Choosing a Major

[newbieguitarmaker]

Hey guys, I am off to college at the end of this year and I really don't know what I want to do as a major. The dean of Boston U. told me to take the first 2 yrs to figure out what I want to major in but I would really like to just know and get it done. If I had the choice I would major in everything but of course I cannot do that.

I do love music but I would like to go to GIT or Berklee after I get my degree at UCF (University I am going to). I do want to like what I do but I also want some good pay haha. I love the sciences and engineering but I did not take precalc and calc. due to my chronic migraines and homework load. I am also good with computers and I seem to have a nack at remembering anything related to science or health.

I have been thinking about Premed but I am not sure if I can handle all the work if I have as many migraines as I have been having over the last few years.

I'd like to hear your opinions on different paths to take. As I said I do like the money but I would like to be doing something that won't bore me or take the life out of me.

[jay ratkowski]

My first advice is to get the migraines checked out. If you already have, go to a different doctor... I know how bad that is and it's something you want to live with.

As for school, I would just take some general courses to start and talk to professors, business people, etc and ask for their advice on where the job markets are going. For the last 20 years, finance has been in big demand and it probably won't change any time soon, but it's boring for a lot of people. Medicine is usually safe, but there are so many routes you can go between general stuff, nursing, specialized care/testing, etc... it's something you'd want to give a lot of thought to.

My best advice is to go for something practical. If you graduate, get a good job, pay off debt and then want to go back to school for a political science or psychology major, that's fine. However, it's really best to go to school for something that you're interested in but have a realistic career outlook after graduating. When you're doing loans, the worst thing you can do is graduate and be faced with $500/month in loan payments when you can't get a job.

[redaxe]

I'm in the same position as you right now. I'm a freshman and I have absolutely not a clue what I'd like to study. I'm just sampling everything I'm interested in my first two years and making sure I have the potential to declare in multiple departments when the time comes. I'm not sure if that's how it works at your U, but just try to broaden yourself as much as you can. Also, look at double majoring since you seem academically eager and interested in working. My school doesn't allow for double majoring (which is bull**** IMO), but if yours does definitely seize that opportunity.

The way I've come to look at this whole undecided major thing is that no matter what I study, by the time I graduate I'm going to look back and feel semi-sad that I couldn't major in 8 departments I was interested in. You can't study it all, so just pick the one you love best and make that love grow for it. I'm personally undecided between PoliSci, International Relations, Philosophy, English, Comparative Literature, History and Psychology. lol.

[newbieguitarmaker]

I have had a few doctors look at my migrains and nothing seems to help, except one Doctor helps a little. He is my 3rd chiropractor and he uses Kinesiology which seems to help. I am thinking about also trying a hypnotist to try and reduce stress.

The neurologist found nothing wrong in my MRI and just tried different medicines that never worked.

A very prestigious Physicist told me to go into energy, especially solar energy. I am thinking about maybe going into something of that sort or maybe becoming some business manager.

I was going to be a financial manger at Lehman since my Uncle was high enough up that he could get me a job but that went down the drain along with his portfolio. Luckily he was rehired by the company that bought them.

It is so hard to decide haha

[waylay00]

It's been rough choosing for me too. I'm looking at some form of law, hopefully in the entertainment/music world. I'm not a math guy (although I do pretty well in Calculus BC). But it just doesn't really interest me that much. I could always try the PreMed route, but it just seems like the "default" job for those who want to go make a lot of money.

There's also the possibility of some sort of environmental engineering or architecture. That might be a good field, since everything's all becoming more "environmentally friendly" these days.

Of course, I also had the germ of a thought to go to somewhere like GIT, but the negatives far outweighed the positives for me. I've decided to focus on something that will bring me a decent income, yet is something I would enjoy to a degree. That way, I could have enough money to fuel my music endeavors in the future. I know they say to do something you love, but trying to base an income off playing guitar is pretty difficult and a matter of being in the right spot at the right time.

But I guess a lot of it depends on where I go. It'll all come down to scholarships, etc...

[ColinMmmmm]

Some Universities have a very general science program (biology, chemistry, physics, etc.) in first year, and then differentiate in second year. So you can sort of decide during first year what program you really want (and if you stay in science your first year isn't wasted). But thats just in my experience (in Canadian universities). But science rules. I'm finishing up a masters now . . .

[newbieguitarmaker]

How bout something like physics engineering or electrical then getting into physics engineering, I am not sure if my school offers physics eng. but i know it has electrical.

Would not having calc and precalc set me wayyy back?

[courtney2018]

All engineering fields pay pretty well. I'm a mechanical engineer with a B.S. and M.S. in it. We hired someone right out of college (mechanical engineer) for $50K. Not bad at all for a starting salary. Electrical and computer engineering is starting to really pick up and pay big bucks.

Law is a good choice and pays well if you like that sort of thing.

Government and public service can eventually pay extremely well and offer awesome benefits. Take a law degree. Do that for a while. Then run for office. Mayor's in decent sized cities make pretty good. Move your way up. Senators make really good.

Music and the arts will probably always be horrible pay unless you're lucky enough to make it big. Making it in music is easier now than ever and will only get easier. 15 years ago you couldn't record a song in your room and upload it on myspace.com for everyone to listen and buy. Now you can.

My suggestion is pick something that you have an interest in that pays well. Get a good salary so that you can enjoy playing music when you want. Looking back I'm glad I went engineering rather than music. I'm doing what I love and I have enough disposeable income to buy pretty much any guitar gear I want. I pretty lucky and I'm thankful for all of it.