Dear Theresa:

I praise God for your interest in the religious life. In terms of a college degree, it doesn't matter ultimately, but I would advise that you consider what kind of order you wish to join.

In otherwords, in seeking the religious life there are orders who specialize in nursing, social work, teaching, etc. When joining those orders they most often will send you to college to get the credentials you need (nursing license, teaching certificate, etc.) to be able to do the ministry work they do.

If you are going to college first, then choose a major that fits the area of your interest of what you might like to do as a religious. Keep in mind that religious take a vow of obedience and the Mother Superior might assign you to some different task, but usually, in some fashion you will be assigned to that which you are trained for.

So, if you are interested in nursing, then go to nursing school and seek out religious orders where nursing is their specialty. If teaching is your interest, then get a teaching certificate and seek out an Order  of teachers.

If you are interested in the mission field, then Sociology and Anthropology would make an excellent background. In that case, seek out missionary Orders.

If you are looking for just a general background of college work before going into an order, then literature and philosophy would be good (though I hope you are going to a good Catholic College that teaches philosophy properly).

Anyway, a general liberal arts degree (which usually includes a little of everything), with a major in psychology, or literature, or philosophy is always a good background. Some universities offer what is called a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree. This is a "Little bit of everything" degree.

So it all depends on your interests academically, professionally, and religiously.

I would recommend first reflecting on what type of religious you would like to be--a nurse, teacher, social worker, or a regular nun without any particular professional certification, etc.--and check out religious orders who specialize in those areas and ask them for their recommendations about college.

If you are truly called to the religious life, it is that, and not college training, that will be the focus of your life. Anything you do in academics will be secondary.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary