5 Conflicting Tips for Picking Your Concentration

Shoutout to all of the sophomores currently undergoing an existential crisis due to the rapidly approaching concentration declaration deadline. What better way is there to procrastinate making the decision that may determine your entire financial career than by reading tips on how to make said decision? Here’s a list of (sometimes conflicting) tips for choosing your concentration.

1. You do you

The best thing you can do when you’re declaring your concentration is to pick whichever concentration fits your personality best. That means ignoring your aunt Rita’s pleas that you go into government “like the Kennedys” and your father’s acute disapproval of your concentration in Women and Gender Studies.

2. Seek out help

You might think that you should consult your designated academic advisor, but Flyby is here to tell you you’re wrong. If you’re really looking for advice from someone who knows you well, the best person to consult is the good friend who’s always willing to bring you Felipe’s or Tasty Burger when it’s 1 a.m. and it’s been a rough night.

3. Financial possibilities matter

Pick the concentration that pays the best: Linguistics. It’s that simple.

4. Time

Make sure you don’t wait until the Nov. 12 deadline to declare your concentration. Turning in your plan of study early can give you a peace of mind (until you decide to change your concentration yet again).

5. Why declare concentrations again?

Even though sophomores have to declare their concentrations by Nov. 12, you’re not married to it. You can change it next year (possibly even later). Can anybody say commitment issues?

Oh, and pro-tip: In the real world, a concentration is called a major, in case you forgot.