Not Sure What Career or Major to Choose? Explore These Pre-College Courses for High School Students

Summary:
If you’re unsure about your future career or college major, pre-college online courses can help you explore options. Discover top programs across medicine, law, business, STEM, psychology, and communications to test your interests and gain real-world experience before college.

Key Points:

• Pre-college programs let high school students “try before they major” through flexible online courses.
• Explore courses in pre-med, law, business, STEM, psychology, and communications.
• Gain exposure to real university faculty and college-level learning environments.
• Build confidence, discover passions, and strengthen your college applications.
• Prelum.org connects students to leading pre-college programs from universities like Harvard, Georgetown, Rice, and Wake Forest.

Feeling Uncertain About Your Future? You're Not Alone

Roughly 30% of college students in the U.S. end up changing their major at least once before graduation.

If you're a high school student and feel unsure about your future major or career, you’re in good company. Choosing what you want to “be” can feel like a huge decision, especially when you haven’t had a chance to try anything out yet. The good news? You don’t need to have it all figured out. And you don’t need to wait for college to start exploring.

That’s where pre-college online programs come in. These courses are designed to help teens like you test-drive different subjects in a low-pressure, real-world way, before you commit to a major or career path.

Why Take Pre-College Courses for Career Exploration?

Think of these courses as a “try before you major” opportunity. They’re short (often 2-4 weeks), flexible (many online), and taught by faculty from top universities. Best of all, they’re designed to help you:

• Learn what subjects actually interest you
• Discover new careers you may not have considered
• Build confidence in your skills and direction
• Add meaningful experience to your college application

Even if you’re totally undecided, you’ll come away with a stronger sense of what excites you and what doesn’t.

Top Pre-College Courses by Subject to Help You Choose a Career

Here are some excellent options for students who want to explore different fields and passions before making long-term decisions:

Pre-Med Pathways – From Anatomy to Immunology

From 2024 to 2034 Healthcare and social assistance is projected to be the fastest growing industry. Pre-college programs in medicine and healthcare give you a head start on understanding human biology, clinical practices, and careers in healing.

Ideal for students interested in healthcare, life sciences, or MD/PhD tracks.

Top Picks:

• Harvard Medical School – HMX Pre-Med Courses
  Study biochemistry, genetics, immunology, pharmacology, and physiology straight from Harvard Medical School faculty.
• Wake Forest University – Pre-College Medicine Programs
  Learn about medicine, sports medicine, cancer care, and women’s health through clinically focused coursework and case studies.
• Georgetown University – Pre-Med Courses
  Dive into surgery, nursing, or medical research through Georgetown’s hands-on, career-focused pre-med curriculum.

Law & Government – Justice, Policy, and Global Affairs

If you’re drawn to advocacy, current events, or making an impact on your community, law and government programs are a great place to start. You'll explore how systems of power work and how you can be a part of shaping them.

Great for students passionate about justice, public service, law, or politics.

Top Picks:

• Georgetown University – Law & Government Programs
  Explore international law, government and politics, and international relations through rigorous courses grounded in real-world policy challenges.
• Northwestern University – Law: From Interview to Argument
  Examine how laws are shaped and interpreted, as well as how they affect individuals, institutions, and society.
• Rice University – Law: Shaping a Just and Equitable World
  Dive into how legal systems intersect with global issues like human rights, power, and international policy.

Business – Marketing & Entrepreneurship

Interested in launching your own business, building a brand, or understanding how money moves? These courses cover strategy, creativity, and financial thinking while letting you explore entrepreneurship in action.

Great for students interested in leadership, innovation, startups, or finance.

Top Picks:

• Rice University – Entrepreneurship & FinTech
  Blend startup thinking with real-world finance. You'll explore innovation, venture creation, and digital banking trends. Rice also offers a course in economics to strengthen your business foundation.
• Georgetown University – Marketing & Business
  Explore brand storytelling, consumer behavior, and digital campaigns. Pair this with Georgetown’s entrepreneurship or investing courses for a deeper dive.
• Dartmouth College – Finance & Investing
  Learn the principles of budgeting, investing, and financial markets. Combine it with Dartmouth’s entrepreneurship course for a complete business track.
  

STEM Exploration – Engineering, Aerospace, Neuroscience & More

From rockets to robotics to the human brain, STEM courses offer hands-on exposure to how things work and how to build and improve them. If you're driven by curiosity, logic, or big questions, these programs are for you.

Perfect for students interested in engineering, physics, biology, data science, or innovation.

Top Picks:

• Rice University – STEM Programs
  Explore hands-on topics like aerospace, genome engineering, and physiology through college-level challenges.
• Case Western Reserve University – STEM Courses
  Study astrophysics, biomedical engineering, neuroscience, and more. Designed for students ready to think like scientists.
• University of Rochester – STEM Pre-College Online Program
  Learn from a leading research university with classes in biomedical engineering, personalized medicine, video game design, and orthopedic medicine.

Psychology & Social Sciences – Human Behavior & Society

Ever wondered why people do what they do or how behavior influences systems? Psychology and social science courses help you explore the human mind, society, and the science of connection.

Great for students interested in behavior, therapy, law, education, or research.

Top Picks:

• Dartmouth College – Introduction to Psychology
  Examine topics like brain function, emotion, learning, and decision-making in one of the most popular and versatile majors.
• Georgetown University – Leadership
  Build your confidence as a communicator and decision-maker through Georgetown’s course in Leadership: Motivate, Inspire, and Persuade.
• Rice University – Psychology
  Explore how psychology applies to everyday life from understanding behavior and motivation to analyzing thought processes.

Communications & Leadership – Journalism, Writing, Marketing

Love to write, create, or lead? Whether you’re curious about storytelling, influencing audiences, or launching a brand, these courses will help you build communication skills and explore dynamic fields where your voice matters.

Great for students interested in media, creative writing, leadership, or public relations.

Top Picks:

• Georgetown University – Communications & Leadership
  Try courses in journalism and creative writing. These interactive, skill-building classes are great for finding your style. Some courses even offer college credit.

Still Not Sure What Career Is Right for You? That’s the Point.

It’s totally okay not to have your future mapped out right now. Taking one or two pre-college courses gives you the chance to explore your interests, figure out what energizes you, and eliminate paths that don’t feel like the right fit.

Programs like these are more than just resume builders, they’re experiences that shape how you see yourself and your future.

Get Started with Career Discovery Today

You don’t need to have your entire future figured out to take meaningful steps forward. Whether you’re curious about business, law, psychology, medicine, or something totally unexpected, the best way to learn is by trying. At Prelum.org, you’ll find pre-college courses from top universities that let you explore real career paths, gain experience, and discover what truly inspires you without the pressure of committing to one direction just yet. Every course is a chance to test your interests, build confidence, and make smarter choices for your future.

Browse pre-college courses by subject and apply today.

Last reviewed by Ashley Simmons on 11/25/2025.