Choosing A Major

[Starr Polish]

Being a junior in high school, it's about time I get serious about deciding what college I want to go to, and what I major in. Basically, what I'm going to do with the rest of my life.

And like any respectable teenager, I've been having trouble making up my mind. For nearly four years, I was completely set on being a marine biologist. I adore biology, and dolphins are one of my favorite animals (I have an entire wall of my room lined with my dolphin collection). Then, in ninth grade I changed my mind, because I've always struggled in math, and I didn't know if I wanted to take calculus and physics simply to study dolphins.

After bouncing around ideas from performing arts to history I settled down on journalism, while considering psychology and history still.

And recently, after a discussion with my mom (akin to those 'you can be anything you want', but she actually said "Be more unique") I've changed my mind again, back to biology, with a minor in photography. I would like to work as a wildlife rehabilitator, or specialize in raising abandoned young at zoos or wildlife reserves.

But I'm still shaky and insecure. I'm worried about taking the hardcore classes, and getting ahold of scholarships.

The point of this thread is, to those who have chosen their majors, whether they've started, are in, or have finished school, how did you decide on something so important?

(Please don't close this thread, though it is a 'poll' thread. I mean it to be utterly serious.)

[gdl96]

Oh man...junior year starts tomarrow for me.

I've given it thought (mainly because I'm always asked by relatives), but I'm nowhere near finding an answer. Whenever people ask, I just tell them what I don't want to do.

I've pondered many things...history, business, and other things which I can't remember now.

So since I haven't figured it out yet, I regret to inform you that I can offer no advice to you, sorry. But you seem more definate than I am about the issue.

[Ben]

I'm also beginning junior year... tomorrow .

I've read up on majors, and you don't have to major in your intended profession. Instead, at a true liberal arts college you would major in an academic field that interests you, instead of a pre-professional major like "pre-law," "pre-med," etc.

I just know I won't major in math or science. Something in the humanities.... History, English, political science, and music are all possibilities...

[Starr Polish]

I condsidered music too, though I'd major in vocal performance.

Well, I'm being somewhat torn apart by family members. My father, who is darn smart, wanted to be a vet, never finished college and still has problems when he enters a high school building just to pick me up. He keeps warning me about the scary hardcore science classes I would ahve to take for a science major, adn that I should major in somethign I'd enjoy, like writing, since I'm constantly writing. Yet, he also really discourages risky careers like music and acting, and writing (?), unless I "want to be washign dishes while I'm trying to hit the big time".

My mother, on the other hand, thinks I can be more unique than a journalist, and that I should go into a more fulfilling career. She strongly encourages the biology major, and she did go to a community college to get a degree in nursing.

And then, there are my other family members to account for.

Don't tell me to do what I want, because if I had my way, I'd be an eternal student and I'd learn everything I could.

[Duddun]

My sister was a junior last year and she decided to skip senior year and go straight to college through a program at her school if she was to continue it she could get a bachelor degree in 3 years and a major of her choice in 4 which would only be 7 years from freshman year in highschool but she might tranwsfer after 1 year she doesn't know.

[afro-elf]

Starr don't worry

I had changed my major 6 times as an undergrad.

[Andúril]

I think I posted something similar in another thread.

Because I didn't know what I wanted to do after school, I went into IT. Then I started a BCom management degree, and now have changed that to a general BA degree.

Next month I will probably think to myself, "Hmmm I wonder what I want to do with my life..."

[Rána Eressëa]

I've been wondering that myself, Starr. Though I'm only a sophomore at the time. I'd like to end up doing something in english, science, or travel. But I can't decide. You can have more than one major, right?

[Starr Polish]

Yes, but it's incredibly hard and usually takes more than four years to achieve (well, obviously things take longer than that, but you know what I mean...)

I'm going to see if I can do some job shadowing this year for our TAG program, and work at a nearby zoo.

[Artanis]

I decided to go on with the "hard" sciences: Math, physics, biology, chemistry, and finally got a MSc degree in Engineering Cybernetics. I wanted to be a professional in a field dominated by men where wages would be high enough for me to be economically independent (At that time I couldn't imagine a lesser fate than being married and supported by a husband ). But I'm lucky, I've always done well at school and I happened to be interested in science, if not the choice would have been difficult.

SP, I don't know the educational system where you live, but I would guess your choice now will not be irreversable.

Perhaps you should allow yourself to be, if not an eternal student, a longer-time one, and if possible get yourself a broad platform of knowledge on different topics before you start specializing.

Or you could take a year off school and get a job in one of the fields you are interested in, and see if you like it. Sometimes you won't know if a thing is right for you before you've tried it.

[mirrille]

Starr, you do not have a choose a major now. Most places don't lock you into a major until second or third year, and even then, you can still switch without too much problem. Only problem with changing your major after about the end of second year is that you might have to take an extra year of university to catch up all the courses you missed. I didn't pick my major until partway through second year and in any case the programs I was deciding among did not let you officially register in them until third year. That would be 4 years from where you are now, which is plenty of time to find out more about yourself. This is not the time to panic about your future for the next 50 years. A more flexible way would be to think about all the things you want to do, and as you suggested, do some volunteering or get to know people in the field. Then find out what you need to get there, and try to pick your program to cover the prereques for the ones you find you are most interested in. Take both arts courses and science courses and keep your options open.
And don't let anybody intimidate you. "Hard" science courses are not that hard if you truly love the subject material. I actually had an easier time in upper level math because I found it interesting. Whereas I would have found supposed "softer" sciences like sociology to be mind-numbingly boring and would have done miserabley. You are going to hear this alot, but it's true: Do what you love. Do what you are interested in. It's your life, so you set the expectations. Good luck during the school year!