Top Mistakes High School Students Make While Choosing a Major
- BetterMind Labs
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
INTRODUCTION
What if the real danger to your college major choice isn't choosing the wrong field, but doing so for the wrong reasons? It's a surprising concept, but one that most high-achieving students never consider. They obsess over which college major "pays more," "sounds impressive," or "looks good for admissions," ignoring the underlying forces that influence their decision.
So here is the second, more uncomfortable question.
If choosing a college major determines the next 4-10 years of your life, why do so many students base their decision on assumptions rather than evidence?
This guide explains the most common mistakes students make when deciding on a major, as well as how selective universities evaluate academic direction. You'll also see how working on real AI/ML projects (such as those at BetterMind Labs) allows you to test your interests, demonstrate your abilities, and make an informed decision about your major.
The “Money First” Trap
Many students approach major selection in the same way they would a salary spreadsheet.
CS = high salary.
Finance remains stable.
Biology - medical school.
Engineering equals safe.
However, admissions committees—and actual data—show something different:
Students who choose majors solely for financial reasons are more likely to experience burnout.
They change majors more frequently.
Their graduation time gets longer.
They report lower long-term career satisfaction.
Colleges understand this.
The deeper issue:
When a student chooses a major for money rather than meaning, admissions officers see a red flag:
The student doesn’t understand their own motivations.
Selective colleges want direction—not dollars as a driving force.
Bettermind Labs students often test high-income fields before declaring a major:
A student builds a heart disease prediction model and realizes they love data science AND healthcare.
Another builds an economics forecasting LSTM and realizes they love applied math, not generic finance.
The project becomes the test drive that clarifies the major.
Living Your Parents’ Dream
Choosing a college major is one of the most common areas where parent expectations override student identity. The PDF you shared highlights this perfectly: students frequently pick majors that satisfy parental prestige rather than personal interest.
The result?
Higher career indecision
Increased anxiety
Low engagement in coursework
Later major-switching (expensive and time-consuming)
Admissions officers can tell when a major declaration feels forced.
They read thousands of essays from “future doctors” who have never explored biology beyond AP Bio. Or “future engineers” who have never built anything.
What colleges want instead:
Authenticity is demonstrated through real exploration.
As parents of a high school student searching for a major, these are the appropriate resources you need.
Following the Crowd
Majors trend like fashion cycles:
CS surged during the AI boom.
Pre-med rises whenever healthcare is in the news.
Business spikes during economic dips.
But following trends is dangerous because:
Job markets shift every 3–5 years.
Passionless competition is brutal.
Students burn out quickly.
Trend-following rarely aligns with actual skill sets.
Admissions readers know this pattern well:
When a student selects a college major because “everyone else is doing it,” their application feels directionless.
The “Romanticized” Major
Many students fall in love with what they think a major is, not what it actually is.
They love:
The idea of “engineering,” not the math
The idea of “psychology,” not research statistics
The idea of “film,” not the industry’s brutal work hours
The idea of “computer science,” not debugging for days
This mismatch is one of the top causes of major-related regret.
Solution: Read the Syllabus, Not the Title
The PDF makes this crystal clear:
Majors often differ dramatically from their high school equivalents.
Engineering physics ≠ high school physics
Psychological research ≠ AP Psych
CS algorithms ≠ friendly intro coding courses
Students must understand the actual day-to-day reality of the major.
Mistaking Hobbies for Careers
Having a passion for something and wanting to pursue a career in it.
Examples of errors:
"I enjoy taking photos → majoring in photography.
"As a pre-law major, I like to watch courtroom shows.”
"I'm a kinesiology major because I love sports.”
"I enjoy video games, so I'm majoring in game design.”
Majors need to:
Advanced education
Technical proficiency
Industry expertise
Long-term dedication
A student loved gaming. Instead of majoring in game design prematurely, Bettermind Labs helped him build a:
“Toxic Chat Detection Model for Online Games.”
He discovered:
He loves NLP
He likes coding more than design
He prefers AI safety over game development
A hobby transformed into clarity without locking him into the wrong major.
Skipping the “Test Drive”
This is one of the most costly mistakes.
Students commit to a major they’ve never tested in the real world.
A test drive can be:
A research experience
A summer program
A starter project
A shadowing experience
A mentored AI build
A mini-internship
A volunteer role in the field
Without a test drive, students enter college with assumptions, not evidence.
Relevant blog: Ai project ideas for students
How to Actually Choose
To choose the right college major, students must integrate 4 lenses:
1. Self-Awareness Lens
What energizes you?
What drains you?
Where do you lose track of time?
Which classes feel effortless vs. painful?
2. Capability Lens
Where are you consistently strong?
What skills come naturally?
Where do you outperform peers?
3. Exposure Lens
Have you actually tested the major?
Have you built something in the field?
Do you know what the coursework is REALLY like?
4. Career Reality Lens
What jobs does this major lead to?
What skills do those jobs require?
Are you genuinely excited by the daily work?
Why Projects Solve This Entire Problem
When a student builds an AI/ML project tied to a domain (healthcare, environmental science, economics, linguistics, etc.), they instantly gain:
Exposure to real datasets
Hands-on technical work
A portfolio artifact
A narrative for admissions
Insight into what majors actually involve
This is why project-driven learning is the single strongest decision-making tool for high school students.
Conclusion: It’s Your Path
Choosing a college major isn’t about prestige, trends, or parental expectations.
It’s about direction, identity, capability, and curiosity.
The students who thrive — in admissions and in college — are those who explore deeply, test their interests in the real world, and build something that proves who they are becoming.
And that is exactly why BetterMind Labs exists:
To help students design real, mentored, project-driven experiences that clarify academic direction and strengthen college applications.
Explore programs: https://bettermindlabs.org
See more expert guides: https://bettermindlabs.org/blog
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does choosing a college major impact admissions?
Yes — but not in the way students think. Admissions officers care about whether your major choice aligns with your strengths and experiences, especially through projects or exploration.
2. Can project-based programs help me choose a major?
Absolutely. A structured, mentored AI project gives you firsthand exposure to real work in a field, helping you avoid common major-selection mistakes.
3. What if I pick the wrong major on my application?
Most colleges allow you to change majors easily. What matters is demonstrating thoughtful exploration and clarity, not predicting your future perfectly.
4. Should I use a project in my college major essays?
Yes. A strong project gives you a narrative, technical experience, and a spike — all of which admissions officers value highly.
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