Scene: Virtual coaching session choosing college type & major between Jordan (high-school senior) and Casey (Certified Admissions & Motivation Coach).

1 | Start with why, not ranking

Jordan: I keep hearing that the best-ranked colleges guarantee success.
Coach Casey: Rankings are just billboard glitter. Your long-term success is driven by fit and fit begins with understanding your core motivations.

2 | Saturday: take the FREE MAPP Assessment

Coach Casey: Block a distraction-free hour this Saturday. Go to Assessment.com and spend 15 minutes to take the MAPP Assessment.

• 71 motivational variables measured
• Instant PDF with your Top Motivators, Ideal Career Families, and Work Environment Preferences

Print the report, highlight phrases that repeat“ project ownership,” “idea generation,” “mentoring,” etc. These words are clues to majors that will energize you for four years.

3 | Translate MAPP drivers into major criteria

Create a two-column document: Motivator → Major Characteristics. This becomes your personal search rubric.

4 | Build your College-Major Fit Matrix

1. Add 25 potential colleges down the left.
2. Put 6–8 motivator-based criteria across the top (research access, service-learning, flexible curricula…).
3. Score each school 1-5 for every column.
4. Only after scoring should you glance at prestige metrics; use them as tie-breakers, not gatekeepers.

5 | Deep-dive into curriculum design

Ask admissions reps or faculty:

• “How soon can first-years join a research lab?”
• “Are capstone projects mandatory?”
• “Is grading curved or mastery-based?”

Match answers to your MAPP profile. For instance, if your report flags low external competition, curved grading might sap motivation opt for mastery-based programs instead.

6 | Culture & vibe check (beyond the brochure)

• Reddit & Discord: read unfiltered student threads.
• LinkedIn Alumni: filter by your potential majors; message three recent grads.
• TikTok/Instagram: Day-in-the-life content reveals energy cycles, study habits.

Rate each insight against your motivators do you thrive in bustling social hubs or quiet makerspaces?

7 | Reality tests your top picks

Take notes immediately; memory glamorizes later.

8 | Decision triangle Motivation, Major, Money

Visualize a triangle:

• Motivation Fit (MAPP score)
• Major Quality (department strength)
• Financial Feasibility

The optimal choice sits near the centroid. If one point stretches too far say, perfect major but motivation mismatch the triangle tips.

9 | Keep fit dynamic

Motivation evolves. Retake the MAPP midway through sophomore year:

• Adjust electives or minors.
• Choose internships that map to any new top drivers.

Quick 48-hour Action Plan

1. Take the FREE MAPP Assessment (Assessment.com).
2. Print & highlight top drivers.
3. Send me the report; Monday we’ll start your College-Major Fit Matrix.

Jordan: This feels way more personal than chasing league tables.
Coach Casey: Exactly. The “best” college major type  is the one that amplifies your internal compass let’s build around that.

NEXT: Choosing your actual MAJOR

How to Use Your MAPP Assessment to Pinpoint the College Major You’ll Love and Thrive In

Below is a practical, five-step workflow I use with students. I’ll walk you through the method and illustrate it with a sample MAPP profile, complete job-market data, earnings, and career titles.

STEP 1 | Take MAPP & Pull Out Your Top “Career Families”

After finishing the free MAPP on Assessment.com you’ll see a section called “Job Family Compatibility.”
Pick the top 3–5 families (those in the Very High or High compatibility zones).

Sample result

1. Analytical Research & Information Systems
2. Quantitative Problem Solving
3. Conceptual/Innovative Design

These clusters tell us why work feels rewarding to you not just what you’re good at.

STEP 2 | Translate Career Families → College Majors  (you can you the ai assistant just ask the questions..)

Make a short-list of 3 majors whose course work naturally exercises your dominant motivators.

STEP 3 | Validate Each Major with Job-Market Facts

Below is a deep-dive for Data Science (the sample student’s top match).
(Figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2025 projections.)

Quick read: All four roles tick the Analytical-Research + Quant-Problem drives revealed in the MAPP profile and carry strong growth & earnings.

STEP 4 | Rank Colleges by Motivator Fit + Market Outcomes

Create a simple spreadsheet:

College     Research Access   Data-Sci Curriculum   Co-op / Internship   Cost Net   Motivator Fit Score

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

University A          5                                    5                                   4                            $$                     93

University B          3                                    4                                   5                              $                      88

...

• Give each column a weight:
  • Motivator Fit (40 %) – Does the program promise hands-on analytics, independent projects, faculty data labs?
  • Career Outcomes (30 %) – 6-month placement rate, mean starting salary.
  • Cost / Aid (30 %) – Net price after scholarships.

The numeric total reveals which program balances passion and payoff.

STEP 5 | Lock the Decision with Micro-Experiences

1. Shadow a sophomore data-science lab – See if the day-to-day work sparks the same motivation buzz you felt during MAPP.
2. Interview two alumni – Ask how often they use the skills that excited you in Step 2.
3. Run the “Motivation-Major-Money Triangle” check – Does the college still sit near the centroid when you plot those three forces?
4. Retake MAPP after freshman year – Motivations evolve; if scores shift, pivot electives or even minors early.

Putting It All Together

Ability tells you what you could do; motivation predicts what you’ll keep doing when the honeymoon ends.

The MAPP report hands you the raw data. Mapping those drivers to specific majors, then cross-checking with employment outlook and compensation, turns guesswork into a high-clarity plan:

1. MAPP → Career Family
2. Career Family → Major(s)
3. Major → Concrete Job Titles + Earnings
4. College Short-list → Motivator Fit Matrix
5. Decision → Live Tests & Financial Reality

Follow the loop and you’ll choose a degree path that keeps you energized and employable long after orientation week swag is forgotten.