Thinking about college can be nerve-wracking, but having certain specifics in mind can make school-searching a whole lot easier. When looking at colleges, important things to note are subjects you’re interested in, career opportunities you would enjoy, and areas you would like to live and study in. A few seniors shared their experiences choosing their future schools and majors and gave some advice to Royals who will be applying to college soon.

Senior Caroline Linton will be attending Chapman University and is majoring in broadcast journalism and documentary at the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. She shared, “I hope to enter into the entertainment industry and gain a solid film production background to tell stories that matter. This means I could potentially do anything — from being a news anchor to creating blockbuster films!”

Caroline’s advice to Royals is to not be afraid to branch out during their major selection journey and said, “I originally applied to Chapman as a film production major, but the admissions committee saw me as a strong candidate for a related, but more focused, major. At first, I was bummed, but I realized that having a role in film while also being in front of the camera was something I loved!”

Penelope Hoyos ’21 is pursuing her interests in design and economics by majoring in marketing at Loyola Marymount University. Penelope shared her plans to explore different programs at LMU for career opportunities and said, “I want to apply for the M-School program within my college to do in-depth work within my major.”

Penelope wants to let Royals know the most important thing to do when selecting majors is taking personal interests into account. “You should choose something that you would be happy doing for the rest of your life,” she said.

Senior Isabel Alderete is majoring in business with a concentration in marketing at New York University and is considering minoring in journalism, but she hasn’t decided yet. Isabel said her main interest, in terms of career opportunities, is working in fashion and explained, “I’m not exactly sure what I may want to do yet, but I really want to work in the business side of the fashion industry.”

Isabel’s advice for Royals is to be patient during the major selection process and said, “If you don’t know what you want to major in, that’s completely okay. Just start thinking about your passions and go from there.”

Uyen Nguyen ’21 will be attending the University of California, Irvine as a chemical engineering major. Uyen’s main interest, in terms of career opportunities, is working in food production with her degree. Uyen’s advice for Royals is to be certain when choosing majors and said, “Choose what interests you the most. You want to have a positive experience with this major for a few years.”

Lastly, senior Gabriela Mercado is majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Even though Gabriela is not yet sure what career she’d like to pursue, her advice for Royals is to choose a major that sparks long-term interest. She said, “Make sure to major in something you can see yourself pursuing for a long time.”

Although college may seem a ways away for some of us, it’s still fun to explore new interests that could become lifelong careers. Hopefully, the great insight from these five Royals helps you during your major selection journey.