Sample Essay B: Choosing a Major
EC Sample Essay B
Prof. Bryan Alkema
Word Count: 568
Choosing a Major
At the end of their first year at Handong Global University, students need a crystal ball – a method of predicting the future! At this point in their HGU career, students must choose a major, and that can be a difficult choice both personally and professionally. Which major is best? Students who are having a hard time choosing a major should carefully balance the advice of others, the future of the industry, and their own identity.
One necessary factor to consider when making a large-scale decision is the counsel of other people. Students who are uncertain about their future can speak to those who know them well. Parents, for example, love their children and want to see them succeed. Good friends may have insights and comments which will provide new perspectives. Older students are a good source of information about what a major looks like from the inside – what that major really requires in terms of assignments and workloads. All of these people can give positive and helpful suggestions which students should consider carefully, because decisions with a large impact should not be made quickly or in isolation from others.
Another key factor in the process of selecting a major is a guess at the future of that specific industry. Education is more than job preparation, but the wise student is one who has a plan for the future. For example, in our increasingly computer-dominated world, the IT and Computer Engineering majors may seem attractive, because the skills taught in these major will be more and more relevant. A Humanities major may seem easier, and certainly can be practical for those who are planning a career in teaching – but that major should not be selected just because the assignments are different! Nobody knows the future, and plans are always open to change, but the choice of a major should be a step in a specific career plan.
However, the most important factor in choosing a major is the satisfaction it provides to the identity of the learner. Identity can be hard to define – for some it comes through prayer, for others through online personality tests, for still others through international experiences – but the ability to make effective choices is based on self-awareness. Every student should carefully consider his or her identity, because the selection of a major has consequences on future choices, from classes to careers. Feeling bored in a 75-minute university class that seems irrelevant is bad. Feeling dissatisfied in mastering a four-year major that seems irrelevant is worse. The most terrible feeling, however, is hopelessness in a career that spans decades! Each person has unique skills and interests which can be turned into an effective and successful career path – but only when those potential skills and interests have been clearly recognized.
HGU students do not need to fear the choice of their major. For one thing, our God holds the future in his powerful hands; for another, the choice of a major is not irreversible! But choosing a major is an important decision and should be done with some care and thought. Listening to others and thinking about the future are two good parts of choosing a major, but the most important factor is to consider how that major is suitable for the learner’s identity. Students finishing their first year at HGU should use all three of these methods to choose a major with confidence and certainty.
Sample Essay B: Structure Questions [Opinion]
Read the first paragraph. The last sentence is the THESIS STATEMENT, which is the plan for the entire essay.
What is the topic of this essay?
What is the writer’s opinion about the topic?
What are the supporting points?
Read the second paragraph again and answer these questions
How many sentences are in this paragraph?
Which sentence is the topic sentence of this paragraph?
What do sentences 3, 4 and 5 have in common?
How is the conclusion sentence of this paragraph different from the topic sentence?
Read the third paragraph again and answer these questions
How many sentences are in this paragraph?
Which sentence is the topic sentence of this paragraph?
What do sentences 3 and 4 have in common?
How is the conclusion sentence of this paragraph different from the topic sentence?
Read the fourth paragraph again and answer these questions.
How many sentences are in this paragraph?
Which sentence is the topic sentence of this paragraph?
What do sentences 4, 5 and 6 have in common?
How is the conclusion sentence of this paragraph different from the topic sentence?
Now look at the fifth paragraph, which is the conclusion.
Which sentence restates the THESIS STATEMENT of the first paragraph?
How is this conclusion sentence different from the THESIS STATEMENT?
What does the last sentence of this paragraph do?
How many times was the pronoun “I” used in this essay?
How many times was the pronoun “you” used in this essay?
Sample Essay B: Content Questions
Have you chosen your major yet?
YES
Which major did you choose? What reasons did you have for choosing that major? Who did you talk to about this decision? (Or did you make the choice independently?) Do you feel confident about your choice? What do you hope to do with this major? What jobs are you thinking about? |
NO
Which majors are you considering? Describe some of the advantages or disadvantages of these majors. Who are you talking to about this decision? (If you’re not….why not?) What is the hardest part of making this choice? What do you hope to do with this major? What jobs are you thinking about? |
Handong is one of the few universities in Korea with a double-major system.
What do you think about this system?
The author makes the point that knowing your identity is important for making good decisions.
What do you know about your own identity?