Career Choice
 

I'm graduating soon. I hate the idea that almost everyone has a passion to do something and know right away what they are going to major in but I don't. Did I miss something? How did you all figure out what to major in? Maybe it'll help me figure it out.

No, you didn't miss anything. I used to be among those people, passionate about being a computer programmer. However, when I finally got in school, I changed my mind and now everything's vague.

What do you like doing?

Don't feel bad or even pressured. Just about everyone I knew changed their major once, if not twice. Some people don't even make that decision until their last year of college.

Try to choose something you're good at. That you could see yourself doing for 30 years without flipping out and killing somebody.

the key to happiness in your future career is to take whatever it is you like doing, and find a way to make money at it. if you can't do that, just think of whatever it is that you are good at doing, and see if that'll work out.

I'm more of a graphic design and advertisement kind of guy. I've been working that way for a year and I can see myself contenuing happily for another 30 years. Thats where the mula's at. It's hard I know but you must figure it out soon, lets hope you atleast know what schools you are looking at after graduation.:eyebrow:

I didn't think of a major until last year...when I was 21 and not in school. Sometimes it doesn't come to people quickly, but you're better off figuring out what you're good at ASAP and not regretting it later.

My understanding is that you don't have to worry about a major until after getting the gen-eds out of the way.

Quoted for truth. In many cases you can literally take two full years of full-load general education, english/writing, and arts/humanities requirements without even declaring a major. You can go in undeclared, and use that time to take as many different subjects as you see fit. If something really strikes your fancy, pick it as a focus. It might just turn into your major. Many majors only take two years of course-specific work to fulfill, so with a four year degree you've got some time to figure out what you want to focus on.

I've always found this to be hit-or-miss.

Ideally one would turn their hobby into their career and have a good job and life while doing what they love. Unfortunately it doesn't work out like that.

I wanted to (still want to) be a screenwriter. Unfortunately there's so many kids who want to be screenwriters and the industry is tough to penetrate and has a lot of catch 22s. Besides, it turned out I don't actually want to write movies, I want to control movies in every aspect. Can this even be done in the industry anymore? Certainly specific directors pull this off, but where are all the newcomers making their dreams come true? I look at all the people who want the kind of job I want and then see the number of people who actually have it. It's like playing the damn lottery, except I'm wasting years of my life with each ticket.

Right now I'm looking at programming. For me, programming is "meh"; I find it sort of interesting to do and perhaps it will get me a decent enough desk job, but it's certainly not my first choice.

Another thing that bothers me is how no matter what job I choose, there's always someone telling me how I'll never get a job in that field. For example I've been told that no one's looking for programmers at the moment and that there are already too many.

What the fuck do I do? I could be a nurse or some shit, but that doesn't appeal to me at all.

What really gets me is how all the people who tell me to follow my dreams are the ones who attempted to do so and ultimately failed. It basically shows me that I can achieve things if I try; but then again there's a good chance that I just don't, and for several circumstances.

I guess my super-pessimistic advice is to watch out; don't spend thousands of dollars on a useless degree. Know not only what you want but what the world needs.

If your "passion" happens to be what's most in demand, then you're in luck, I guess. But it doesn't really seem to be the road to success for most people.

A lot of people I know changed their mind about their majors. The safest route is to take a lot of general classes that you have to take anyway, and then try to formulate a major from the classes that you like from that.

you guys are lucky, here in england you go in for one subject only and can't always change because other courses might have different requirements. but remember, you don't have to start working straight away, you can do various placements and internships which are paid to help you find what you like.

Why don't you take some courses in areas that you're interested in? Maybe that can help jumpstart an interest. I was forced to select a major in 10th grade and stick with it for two years. I joined the Liberal Arts major and now I'm in my final year at HS with a better idea of what I want to do in college.

o__O yikes, I just made sure i took all my sciences and maths so I could just jump where ever I want to at the last minute while still having entrance requirements :p

Heh. I had to finish all my science and math courses last year because I'm stuck with all the classes for my major this year. I'm actually quite happy because I can't stand math. I dropped Calculus (which wasn't very smart) for a law class. ;)

Where would a guy go if he is intent on being a lawyer? Also, are math and sciences a big thing in law like doctors?

