Deciding on a major once and for all.

College Majors
1

<p>The time has come. I know all that I need to know about all the various majors. I've put off this decision for far too long. My grades have suffered for it. No more studying organic chemistry in my spare time when I have an economics test the next day. No more staying up until 2 am studying psychology for fun when I have an essay due in 6 hours. My grades are starting to suffer because I lack direction. I lack a focus. I owe it to myself and to others to get the best grades possible. I'm hurting no one but myself with my lack of decision making...I love studying. I love gaining knowledge. But the current academic system isn't about getting knowledge...at least not yet. It's about getting good grades. </p>

<p>I know what I want from a major. I know I am capable of getting good grades in any major that I want to. Over the last 2 or so years I have changed my major no less than 8 times. This can not go on. It's time. I'm picking a major...and I'm sticking to it. And I would like your help.</p>

<p>Here is what I want from a major.</p>

<p>-It has to be interesting. Something that I can on at least some level enjoy. Obviously you don't know me...so this shouldn't factor into your responses. I'm just putting it out there.</p>

<p>-It has to be challenging. I am not capable of being satisfied with a grade unless it was challenging. I've gotten A's in intro to Sociology and History and I was less than satisfied. Any course where I don't even have to read the textbook to get an A is not one for me. On the other hand, some of my favorite courses I've gotten Cs in. I value those Cs more than any A. I had to work for that C. The A was given to me. The A means nothing.</p>

<p>-Not overly technical. I am not one for detail. I wish I was...it's a good skill to have. I can not deal with mind numbing details and expect myself to be happy. Plug and Chug in math is something I can not deal with. Explain the concept of a limit...and I can get that down in less than 5 minutes. Explain the formula for finding limits...and I literally just space out. My mind does not work like that. I can deal with detail I just rather keep it to a minimum. I'm more of a concept person. </p>

<p>-It has to be meaningful. I want to be able to get a job that is meaningful to society in some way. Again..meaningful means different things to different people..so again, I'm just putting it out there.</p>

<p>-It has to offer grad school flexibility. I'm going to try to go to grad school. What I want to study in grad school, I do not yet know. I'm OK with that. I have some time before I have to make that decision. But my undergrad degree has to offer some level of flexibility. It can make some options more difficult to pursue than others...but I would like to keep as many options as possible as long as possible. Like I said, I don't know how to make decisions.</p>

<p>So with that...I would like to hear some suggestions.</p>

<p>By next Monday morning...I will have made a decision. I'm hoping that someone in the future will read this and perhaps discover what it takes to make a decision regarding this.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>geology???</p>

3

<p>Econ???</p>

4

<p>Pre-law then law school</p>

5

<p>^ Pre-law isn’t a major.</p>

6

<p>Actually at some schools it is but you could also major in political science.</p>

7

<p>The first place my mind goes to is psychology.</p>

8

<p>Finance.</p>

<p>Some classes are very mathematical, but others are more conceptual. It benefits society because everyone needs money. It also is very meaningful because money makes the world go round.</p>

9

<p>What’s funny is that I have been all the recommended majors except geology and finance. I was literally months away from taking the LSAT. </p>

<p>Well it’s Sunday afternoon and I have around 9 hours to make a decision. </p>

<p>After I wrote my post I went to the counseling center and got brochures summarizing the different types of programs the school offered. I read through them all and they didn’t tell me anything that I didn’t already know. </p>

<p>I then decided to go to the different department buildings when no one was there. I went to the psychology/biology/anthropology building and saw the different types of research the school was doing in those fields. (The school apparently makes posters and posts them in the hallways…)All of them seemed interesting. The one that “felt” the best was psychology…the one that I thought should “feel” the best is biology. </p>

<p>(Side note…anthropology grad school students at my school are potty mouths. And hot…lol)</p>

<p>I went home with this new information intending to go to a couple more buildings. I had yet to decide which buildings I would roam next.</p>

<p>I also calculated how long it would take me to finish a degree in each of the majors…(Generally around 3.4 semesters). So…my decision seemed to be forming itself.</p>

<p>But then old feelings of limiting myself too much took a hold again. Was I really willing to give up a whole bunch of stuff that I found interesting?</p>

<p>I decided I must for the sake of my sanity. First thing I decided to do was choose between a BA or a BS. Or rather a science and a non-science. To me…if I was to choose a science what I would choose would be pretty clear. Biology gave me all that I wanted. It was interesting. It wasn’t too technical. The detail is more to do with remembering general concepts rather than explicit “plug and chug” material. The second best would be something like psychology (which is technically a science I guess but is not as sciencey as biology…). Seeing as science can be generally classified into 3 types (Bio, Chem, Phys)(at least in my mind, the rest I have never really considered “real” science…or rather not as fundamental as those 3)…the second alternative would be Physics. However that is pretty technical stuff as well…at least at the level I am at now. Biology I had already completed all the “technical courses” and all that was left was upper level Bio courses.</p>

<p>Plus Bio is a pretty flexible degree for grad school. I could potentially mix bio with any other science and there would be a grad school program for me somewhere.</p>

<p>So Bio it was…right?</p>

<p>Wrong.</p>

<p>The truth of the matter was I was not willing to spend a lot of time in a lab doing science. Learning science…that was fun…doing science…playing with beakers and test tubes…I’m not sure I could do that for very long without screaming…)</p>

