Key Finding 1: Although a Majority of ACT-Tested Students Select a Planned Major, Many Students Are Not Sure of Their Choices

Of the ACT-tested graduating class of 2013, 4 out of 5 students selected a planned major during ACT registration. Although the likelihood of selecting a planned major varies by academic achievement (as measured by ACT Composite score), it is consistently high for all achievement ranges. Despite the fact that a large majority of ACT-tested students selected a planned major, only 2 out of 5 who did so indicated that they were very sure of their planned major choice. Moreover, compared to their lower-achieving peers, students with higher academic achievement levels were far less likely to be sure of their planned major choice. A similar pattern is evident by the students’ parent education level, where students from more highly educated families were less likely than their peers to be sure of their planned major choice.

In addition to this degree of uncertainty among students who selected a planned major, 15% of ACT-tested students indicated that they were undecided about their choice of major and another 6% neither selected a planned major nor indicated that they were undecided. The likelihood of a student being undecided increases as achievement level increases. Taken together, this evidence suggests that highachieving students may also need extensive advising and help in selecting majors and careers.

Key Finding 2: Few Students Are Selecting Planned Majors that Are a Good Fit with Their Interests

Only about 1 out of 3 students (36%) who selected a planned major during ACT registration chose a major that is a good fit with their interests as measured by the ACT Interest Inventory. Moreover, students with lower levels of academic achievement (as measured by their ACT Composite score) are far less likely than their higher-achieving peers to select a planned major that is a good fit with their interests. A similar pattern is evident by the students’ parent education level, with first-generation college students being less likely than their peers from more highly educated families of selecting a planned major that is a good fit with their interests. Although Interest-Major Fit increases with the students’ certainty of their planned major choice, only 2 out of 5 students who were very sure of their planned major choice selected a major that is a good fit with their interests. The likelihood of selecting a planned major that is a good fit with student interests varies considerably by their planned major area. If students who selected planned majors that were a moderate or poor fit with their interests had instead selected planned majors that had the best fit with their interests, the overall distribution of these students across major areas would be quite different.

Key Finding 3: A Majority of Students Want Assistance with Their Educational and Occupational Plans

Roughly 3 out of 5 students (62%) indicated during ACT registration that they need assistance with deciding their educational and occupational plans. Compared with students who selected a planned major, those students who were undecided about their choice of major or who left the question blank had a greater likelihood of reporting that they need assistance with educational and occupational planning. Among those who selected a planned major, students who were not as sure of their planned major choice were more likely than their peers to report that they need assistance with deciding their educational and occupational plans. However, even among those students who were very sure of their planned major choice, nearly half indicated that they need assistance, suggesting that educational and occupational guidance would be helpful for a wide variety of students.

Key Finding 4: Both Choice of Planned Major and Interest-Major Fit Vary in Meaningful Ways by Gender

In general, females were more likely than males to select a planned major and to be sure of their planned major choice. Among those students who selected a planned major, males and females tended to select different fields of study, which creates gender imbalance across planned major areas. In particular, large gender discrepancies in planned major choices in favor of females are evident in the areas of Health Sciences and Technologies; Education; and Health Administration and Assisting. Large gender discrepancies in planned major choices in favor of males are evident in the areas of Engineering; Business; and Computer Science and Mathematics.

Overall, a similar share of females and males selected majors that are a good fit with their interests. This overall similarity, however, masks some important gender differences in Interest-Major Fit that are evident within particular major areas. For example, in such areas as Repair, Production, and Construction; Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation; Engineering; Computer Science and Mathematics; and Engineering Technology and Drafting, males are more likely than females to have selected a planned major that is a good fit with their interests. In contrast, in such areas as Communications; Education; and Visual and Performing Arts, females are more likely than males to have selected a planned major that is a good fit with their interests. If those students who selected planned majors that were a moderate or poor fit with their interests had instead selected planned majors that had the best fit with their interests, there would be a greater gender balance within the distribution of these same students across planned major areas.

Key Finding 5: For Many Students, Availability of a Particular Major Is the Most Important Factor in Choosing a College

Half of all students (50%) who selected a planned major when they registered for the ACT indicated that the availability of a particular college major or program of study was their most important factor in selecting a college. Furthermore, the students’ likelihood of reporting college major as the most important factor in their college decision increases with the students’ ACT Composite score, parent education level, degree aspirations, certainty of planned major choice, and Interest-Major Fit. These findings suggest that students would benefit from having greater access to information about the programs of study that are available at the colleges they are considering.