I guarantee half of them will decide that their "passion" wasn't for them afterall. In time, in time.

Its perfectly normal not to know what your passion is while you're in high school - or even college. Society puts this huge block on your shoulder to decide what you want to do with your life so early on. Keep your own pace, and don't let people pressure you into finding a passion when you're hardly even out of the gates yet.

Explore. Take diverse college courses. Use your resources to keep yourself involved in new topics and things that you haven't explored yet.

It's my belief that everyone has a calling in life. EVERYONE. We're hard-wired with talents and bonuses in some places. Most people find their talent eventually. There's no real rush.

Even I, at age 24, am not precisely sure what I want to do with myself. But I can tell you what I am in college for, I will probably do nothing with. I'll probably go back someday and get a degree in what I REALLY want. When I can afford it on my own.

In my last year of high school, I decided that I was going to major in History and a minor in Geography so I can teach high school. That way, I can get summers off. ;)

I graduate next spring.

I'll be honest. When I went to Business School, I just wanted to somehow get away with sitting at a workstation and browsing Gamingforce between assignments. When I wen't to college, I just wanted to get away with brushing up on things I had already enveloped myself in out of personal interest and independent research; Psychology. When I went to Art School for Graphic Design (I was already illustrating professionally at the time), I just wanted another easy AA, and an excuse to frequent Gamingforce more than I had in the previous 2 years.

Currently a Corporate Webmaster and Private Tutor. Everything pretty much fell into place. Consider what you're good at. Consider how far it can take you. Expand your horizons if it doesn't add up, but keep it interesting to you on some level or you'll be miserable for the rest of your academic and professional career, or dare I say 'Life'.

Major in Law. You'll get a good taste of how being a lawyer will be. Most lawyers that I know of have a minor in History. But depending on the type of law you plan to go into; Accounting, Business, and various other minors would work.

Math and Sciences-wise you only have to fufill the basic requirements that everyone has to fufill. I don't think there's anything extra.

Good law schools are also very competitive these days. ;_; Keep your GPA up.

not sure if it's the same in the USA as it is here (UK) but you can become a lawyer regardless of your major as long as you show the aptitude for it, though obviously those who studied law have a slight head start. math and sciences would show that you can think logically, practically and are able to tackle problems, people who are based around those subjects tend to be able to switch to anything they want. at school, we'd get told by prospective employers that the last thing you should ever do is drop math.

It's the same here, but as xSummonerYUnax said Law Schools are very competitive so you need and I would recommend every advantage you can get.

I didn't know I was going to do accountancy until the last minute. I didn't take the optional accountancy paper in my high school, but now, well, as if the world guided me into this course.

1. The papers posted very discouraging statistics on many courses that I had interested in.
2. My dad told me how hard it is to get jobs with some degrees.
3. I didn't want medical, or pure law.

Hey, Chyna~Girl. I don't think you should worry too much on deciding on a major. I myself couldn't make up my mind until one day before deadline of the application form. Just think, on average, a university student will change his/her major about three times. I know people who've changed more than that. Anyway, whatever you choose doesn't necessarily mean you'll do it for the rest of your life. If you change your mind in the middle, it just means you've learned something new about yourself and hopefully it'll help push you in the right direction.

I chose biology after I graduated. In my high school we had this career talk seminar where this doctor gave us every possible excuse not to take up medicine....so i chose med school. Ha! to him. Initially, i wanted to take up mathematics since my hs grades were higher in that subject but my bio class was just too interesting--so here I am.

Good luck to you!

I am going to college next year, and I have a slight idea of what I want to do for life.

Keep in mind, you don't have to stay within the same career for ever. If you go for a bio major, you can do research, teach, work at a university, or end up going into practice if you decide to go to med school.

As long as you try hard and care about what you do you will have something you can go into.

I decided on a major during junior year of high school and entered university with it declared. I had originally wanted to do something with computers, but switched since I found the sciences more interesting and something I excelled at.

Once you take some general education classes at university, you may end up finding something you're very interested in. I know many people who chose a major this way.