<p>Well, probably not since you're a CollegeConfidential kid. This might not pertain to any normal topics discussed, but let me get it out. I have barely any idea what I want to do with the rest of my life. The only majors I've considered so far are law and engineering (no idea which type). I've heard that engineering jobs out there are limited and it's equally as difficult to have a good career in law. Umm, I'm involved in practically every academic club possible and I rank in the top 1% of my class. That said, I just feel overwhelmed by the thought that I'm going to choose a field of study that I end up regretting. Also, I have no idea where I want to go to college because I live in the South and the only really good college here is Duke. I have no idea where it stands in the majors I've picked out.</p>
<p>Well considering you’re involved in almost every academic club as possible, you must have a faint idea of what you’d like to do for the rest of your life - or at least have some kind of interest or intuition. Then, after you do some soul-searching follow that interest!</p>
<p>A word of advice: while it is good to explore as many academic opportunities as possible at school, colleges generally frown upon joining ‘every possible academic club’. They do like well-rounded students, but joining every single club just really makes it look like you’re fake and a resume-padder. So only pursue what you LIKE, but with a deeper involvement.</p>
<p>Remember, when it comes to the college applications process, </p>
<p>depth > breadth</p>
<p>Thank you. I guess sometimes I just need to take a breath.
I do quite a lot of them because I genuinely like them. and I am pretty deep into most of the clubs I’m in.</p>
<p>Hey don’t worry man. I know that feel.</p>
<p>If it makes you feel any better, I’ll tell you my own crazy story about rest-of-life-planning.</p>
<p>I’ve always been one to want to know exactly what is coming next and to prepare for it well in advance. I can handle change well, but I still like to have a general master strategy. For my entire childhood I wanted to be an astronaut, and then, more realistically, an astronomer. But round about my sophomore year, it hit me. I am absolutely awful at math. Ok, correction, I’m a B+ kid in math. But for a kid that is otherwise a straight-A student, it scared the hell out of me, especially because as an astronomer you need excellent, well above average math and science skills. I was completely lost; for my whole life this what I wanted, only to realize I was incompetent. No amount of studying ever helped; there was just no natural ability.
But after a little personal self-reflection or whatever you want to call it, I realized that all along I had never really wanted to do that kind of work. Sure, I liked astronomy as a hobby, but a career was never really for me.</p>
<p>So what I did was to figure out where I was both very capable at and very interested in. I’d always had a passion for learning languages, a complete 180 from the mathematical realm of astronomy, and I embraced this. I’ve modified the dream slightly since then, but now I am firmly set on a government job in intelligence of some sort, and I’m not going to let anything stop me. I’ve felt more confident about this I ever did about astronomy.</p>
<p>So my advice? Find what you’re good at, make sure you have a passion for it, and then go for it. Nothing will stop you. I wish you the best of luck.</p>
<p>Oh, and as for choosing a college, use the college search feature on the Collegeboard website. Helped me loads, I would never have known where to start otherwise. That is literally the only tool I used for my preliminary school research. My current college list does not include a single school that I did not find using College Board.</p>
<p>^ Yeah I’d have to agree with Josh.</p>
<p>The college search feature introduced me to new schools that I never even thought or considered. It’s a really convenient feature - especially since you can save your searches.</p>
<p>
Ahhh me too. My “moment” was when I realized I sort of hate science. Haha. I wanted to be an astronaut for like all my foundational years. Now I have no idea what I want to do. But honestly OP, most people who do know what they want to do at this point in their lives will change their minds. You have more time than you think; just do what you enjoy and the rest will come later. There are jobs you might have which you’ve never even heard of at this point. I know it’s sort of frightening, and it’s also frustrating when everyone else seems so sure. I deal with this too, but you just have to realize that there’s nothing you can do to hasten the process of discovering your passions and what career(s) will best suit you. Try to relax, and let what happens, happen. Oh and btw, you don’t major in law. You can major in “pre-law” at some schools, but that’s actually a terrible idea if you want to go to law school–law schools actually say they really hate pre-law applicants and people who majored in these are accepted at much lower rates than people in other majors. So, you could go to law school and make a career out of it, but you shouldn’t major in it.</p>
<p>Josh, you’re incredible for relieving some of my stress.
What major would you recommend if I wanted to go into law? Here’s why I’m insanely confused: </p>
<p>-I have a passion for math, but dislike the majority of science. Like, I would seriously consider taking five math courses senior year. Math team/All State Math Team is the best thing that I’ve ever taken part in.
-Debating could be like my favorite thing to do, especially politics and religion. (Young Republians, Model UN, Mock Trial, etc…)
-History has always amazed me, especially anything about the Renaissance
-I have no idea where I’m going with all that, and I don’t want to go to college where I won’t be able to visit my family except for summer/Christmas break</p>
<p>Not trying to be obnoxious, but if I figured out what I wanted, I know I could do anything and be successful. And again, sorry if I’m posting really random stuff.</p>
<p>Young Republicans, huh? Well there you go, you already have the intelligence to pursue literally any career :)</p>
<p>And no don’t worry man, it’s supposed to be random, this is the internet. Glad I could help.
If you like history and political science, two very related fields, that’s something right there.</p>
<p>See, with a history degree, you wouldn’t necessarily HAVE to teach. You could be a museum curator, do field work and research, etc. In fact, Binghamton, the university I want to go to (thanks to the CB) has a program in Medieval and Renaissance Studies. So if you like the Renaissance, that’s always an option. They’re a fantastic school. And they have a College Republican team that actively debates other groups…win-win for someone like you. </p>
<p>[Binghamton</a> University - Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies](<a href=“http://www2.binghamton.edu/cemers/]Binghamton”>Binghamton University Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies - Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies | Binghamton University)</p>
<p>They’ve also got a Political Science major, like most other colleges. Personally, I want to go into the government intelligence community, so I’m debating between a PoliSci and History major- I basically have the same interests as you, except the math.</p>
<p>Hahaha, you’re my new best friend. </p>
<p>History/Political Science almost feels like a hobby to me. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything with it as anything more. But, that being said, a Republican debate team sounds absolutely perfect. </p>
<p>I feel pressured to go into the typical math/science/engineering field. My parents are pushing me into the medical field -one of the last places I’d like to be, but in reality, I could imagine myself successful doing that. My main focus is math, and I don’t think I could live with myself if I gave up everything i’ve done so far in it for a different field.</p>
<p>Oh BELIEVE ME I know that feeling- one of the reasons I wanted to be an astronomer/astronaut was because literally my entire family is math/engineering fanatics. I’ll be practically the first in my first in my family to go for a liberal arts degree.</p>
<p>Not to try to pressure you or anything, but Binghamton also has a math major ;)</p>
<p>My aunt majored in math and now she’s a teacher; if math’s your passion you could easily be a teacher or a tutor or something similar.</p>
<p>Basically don’t make the same mistake as me, don’t feel pressured to go with the whole family. My family still loves me and I’m sure yours will to.
More than anything else, “give up everything i’ve done so far in it for a different field” shouldn’t worry you. I read a statistic somewhere that loads of people have careers completely different than their majors.</p>
<p>On that topic, as weird as it sounds, why don’t you double major in math and medieval/renaissance studies? Then you can pick and choose later in life and you’re keeping all your options open.</p>
<p>You’re 15. Don’t worry about things until you have to.</p>