Expert: Todd Johnson - 1/21/2008

Question
am  planning to study in a college in the US(or canada) next year.i haven't decided on my major yet(not even close).I believe that the primary goal of college is preparing the student for work.this is one of the reasons why i want to study in the US,because i have a lot of  choices(until now i am thinking of marketing,law,anthropology,forensic science,theology ,journalism, and psychology)and i need to do a lot of things and undergo alot of experiences in order to choose my ideal career.i don't want to take any decision now.i want to wait until college to be be exposed  to all these things.
my question:i don't think that choosing a normal study option(one major) nor double major will suit me.I need a study option where i can choose from a lot of subjects from a lot of different academic fields(also aspects which are not academically related,i want the maximum amount of varied experiences there is).is there such a thing of a special study option that allows me to do that and matches my case?kind of a custom-designed academic program?
note:i mean by special study options stuff like"independent study" and "double major".
i appreciate your advice.  

Answer
Hashem,

Several of the areas you mention, law in particular, is a graduate level course in the United States and would not be studied at an undergraduate level. Theology and journalism are also most associated with graduate programs although there are some undergraduate programs.

Most colleges will, at least on paper, allow students to have an independent major meaning one that is self designed. I say on paper because the reality is that some colleges are much more likely to allow their students to have an independent major than others. I would suggest that you go to this web site to start investigating some colleges that would be appropriate for your needs.

http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

First, fill out the form to find a good college choice based on size and location of the college as well as the academic strength of the college. Once you have narrowed the list down then start looking at the majors from those colleges. Look at the number of multi/interdisciplinary studies to get an idea of how many students pursue a multifaceted approach.

Many people are like you when they first come to college with many areas of interest and not knowing where they want to focus. That is perfectly fine. Be aware, however, that you may find that there is one particular area in college that really gets your interest and you may end up majoring in one or two areas. Don't preclude any options this early in the process. Do what is best for you whatever that may be.

Good luck.