I’m in my second year of college right now but I’ve just been doing “average” in my classes. I’m just afraid that I won’t be getting anywhere if I do “average” since everything is so highly competitive. I’m lost and confused on what to major in right now, especially when my cumulative GPA is like a 3.0. The classes I have been taking are like general chemistry, computer science, microbiology, precalculus, accounting, philosophy, English, drama, language classes, etc. (basically just a bunch of classes). I just stopped taking classes like computer science or chemistry because I just feel like I’m not competitive enough, so I just kept exploring.
I’m not exactly sure what I like to do, but right now I just keep exploring, which isn’t really getting me anywhere. I feel scared that I won’t be getting anywhere since my G.P.A. is only like a 3.0 and certain departments, business school, engineering, etc. are usually like looking for 3.5+ higher GPA students.
I’m just lost right now, I don’t know where to go on from here, how to find a major that will be good for me, but also something that can guarantee me a job in the future, pay off my loans and to live a decent lifestyle.
I seem to be doing very well in English and language classes such as Vietnamese and Japanese (like getting 3.7-4.0), but I don’t really want to be like a “teacher”, and most people I know just seem to bash on English majors, or anything not related to math/science, especially my parents. They always tell me that it doesn’t pay well, that it’ll be difficult to make a living, etc.
What should I do then? Where could I find majors that I might have a chance in getting into with “average” GPA? (One more information about me is that I’m attending at the UW).
First of all, it’s a total myth that everything is so competitive that you have to excel at everything, always, to be successful. Most people don’t even get a bachelor’s degree, so you being in college puts you ahead of the curve already. Second of all, you don’t have to be spectacularly competitive to major in computer science or chemistry - or get a job in the field. Sure, there are software developers who go work for top technology companies, but there are also software engineers who are needed at all manners of smaller companies. And most employers don’t care what your college GPA was.
Are you in a college where you have to transfer schools to major in CS, engineering, or business? If you do, and you really do need a 3.5 to transfer, then you may not be able to select those majors. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t major in economics, political science, English, or something else offered in the school you’re already in.
You don’t have to be a teacher with an English major, and most people “bash” on English majors because they don’t know any better. Most people don’t major in math and science fields, yet the vast majority of college grads are gainfully employed and make middle-class salaries.
If you have an aptitude for languages, especially Asian languages, that is a very valuable skill to many businesses.
Bear in mind it’s not just English majors that get bashed. When my D decided to not major in a STEM field like she originally planned, but instead switched to History and Classics with a minor in English, I was concerned. Then I went around work asking people what their majors were.
At the time, I worked in the corporate headquarters of a 35,000 person company. I have degrees in Math and Computer Science, yet was working in Marketing. I found that the Directors and VPs I worked with every day had majors in all kinds of fields - History, English, Spanish, Journalism, Communications, Philosophy - all majors that are often derided as having no potential. Not a single person in Sales and Marketing upper management had an undergrad degree that had anything to do with business. The best statistical analyst I knew there - was an English major. Some had gone on to earn MBAs, but most had started out doing jobs like cold calling sales or writing marketing copy, and had grown their careers based on hard work and effort.
Not everyone is meant to be a math or science major. But STEM majors are not the only path to success.
Yeah, I’m currently attending at the UW, and you would need like a high GPA to get into like computer science, the Foster School of business, all engineering departments, etc., and they would look at your cumulative GPA as well, so I was worried about where I might be heading then.
