Advice from a junior to people new to college

<p>I've been reading a lot of threads here and noticed the shear volume of those pertaining to major selection and where to find the best program. So I talked to a bunch of my friends about their majors and regrets if they had any. This is what I found.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>I myself regret not taking more science classes and possible going into engineering. I am a math and econ double major. At the very least picked a different field to apply my math instead of econ. I know other people with the same majors as me who feel similarly. I also regret not taking many history classes. </p></li>
<li><p>Business majors and engineers generally have no regrets.</p></li>
<li><p>Humanities majors that I've talked to are split. There are some I know who were math and science all stars in high school but decided to hit the literature when they came to college. A lot of them regret this, wishing they took an extra math course here and there. Maybe something in programming or some science. Others are completely happy and hate technical stuff so this was never an issue.</p></li>
</ul>

<p>So I guess what I'm saying is try to make yourself well rounded. As you can probably see, my writing is pretty terrible. That is because I get no practice because I rarely write essays. If you have the talent to do technical classes then try some, you can always drop. There is another forum with a similar post to this with people who are age 25+ usually posting. 99% of the complaints were about not taking enough science, math, statistics, computer science, and business classes. I'll probably be writing years from now wishing I knew how to write better reports.</p>

<p>This may have been not helpful at all. I could be wrong about all most or all of this stuff, I only asked like 10 people. I hope this does help though.</p>

<p>Well, I think people should pick what they want to major in.</p>

<p>And second, I'm sure alot of people would have problems with being a business major. Business majors are not educated. All they do is learn how to do business, not how to think critically and abstractly.</p>

<p>well, you and your friends haven't graduated from college yet, so i don't think it's the time to give too much advice like that. i've thought of giving advice too, but i also haven't graduated yet, so i just didn't feel like it was right to... but i'd be happy to just tell my experience in college. and i just have to say to people who's new to college that if you really want to know how people have done with a major you're interested in, ask from all sorts of areas. Ask the people still in college with the major, ask people who just graduated with the major, and ask people 10 years down the line with the major. you'll be surprised at the different answers you'll get. </p>

<p>for example, you say your business and engineer friends are happy with their major, but i argue that this might be only because that's what's expected of them from their family, friends, and everyone else, maybe even them. and they haven't been in the work force with their degree yet. when i was thinking of being a business/engineer major, i thought i would be rich with the major or something, and i didn't have to work too hard for it. i don't really know, but if that thought crossed my mind, i'm sure it has also crossed their minds. </p>

<p>that's funny how you say they have no regrets, because if you were to ask 10 people the same question with the same degree who's had it for 10 years, I really wonder how many will say they don't have any regrets. </p>

<p>my complaint is not of not taking enough science, math, business, etc., but rather that i took way too much of that and it wasted my time. i wish i took more classes i was actually interested in, instead of trying to be more "well-rounded" and thinking "i can always use this for later". no i can't. b/c i would forget it all later, and i never really liked it, so it was really a big waste for me. but if i took a class i actually liked, i don't care if i forget what i learned. the only thing i will remember is that i liked it, and it made me happy, and i know what i like. but of course, these are only my own experiences. deciding what to do with what i just told you is totally up to you.</p>

<p>BIGTWIX, you're right people should pick. I totally digressed in that post. I should have said to take tons of different stuff then worry about a major after learning what you like. Idk, i get the feeling that tons of high school seniors post in this section and think they have it all figured out before they even set foot on campus. </p>

<p>Maybe I'm wrong but I get the feeling a lot of high school seniors are building their college list based on a single department. That is all I was trying to say.</p>

<p>yeah... i knew all this before i even started college. but it's more different to actually do it. it's very difficult, because you'll feel like the path is foggy. even though people have said it all, it's like you know it, but you just can't seem to apply it, because most of your life, you've heard or believed that your major will be what you'll do the rest of you life. lol. so good luck.</p>

<p>There is no right answer to this question. It is quite personal. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but hopefully you will all find your way.</p>

<p>I have always been of the more practical mindset having come from modest circumstances while my husband who had the opportunity to do Columbia's Core and later went into medicine has always cherished that experience. To this day, he reads The Great Books, etc.</p>

<p>I wanted our son, a math/science star to apply to engineering programs. However, like his Dad, he loves history and has applied to arts & science schools. Our middle daughter by choice is doing the Business school at Emory while the eldest majored in psychology and regrets not having an undergraduate business program to major in at her small liberal arts college. </p>

<p>College will never be the end of your education.</p>