Preparing for College: Beginning to Consider Your Academic Interests in Your Early High School Years

Even if you’re in the early stages of thinking about applying to colleges, it is important to think deeply about what interests you. What courses have you enjoyed the most? What material has come most naturally to you so far in school? What could you see yourself doing in the future? All of these questions can be important to consider when you prepare your coursework to set yourself up for success in college. You don’t need to make a final decision at this point. (We recognize that it’s unexpected for teenagers to know exactly what they want to do with their lives!), but having a general direction or idea about what you enjoy most can help set you up for success in both college and your remaining years in high school. Let’s discuss some ways in which you can begin considering your academic interests.

You can start to think about general academic areas that you could be interested in exploring more. There are many pathways you can take through your academic journey depending on what you would like to pursue long-term. I would recommend starting with broad categories, such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) or the Humanities and Arts.

If you are interested in STEM, you can focus on math and science courses over the next few years of high school. Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or any honors/advanced courses are great ways to explore these interests if your high school offers them. As admission officers, some common science or math courses we see are biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, calculus, algebra, and geometry.

If you find yourself more interested in the humanities and arts, you can take some more advanced art, English, music, or performance courses that your school might offer. High schools tend to have varying arts courses and opportunities they offer to students, but many of our students have expressed their interests in the arts and languages outside of the classroom too.

We recognize that choosing what to major in can be a difficult decision. Some students know exactly what they want to study in college, but other students may be undecided—especially if it’s early in your high school career. Both are totally fine, especially at USC. There are 19 different schools at USC that offer undergraduate majors, and students here are able to study across these different schools and take a wide variety of courses in multiple disciplines. This allows students to truly study what they love during their undergraduate years and to explore various disciplines.

At USC, you will apply to a first-choice major and a second-choice major, but it is totally fine to still explore your options for up to 2 years as a USC student. You will have until the end of your sophomore year to declare your major, so you don’t need to have everything figured out right away even when it comes time to apply or even get to USC.

You all still have a lot of time to figure out your academic interests. As someone who changed their major twice during my college years, I can say from personal experience that interests can change constantly. Keep an open mind as you plan your high school courses. Seek the guidance of teachers and counselors who know you well. Ultimately, who knows what course or experience could spark a new interest for you.

Written by: Jaelin Robin, Assistant Director, USC Office of Admission