<p>My son choose the least practical major – Classics – without a great gift for languages. GPA wasn’t quite what it should have been because of Ancient Greek, or as we call it, GPA killer.</p>
<p>However, he was at a very rigorous school and learned a lot. He also loved his studies. He changed direction and is in an Art History grad program. His Classics knowledge is invaluable, plus it instilled very strong work habits. </p>
<p>I’m not sure it was the wisest choice, and too bad he didn’t find Art History sooner, but it’s very much part of who he is. He has a greater facility for Art History and is very visual (something he kept to himself thinking it a bizarre trait), but a greater love for Classics. I think he did a good job of being fulfilled and practical.</p>
<p>Lest someone suggest Art History isn’t practical the list of things he’s willing to do with his education include academics, museums, galleries, appraisals, auction houses and restoration. I’m sure he’ll find a job there somewhere.</p>
<p>He also spend a goodly time as a music major but decided it was too difficult.</p>
<p>It finds its place in his graduate work, too. He is currently writing a paper for a Contemporary Art History Glass on Philip Glass and his operas as “happenings.”</p>
<p>"I don’t think students get a lot of info on what they can do with a given major, and parents don’t either. "
-Very readily available on internet. It takes time, but it is much less time and money if you think about something that I had to do. I was in engineering, has been working for 11 years trying to stick to it, never liked it. Then, I just said, no more, not worth it if you do not like it. Went back to school and has been in IT for over 30 years (various companies paid for my education in new field all the way thru MBA). Great that I swithed. misery is not the way to live your life. Yes, you can swithc later, but it is better to do more research before hand and it is very readily available. My S. did it for himself, I did lots of it for my D.</p>
<p>Eons ago, when I was choosing a major, my passion was an impractical major. My dad suggested I look for an applied area of my passion subject. I never regretted it</p>
<p>I agree that, in a perfect world, we would all like jobs that are interesting, fulfilling and match our gifts and passions. But, sometimes we need to find outlets for those gifts and passions outside of our 9-5 jobs. </p>
<p>I tell my kids that their purpose in life is to discover the gifts that God gave them and then use those gifts for the glory of God (you can convert that to a secular maxim, if you like). That doesn’t always mean that it becomes your occupation, but maybe what you do in your free time. A gift with numbers? Volunteer to do tax returns for seniors and low income folks. A gift of music? Play regularly at a senior center, or teach kids on the weekends. A gift with people? mentor a disadvantaged youth. </p>
<p>The lucky ones in our society have a job that matches their passion and gifts, but the rest of us need to be more creative in finding outlets for our passions.</p>
<p>mythmom, I took 2 years of Classical Greek in college. I was not a classics major, but a religious studies major. Over 30 years later, I think Classical Greek helped me a lot in my current career in IT. I find it has a lot of parallels to programming! Plus, as a liberal arts major, I am able to communicate to the non-tech people. I work at a university and the English professors love to call me for assistance because I “speak” their language!</p>
<p>My son did a “Highlands Battery” evaluation as a freshman in HS- sort of a fancy aptitude test. It evaluated abilities, but more importantly identified aspects of his talents that he needs to express in order to be satisfied with a career. That could be called “passion” by others on this thread. In my son it was a need to use a high level of critical thinking combined with an extensive vocabulary. This shook out to be a history prof. or attorney. He shadowed both in HS and chose the lawyer track, where, so far, he seems to be thriving. When I was in HS, I had what I thought was a passion for Art. After two semesters of college Art Ed, I switched to engineering where I indulged my actual passion (drive) which turned out to be creativity. As long as I am designing, creating, solving problems, I am satisfied. If work doesn’t provide that, I make quilts or design jewelry at home. If you define passion, as a driving need, then identifying and defining it early is very helpful. A passion doesn’t define your interests; your interests are shaped by your passion.</p>
<p>He researched and figured out the obvious fact that art in most cases (outside of Rubens / Rembrant caliber) would not provide financial support this days.</p>
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<p>I work in an MFA/MFArch school, and our grads are able to support themselves financially. They don’t come to school here unless they are talented and self-motivated. I doubt an art major who isn’t especially talented, self-motivated, or realistic about the types of jobs available after graduation will be happy in the field … but that could be said for many careers. </p>
<p>My son wanted to be a Power Ranger when he grew up. He told everyone. My daughter, who is 3 years older than her brother, used to get very upset. She wanted me to tell him that it wasn’t going to happen. I promised her that he would figure it out by the time he was grown up. He did. Now, had he still wanted to be a Power Ranger when he was a senior in high school, we would have had to discuss the fact that he was sorely lacking in the necessary “power.” If your kid is unrealistic about the path he wants to take, talk to him about it. But every job that exists has someone doing it. If your kid really, really wants to do it, and it is actually possible for him to do it, maybe he really can.</p>
<p>Even so called “practical” choices can be a hard get right now. One may as well struggle to become something one really wants to be or struggle to do something one really wants to do than to struggle to enter a profession because it’s safe but, in fact, may not have openings when the time comes.</p>
<p>DD left law school (which was $$$ and she wanted public interest law which is not remunerative) to get a PhD in history, particularly legal history. It’s funded, so if she can’t find a job in academia or a related field, she is not out money. She may as well try. She spent all her work/study jobs in her college’s provost office so she is thinking of entry level college administration jobs if history doesn’t work out. Meanwhile she is basically self-supporting and adding to her skill set/resume and loving each minute of her life.</p>
<p>Impractical? Some one say so. I would not. She is being very proactive about publishing papers, conferences, making connections with known historians, all skills that will place her in the world somewhere, I am sure.</p>
<p>My first son took his elite-kindergarten entrance exam dressed in a Mutant Ninja Turtle outfit; I convinced him at the last minute to leave his face mask in the car. He got the highest score of all the applicants – it must have been “turtle power.” ;)</p>
<p>I’m still skeptical about all this ‘passion’ stuff. To my mind, only a small proportion of the population has passions, things that interest them so intensely. Most people (including me) do not.</p>
<p>I like that as a guiding principle, at least for parenting my little kid. However, passion and what one likes at a given moment are not necessarily the same thing. True passion intersects with “gifts” the most. A good example is Nate Silver (google him). He loved baseball as a little kid that led him to see chances in numbers. His predictions of this election and the last were flawless. Hundreds of millions of dollars were wasted for an election that Nate showed wasn’t even close since months ago. Or, the outcome of the election could be different if people with money examined Nate’s analysis early and redirected their money and focuses.</p>
<p>“Nothing is wasted in education”</p>
<p>Very true. However, tests and education are different things. I like the proposal for a homework-less elementary education (another thread on CC).</p>