Choosing a school and a major when planning to study abroad is not simply about following your interests or chasing a school’s reputation. It is a strategic decision — one that can directly shape your career opportunities and, for some students, even influence long-term plans such as working and staying the United States.
That is why having a realistic, strategic perspective from the very beginning can make a major difference. A thoughtful choice can help you study with more confidence while also opening future doors in both career development and life after graduation.
In this article, I’ll share with you my experience about how to choose a major and a school in a way that supports your long-term goals, increases your career opportunities, and helps you build a more stable future after studying abroad.
Choose your major before you choose your school
Your major has a direct impact on your career direction, job opportunities, and long-term growth. Once you know what field you want to pursue, it becomes much easier to narrow down a list of schools that are strong in that area and offer the right mix of training, scholarships, and career support.
For undergraduate students, one practical way to narrow your options is to ask yourself a few key questions:
What subjects do I genuinely enjoy, and what kind of field do I want to build a long-term future in?
Does this major offer strong career opportunities in the U.S. or in your home country later on?
Do I want to stay and work in the U.S., or do I plan to return and grow my career in Vietnam?
Choosing a field that you enjoy and that also offers real room for growth can make it much easier to perform well academically. At the same time, choosing a field with strong demand can improve your chances of finding work and, in some cases, receiving employment-based visa sponsorship in the U.S.
If your goal is to stay and work in the United States — or eventually pursue long-term immigration options — you may want to think carefully about STEM fields. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
STEM fields often give students a longer window to work after graduation, which can improve the odds of finding a job and gaining relevant experience in the U.S. This does not mean non-STEM fields have no career or immigration opportunities. It simply means STEM graduates often have more time to search for jobs through the STEM OPT extension.
If your degree qualifies as STEM, you may be eligible for an additional 24 months of work authorization through the STEM OPT extension, on top of the standard post-completion OPT period.
For graduate students, choosing a major is often tied not only to personal interest, but also to previous work experience and the skills you still need to develop for long-term success. If you already have a strong academic foundation, you may also want to consider applying directly to PhD programs.
Unlike many PhD programs in Europe or Australia, PhD programs in the U.S. often begin with one or two years of coursework designed to build academic and research foundations before students move fully into dissertation-stage research.
After those first years, students usually take a qualifying or comprehensive exam. If they pass, they move forward as PhD candidates and continue toward the dissertation. If they do not pass, some programs may award a master’s degree for the completed coursework, depending on the university’s policies.
One of the biggest advantages of PhD study is financial support. PhD students are often far more likely to receive full tuition funding and stipend (living support) through scholarships or assistantships, which can remove much of the financial risk during the program.
It is true that your field of study can affect your job prospects and long-term options. But that still does not mean you have to follow the crowd if that path does not fit who you are.
The U.S. job market is broad and varied. In many cases — including my own — students can succeed in fields that are not especially trendy as long as they perform well academically and actively plan for internships and job searches early on.
Once you have chosen your major, the next step is to think carefully about which schools make the most sense for that path.
Which schools are strongest in the field I care about?
What are the career outcomes after graduation?
Is the total cost realistic for me and my family?
What information matters most when choosing a school?
Understanding the U.S. higher education system
The U.S. system includes many different kinds of institutions.
Community colleges are typically two-year institutions that focus on practical training and award associate degrees. They are often a cost-saving option for international students, and many students later transfer to universities to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Liberal arts colleges tend to focus on undergraduate education. They often offer small class sizes, close faculty support, and a broad academic foundation before students specialize more deeply.
Universities and comprehensive institutions generally offer bachelor’s, master’s, and often doctoral degrees. One important point to remember is that, outside of a few elite private institutions, many private universities in the U.S. are actually smaller and offer fewer majors than large state public universities.
Tuition and financial support
Community college tuition is often much lower than university tuition. In general, community colleges may cost around $4,000 to $8,000 per year, while public universities often range much higher and private universities can be significantly more expensive.
When comparing schools, it is worth contacting admissions offices directly to ask about tuition discounts, scholarships, financial aid, and assistantship opportunities — especially if you are considering graduate study.
Location matters
The state and city where you study can have a major influence on both your student experience and your career options. States such as California, Texas, and New York tend to offer large public university systems, more internship opportunities, and stronger job markets — but they also usually come with higher living costs and, often, higher tuition.
Smaller states may be more affordable, but they can also offer fewer internships and fewer job options after graduation. Climate is another practical factor that many students underestimate at first.
Internship and job opportunities
Many students do not think seriously about employment when they first choose a school or a major. But in reality, the first years in the U.S. often go into adjusting to a new language, culture, and academic system. That means time passes quickly.
That is why it helps to research whether a school has an active and effective career center, meaningful employer partnerships, and real internship pathways for students in your field.
Look closely at the curriculum
Do not rely only on the major’s name. Look closely at the curriculum, required and elective courses, internship options, and graduate study pathways. If possible, try to contact program coordinators directly or connect with student groups to learn what the program is actually like.
Review admissions requirements carefully
Every program has its own requirements, including minimum GPA expectations and, in some cases, standardized tests. Choosing schools with similar admissions requirements can help you save time and reduce the burden of preparing for multiple different testing tracks.
Faculty and research fit matter for PhD applicants
If you are applying to PhD programs, faculty fit is one of the most important factors in the search process. It is worth researching professors’ areas of expertise and current projects before you apply.
If your research interests, academic background, or work experience align closely with a professor’s field, your chances of admission may improve significantly. In many cases, reaching out before you apply can also help you understand whether there may be interest in your profile.
Targeting schools where there are genuinely good faculty matches can also save a great deal of time and application money.
International student community
Joining online groups connected to a school can make it much easier to learn about the campus and the program. If a school has a strong international student network, that can make the transition much smoother in the first months.
Do not focus too much on rankings
Rankings can be useful as a reference point, but they should never be the only factor in your decision. A school’s ranking is often shaped by inputs such as faculty reputation, research funding, and institutional resources — all of which matter, but do not tell the whole story for an individual student.
For most jobs, employers care far more about your skills, internship experience, and ability to perform than your school’s exact ranking. Well-known schools may create an initial impression, but interviews and experience are usually what decide the outcome. In many cases, a school with a moderate ranking but strong networks and internship pathways can lead to better results than a more famous school with weaker support in your field.
Use every source of information you can
During the school and major selection process, make the most of all the information available to you:
Connect with alumni/student group on facebook or other social media platforms
Read school websites carefully
Attend university information sessions and webinars
In the end, you need to choose a major that fits your strengths and long-term plans, and a school that fits your finances while giving you the environment you need to grow.
From a strategy standpoint, it is wise to build a balanced school list: around two or three “dream” schools with higher competition, three to five “match” schools where your chances are strong, and two or three “safety” schools where admission is more likely.
Dream schools are typically places where the admission bar is somewhat higher than your current profile, but still worth trying if you have standout strengths or a compelling story. Match schools are places where your application is relatively close to the profiles of previously admitted students. Safety schools are the options where you are most likely to be admitted, giving you reassurance that you will still have choices when the admissions cycle ends.
This kind of balance helps you avoid putting everything at risk on one category of schools, while also improving your overall chances of receiving admission offers.
As you build that list, it also helps to weigh practical factors such as tuition, scholarship opportunities, location, and job prospects after graduation. A smart application strategy does not just increase your admission chances — it also gives you better choices that actually fit your academic and financial goals.