Yes, it's completely normal. Two in five 15-year-olds have no clear career plans, according to the OECD, and many of the students who do have a plan end up changing it. In the US, about a third of university students change their major within three years. Not knowing what you want to do doesn't mean something is wrong with you. Usually it means nobody has given you the time to figure out what you care about and what you're good at, and you've been asked to choose before you've had the chance.
This is for you if you're in high school, the deadlines are coming, and the honest answer to "So what are you doing next year?" is "I have no idea."
Why it feels like everyone else knows
It can feel like every friend has a plan. A few of them really do. But a lot of people who sound certain have just picked something, often the thing their parents suggested, their older sibling did or their marks pointed toward. Saying "I'm doing engineering" out loud is easier than saying "I don't know," so that's what people say.
You're comparing your inside with everyone else's outside. Their uncertainty is just quieter than yours.
What "knowing" actually looks like
Most adults who seem to know what they're doing didn't start with a clear career goal. They started with a rough sense of a few things:
What matters to them. For example, helping people, building things, being creative, having security, or fairness.
What they're good at. The things that come more easily to them than to others.
What interests them. What they'd read about, watch or do even if nobody asked.
Then they picked a direction that fit those things reasonably well and adjusted as they went. That's it. Nobody had the whole map. You don't need it either.
What to do this year if you still don't know
1. Write down what you already know about yourself.
Grab a notebook and answer three questions. What do I care about? What do people come to me for? What do I lose track of time doing? Ten minutes is enough to start. You'll probably know more than you think.
2. Ask three people what they think you're good at.
A teacher, a friend, a coach or a boss from a part-time job. Other people often see our strengths more clearly than we do. Look for what comes up more than once.
3. Choose a direction, not a destination.
You don't need to pick a career. You need a next step that keeps doors open. That might be a broad first-year university program, an undeclared major (some Ontario universities, like York, offer these), a college program or a planned gap year.
4. Test something small.
Shadow someone for a day. Take an online course. Volunteer somewhere connected to something you're curious about. One real experience teaches you more than a hundred career quizzes.
5. Remember that you can change your mind.
A first-year program is a starting point. Lots of people end up somewhere great by a route they never planned.
Your options after high school (all of them are real)
University. Many programs have a broad first year, and some let you start undeclared.
College. Often more hands-on and closer to work, and not a fallback.
A gap year. Worth it when it's planned, with work, travel, volunteering or a course, rather than a year of waiting.
Work. Earning, saving and figuring out what you like (and don't) is a legitimate choice.
In Ontario you can apply to university and college in the same year. The university deadline is January 15, 2027, and college is February 1, 2027.
When "I don't know" is something more
Sometimes "I don't know what I want" is really "I don't feel like anything matters right now." If you've been feeling low, numb or hopeless for a while, or you've pulled back from things and people you used to enjoy, that's worth talking about with someone you trust: a parent, a teacher, your school counsellor or your doctor.
You can also reach Kids Help Phone, free and confidential, any time: call 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868.
A note for parents reading this
If your teen says "I don't know," try not to treat it as a problem to fix by Friday. Ask about what they enjoy and what they're good at before asking about careers. And tell them, out loud, that changing direction later is allowed. Many teens are more stuck on the fear of choosing wrong than on the choice itself.
If you want some help figuring it out
Our workshops and small-group programs are built for students who don't know yet. You'll work through your values, strengths and interests with real assessments and a facilitator who helps you make sense of the results, alongside other students who are figuring it out too. You'll leave with a plan you made yourself.
See upcoming high school workshops in Toronto.
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal to not know what you want to do with your life at 17 or 18?
Yes. The OECD found that two in five 15-year-olds have no clear career plans, and plenty of older students are still deciding.
What should I do after high school if I don't know what I want?
Choose a direction that keeps doors open, like a broad first-year program, an undeclared major, a college program or a planned gap year, and spend the year learning about yourself.
Is it bad to take a gap year if I don't know what to do?
Not if it's planned. A gap year with work, volunteering or a course can give you real information about what you like.
What if I choose the wrong program?
It happens, and it's fixable. About a third of US university students change majors within three years. In Ontario, you can also change your program choices on your OUAC application after you submit.
Sources
OECD, Teenage Career Uncertainty (PISA 2022 data)