Go to college, declare a major, graduate and get a job. That’s the simple college plan.

Choosing a major is essentially choosing a career for the rest of your life. With over 16,000 students and more than 300 undergraduate and graduate academic programs, it can be challenging to decide which one is the right choice.

For some, it comes easy. For others, more difficult. From the declared students to the undeclared students, to the still swapping and trying to figure it out, most students have questioned their own major selection. But what’s even worse than you questioning your major? Other people questioning your major choice.

Most majors have been stereotyped. Chico State students have recognized some of the major misconceptions and expressed why those allegations are wrong and why their selected major is important and necessary.

Take a look at some of the major expectations versus realities as told by students:

• Major: Sociology

Expectation: “People’s reaction when I tell them that I am sociology major is that I won’t be able to get a job after college,” said Jenna Abrams, a junior. “They think that there isn’t a point of my major and it’s just an easy pick in college.”

Reality: Abrams explained that the problem is that most students do not fully understand what sociology is.

“The sociology misconception is you don’t do anything,” Abrams said. “But in reality, it is the study of human interaction. We need it because people are constantly adapting and moving forward, and we need to know how people interact in society and how to perceive it in a new way.”

• Major: Political science

Expectation: Sean Steele, a freshman, said that when he tells people he is a political science major, people think it’s just a lot of work and reading about history. They think he wants to be a social studies teacher and that it’s just a really dull major.

Reality: “Political science is really interesting,” Steele said. “It’s necessary because it roots together our past, present and helps us prepare for the future. I hope to go to law school and become a lawyer.”

• Major: Child development

Expectation: Erica Dorado, a senior, said most people react saying, “Oh, that’s so cute.”

“They say that I’ll be working at a daycare or in a preschool for my career,” she said.

Reality: “I won’t be a nanny or babysitter at some daycare,” Dorado said. “Child development is an important major. Habits and events that occur in childhood affect you as an adult. It is important to understand this through research and professionals.”

As we can see, there are a lot of common misconceptions about majors. Most stem from people not understanding the study or who it affects. However, all majors and the careers that follow play an important role for others and impact the society that we live in on a daily basis.

Julie Ramos can be reached at [email protected] or @julie_ramoss on Twitter.