What are the Most Common Majors for Athletes?
The list of potential majors that students choose from can be somewhat overwhelming. For some, the choice is clear. They’ve wanted to be a doctor since they were young, a parent is an engineer and they want to follow in their footsteps, or they have always loved history and politics. But for a majority, choosing a major can be one of the most stressful parts of the college admissions process. Years ago, there wasn’t as much pressure to go into college with the course of study predetermined. But, as the level of competition and impaction at the most desirable campuses has crept up, so has the need to turn in applications with the intended major as a significant part.
For student-athletes, this can be especially daunting because of the time commitment that will be required of them by their sport. It can be extremely helpful to major in a subject that is popular with other members of the team and athletes from different sports inside the department. The resource and knowledge sharing as well as peer mentoring and support can make all the difference in the world to a young athlete trying to navigate college athletics.
The NCAA provides a helpful resource for counselors and families when considering colleges and majors for prospective student-athletes called the NCAA Diploma Dashboard:
This site provides useable data (sortable by race, gender, and sport) that can help guide conversations between counselors and families, or parents and children. It also reveals interesting and counterintuitive differences between athletes and the rest of the student population.
