasons for being undecided. It also includes, very importantly, personal and work related values.

The purpose of this activity is to help a student weigh the importance of certain qualities or characteristics of their professional and personal environment. It also enables the student and the advisor to discuss what is of value to the student and why it is of value to the student. This becomes increasingly important as the student begins to increase their occupational knowledge.

How to use this activity:

Provide a copy of the activity (from Major Exploration and Decision: Self-Assessment).
Have the student begin rating the level of importance of each of the values listed on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being of highest importance).
Then, have the student list those values that were of most importance from the list.
Next, have the student reflect upon the list and add any additional values that were not included.
Finally, have the student describe and explain why the values they rated as being of highest importance are so important to them.
Discuss the student’s responses with them. What general trends do they see? Are there values that are very related to one another? Why do they value what they value as important? Do they already have a career of two they are considering? Do those career options appear to match up with their values?
Copy the completed activity and have the student keep the original to reflect upon later in the exploration process.

What Skills Do You Have?

Often, when an academic advisor asks a student, “what are you good at,” the student responds by describing subject areas. Those skills in which a student has strong ability goes far beyond the subject matter of their courses, though admittedly much can be learned from their courses. An advisor can help the student in the process of exploration by helping the student to recognize those abilities they possess. In addition, it is important for students to begin to consider those abilities with which they feel they have less competence, and with which they desire more skill. Increasing their self-understanding in this area can help a student with their choice of major and career, as well as increase occupational knowledge in the form of being able to describe and market their skills to employers.

The purpose of this activity is to put down onto paper how able a student perceives they are regarding various skills. These skills often cross disciplines, and having a better idea of what a student is good at can help the student to recognize those skills that are transferable to many different majors and careers. This activity should help to stimulate conversation between the student and the advisor.

How to use this activity:

Provide a copy of the activity (from Major Exploration and Decision: Self-Assessment).
Have the student reflect on the skills listed, and then rank them in term of their level of ability on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being highest).
Have the student review their responses and then list the abilities that they believe to be their strongest. It is important for them to also describe why they perceive these to be their strongest skills.
Finally, have the student reflect and list those abilities they want or feel they need to improve upon, and also why they see it as important to improve in those areas.
Discuss the student’s responses with them. What skills are their best skills? Why do they feel this way? Are there general trends in the types of skills they rated as best? Do they already have a major or career that they are considering? Do their skills and abilities match up with those possibilities? What areas do they feel they need to gain more experience with, and why?
Copy the completed activity and have the student keep the original to reflect upon later in the exploration process.

Eliminating Majors

How to use this activity:

Provide a copy of the activity (list from your institution’s undergraduate catalog).
Have the student simply cross out those majors on the list that they know they would never consider.
Have the student reflect upon those majors left on the list.
Discuss the student’s responses with them. What general trends do they see? Are there majors that are very related to one another? What about the remaining majors is of interest to them? Where can they get more information about those majors?
Copy the completed activity and have the student keep the original to reflect upon later in the exploration process.