<p>So I thought maybe I should get a degree in a non-science. Philosophy, History, Political Science. Any of those would do because it really doesn’t matter what your undergrad degree is if as long you plan to go to grad school. The transition would be relatively easy. I was thinking Philosophy…as I enjoy it the most. </p>

<p>So my choice was set…philosophy it was. But was I really willing to give up science for good? You can’t really go to grad school in a science if you have BA in Philosophy…not without significant work.</p>

<p>The answer was no. I couldn’t give up science. </p>

<p>So…I was back where I started when I started this whole process. What the hell should I choose?</p>

<p>I thought I’d have to get two degrees. It’s the only thing that would make the most sense given my situation. A BS in Biology and BA in something (actually I was considering Fine Arts because I remember I liked art way back in the day).</p>

<p>I calculated the time it would take to get both a BS and BA and it was something like 5.6 semesters. It’s a lot of time in school…yes…but at this point this isn’t about time…it’s about living life how I wanted to.</p>

<p>So…again my decision was set right?</p>

<p>Wrong. </p>

<p>I don’t have those type of resources…especially if I want to go to grad school. Wasting a lot of time and money getting two degrees would be irresponsible.</p>

<p>But then again…could I ever honestly tell myself that I made the best decision for me if I gave up a whole side of me? I decided although that wasn’t a practical option…it was the best I had come up with so far.</p>

<p>I must be on the right track.</p>

<p>So the fundamental question was how was I going to resolve my simultaneous desires for science and arts/humanities?</p>

<p>So I decided to look for grad school programs that incorporated a “real” science (biology in my case) with a “real” art/humanities. So now I’m thinking about which arts/humanities I would be willing to spend a lot of my life on. The answers aren’t too clear at this point. So that’s my task right now.</p>

<p>I plan to pursue a minor in Biology and a minor in one of art/humanities for now…then find out which I like more that the other…get a degree in one in that one…and apply to grad school programs that incorporate both of those areas. (Surprisingly a lot…even law school (Patent law…))</p>

<p>I’ll probably have two minors for a couple semesters while looking for grad school programs that incorporate both of those areas of study (medical illustration looks fun) and choose my major based on what the grad schools are looking for.</p>

<p>So I wanted one major…but instead I got two minors. At this point in my life it’s exactly what I need.</p>

<p>I still need to decide on the appropriate non-science minor to pursue. </p>

<p>So, I failed, but successfully so.</p>

10

<p>If you really can’t decide then just do Mechanical Engineering. You learn literally everything. DO NOT DO BIO. It is not broad. You learn bio. That’s it. Mechanical engineers learn everything from solar energy to aerodynamics, what other major lets you do that?</p>

11

<p>So what made you not fall onto psychology after you didn’t want to do biology so much anymore? I actually know a few people at my university with a major in psych and a BA or minor in visual arts. They two seem to go pretty well together.</p>

<p>But I was in a similar boat. I kept thinking I might want to do two majors but ended up doing two minors instead.</p>

12

<p>I could very well end up doing Mechanical Engineering. Just not right now. But I could theoretically get a BS in Bio then get an MS BioEngineering and finally transition over to a Ph.d in a niche in Mechanical Engineering. Bio is just a good starting point. </p>

<p>Besides…MechE has a lot of the “plug and chug” that I can’t stand. It’s far too technical…far too precise…and in my opinion needlessly so. ( I was a Civil Engineering major once…)</p>

<p>Why not psychology?
Well, I got an A or an A- in an intro to psych class without ever reading the book (not literally but you know what I mean). Out of 50ish students only 8 got an A. I was one of them. I’m not saying that psychology is too easy…I just can’t imagine myself ever really being challenged in a psychology course. </p>

<p>Besides, I’m not even sure what the “point” of psychology is. Better understanding of other people? Just talk to them…a person can tell you more about themselves better than a book that they had nothing to do with ever could. Better understanding of yourself? Why would anyone ever need to be told who they are? A book isn’t going to provide those answers…</p>

<p>Add to that it’s imprecise nature…and I’ll pass. (I was a Psych major once as well…)</p>

<p>If in the future I decide psychology is actually what I want then I’ll probably get an MS in a field that encompasses both Biology and Psychology then get a Ph.d in a specialized section of Psychology. (Probably an MS in Neuroscience and then a Ph.d in Cognitive Science doing the same type of research psychologists do anyway)</p>

<p>Here are a couple of the other minor I’m considering.
-Philosophy.
-Fine Arts.
-English Lit.
-History.</p>

<p>Grad school programs that sound interesting right now…
-Philosophy of Science.
-Medical illustration.
-History of Science.
-Technical Writing.
-Patent Law.</p>

<p>I’m sure the list goes on…I intend to find out exactly how long the list is soon.</p>

<p>All of these sound interesting…and all of these are currently available options depending on how I choose to tailor my areas of interest towards a certain path.</p>

13

<p>Archaeology, if you don’t mind somewhat atrocious career prospects. Great combination of science and social science, I think, and you’d be able to play in a lot of those majors you’re looking at. (Philosophy, fine arts, history, linguistics, statistics, biology, geology, chemistry, etc.)</p>

14

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<p>I hope you’re joking.</p>

15

<p>I see what you mean. I have had a few classes where the required book was barely touched.</p>

16

<p>I was going to suggest Psychology or another social science based on your first post; was also going to suggest that you just double major, but you seem to have come to a decent decision.</p>

<p>I’ve taken 4 courses this semester and I didn’t even buy the books.</p>