Although it may seem like an afterthought, your minor can be an important part of your college experience. You can either choose a minor that supports and complements your major, or a minor that is completely different than your major and rounds out your education. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind while choosing.

After choosing your major, it's wise to give some consideration to what your minor will be, or if you are able to take the plunge to double-major. 

If you used Majors Matcher to help you choose, you should have assembled a list of potential matches for you. After deciding on your top pick for your major, you can simply use your second choice as your minor. However, you may want to get a little more strategic when it comes to choosing.

A few things to keep in mind:

Your minor does not necessarily have to be related to your major.

If you are majoring in computer engineering you may think you need to choose math as a minor as it makes the most sense. However, your minor is a great way for you to broaden your mind and explore topics of great interest that you may not necessarily want to make a career out of. There’s nothing wrong with a major in engineering and a minor in art. In fact, the diversity of your education may help set you apart from others and give you unique insight into problems.  

You may want to choose a minor that shows you have practical, applicable skills for a future career.

If you have a liberal arts major like English, History or Psychology, you know that your undergraduate degree can prepare you for a number of fields. Be strategic when choosing a minor to prepare you for the career that you want. If your end goal is teaching, perhaps your minor should be education or child development. However, if you want nothing to do with teaching, choose a minor in journalism, graphic design, political science, business, or statistics. This way you’ll get the broad, liberal-arts education you desire, while still learning practical skills along the way that will put you on the path to your career.

Make sure you’ll be able to complete all the coursework.

Some majors simply take up more time. For example, if you are a science major you not only need to schedule classes, but several hours of lab time every week. Don’t choose a minor that you won’t be able to complete because the scheduling conflicts with your major. 

Should I double major?

Some students are so enamored with multiple subjects that they decide they would rather double major rather than choose a minor. There are some advantages to choosing a double major. It will allow to more fully explore a subject you are interested in, and it could potentially set you apart from other students in a competitive atmosphere.

However, double majoring can be a difficult balancing act. If your additional major causes your grades to slip or adds on more time to your graduation it may not be a good idea. A double major also limits your ability to take elective classes which is a great way to round out your education. 

Ultimately the decision is up to you. Before making the decision speak to your academic adviser and evaluate your ability to maintain your grades and graduate on time.

One of the best ways to begin exploring majors and minors is through Majors Matcher.