5 Questions You Should Ask Your College Counselor if You Want to Major in Criminal Justice

Deciding what you want to do with your future is a big question. There are so many options as you look to graduate high school and move to college. Unlike your primary education, secondary education is a time for you to focus on the coursework that really interests you and study the areas that you want to study. This means deciding on a major and speaking with your counselor about your next steps for your life.

Maybe you’re someone who loves watching a good crime documentary. Law and Order is your favorite show on television, and you love solving mysteries and defending justice. If this is accurate for you, you may be interested in a future in the criminal justice field. There are so many steps and paths you can take with a degree of this nature. But first, you have to get in with the college admissions administrators. Meeting with a college counselor can help you take the appropriate next steps for getting your criminal justice degree. Here are just a few questions you should ask them as you advance to the next step in your journey.

1. First, find a counselor you feel comfortable with to ask your questions.

Your relationship with your college counselor is an essential one. This is the individual who will help you get into the best program and find your next steps to getting your bachelor’s degree. You may even find someone who specializes in criminal justice majors. As you search for a college counselor to help you pursue higher education, know your options. There are plenty of online college counseling options that you can access through a phone call or Zoom meeting. Whether you’re looking into an online program or not, this form of counseling can fit into your life perfectly. Once you find a counselor you can trust, it’s time to start asking all those important questions so you can make a plan for your future.

2. Ask what criminal justice programs are out there.

The first question you have to ask is what criminal justice programs are available. Of course, you can get a general Bachelor’s Degree in criminal justice, but you want to know what all your options are. If you want to be a police officer, for example, you’ll actually attend the police academy. If you want to work in criminal law, you’ll eventually need to go to law school as well. There are so many different areas of criminology, so ask your counselor what the best path is for your eventual career desires. They’ll be able to help set you up for success in the best way and get you the coursework that you need.

3. Find schools that offer quality programs.

There are literally thousands of schools around the country and the world for you to chose from. The role of a college counselor is to help you find the perfect program for you and your circumstances. They will have extra insight into specific programs and schools that may be the perfect fit for you. Ask them for options. Bring in programs and schools you’re looking at to ask if they will be beneficial for your future career. You can also go in-depth and ask about specific coursework and classes. If you are going to get your criminal justice degree, you want to be sure you’ll actually be interested in the classwork. Once you find the programs you’re passionate about joining, it’s time to start thinking about your application.

4. Figure out what you need for a stellar application.

Getting into college can be a competitive venture. Especially for highly selective schools, you need to be the best of the best on paper and in an interview to get accepted into your dream program. College counselors can help with this as well. Get extra guidance to help you format your resume, write an awesome admissions essay, get perfect letters of recommendation, and even try to up your GPA. These are all the steps you’ll take ahead of time to create a stellar application that the admissions counselors will love. These are the questions you’ll want to ask your counselor to help make sure you get into a great program.

5. Decide how a career in criminal justice fits into the overall vision for your life.

A counselor’s job is to ultimately offer advice. Therefore, you can ask them any array of questions about how criminal justice will fit into your overall life plan. Be honest about the lifestyle you want and what your ultimate goal is. Ask your counselor questions about the job, not just the degree. You need to know what the salary will be like for criminal justice professionals and all the career opportunities you’ll have down the line. Ask open-ended questions so you can know for sure that you’re taking the best step for your future.