Major dilemma: more schools are requiring high school freshmen to declare a major. Do majors make school more interesting, or do they force students to specialize to soon?

Sometimes it's hard enough just deciding what to wear to school each morning or what to have for lunch, let alone picking a field to major in. But as of this fall, freshmen at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, N.J., are required to declare a major that will determine which electives they take for the next four years.

School officials say that for Morrow--a school that has struggled with low test scores--establishing majors is a way to keep students interested until graduation.

Some parents welcome the requirement, noting that a magnet school in the district already allowed some students to specialize. But other parents and some educators crticize it as an educational fad or a marketing gimmick.

"I thought high school was about finding out what you liked to do," says Kendall Eastman, an Englewood parent who graduated from Morrow in 1978. "I think it's too early to be so rigid."

In fact, many college students don't pick majors until junior year. Debra Humphreys of the Association of American Colleges and Universities calls high school majors "a colossally bad idea," saying students should develop a broad range of skills.

"Today's economy requires people to be constantly learning and changing," says Humphreys. "A lot of jobs that high school students are likely to have 10 years from now don't yet exist, so preparing too narrowly will not serve them well."

FLORIDA'S 400 MAJORS

A number of school districts around the country are experimenting with high school majors--an outgrowth of the popular "career academies" that have become common nationally. The Southern Regional Education Board, a nonprofit education organization, said that of the 1,200 high schools it works with in 32 states, about half now require students to specialize.

But while many career academies simply add a few courses to a core curriculum, majors require students to make a more serious commitment to a particular educational path.

This fall, Florida became the first state to require majors in high school. Ninth-graders must choose from 400 state-approved subjects, ranging from world cultures to fashion design.

In Englewood, every eighth-grader already works with a guidance counselor to formulate a six-year academic plan that stretches through the first year of college.

COLLEGE APPEAL?

District officials say they are adding majors to personalize the learning experience and engage students. Another reason is that colleges have said that they favor students with expertise in a particular area because it shows commitment and passion.

Morrow offers six majors: sports management (the most popular); fine arts and performing arts; health sciences; international studies and global commerce; communications and new media; and liberal arts. Students will take at least one course in their major every trimester, in addition to state-mandated requirements in core subjects.

Nicole Hutchison, 14, a Morrow freshman, likes to make people feel better, so she imagines herself becoming a doctor, nurse, or cosmetologist. But she is majoring in performing arts because she loves to dance. "I think I'm too young to make a decision because I might change my mind later on," she says.

Students entering the ninth grade applied for majors last spring by submitting essays about why they wanted to specialize in a particular field. They are expected to stick with their major through four years unless they have a compelling reason to change.

Randy Sherry, a teacher at Morrow, sees majors as a way to emphasize real-life experiences. "It eliminates the phrase, 'I'm never going to need that when I grow up,'" says Sherry. "I don't just want to throw education at them. I want them to be here for something they like, and that's what the majors can do."

Winnie Hu is a reporter for The New York Times.

LESSON PLAN 2

CRITICAL THINKING

Discuss a key argument made by proponents of high-school majors--that requiring majors wilt keep students motivated because they'll choose subjects that interest them. Do students agree with that premise?

* Note that in Englewood, N.J., students are expected to stick with their majors throughout high school, unless they have a compelling reason to change. Ask students to discuss whether or not this makes sense or is too strict.

* What should qualify as a "compelling" reason to change majors?

WRITING PROMPT

Do a quick survey, asking students what major they would choose if they were required to do so.

* Then assign students to write five-paragraph essays explaining how the major they chose might help them in college or in their careers.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What questions should students ask guidance counselors when they are trying to decide on a high school or a college major?

What are some of the factors that high-school students might consider when they are deciding on a major?

FAST FACT

According to a recent survey, the most popular college major is business administration and management. Rounding out the top five are psychology, elementary education, biology, and nursing.

WEB WATCH

www.fldoe.org/HSMajors/ListMajorsAndCourses.aspx

A list of FLorida high school majors. Click on "view" for the courses offered for each major.