<p>I'm just curious...how many of you majored in a certain area because you simply loved the subject and were honestly interested in it? Was money and job security more of an issue in choosing your major? Were these two issues able to meet in the middle and give you the perfect major? </p>
<p>And everyone's favorite question:</p>
<p>If you knew you couldn't fail (both financially and with finding a job) would you keep your major or would you do something different?</p>
<p>I honestly was interested in finance (especially after the economic meltdown two years ago), so that’s why I am majoring in it. Additionally, finance teaches certain employable skills as well, so I guess I get to taste the best of both worlds.</p>
<p>I turned down some amazing Architecture programs because I wasn’t sure about that career, although it’s in demand and guarantees job security. I still buy a ton of architecture/design books and magazines but i don’t think I could make a career out of it.</p>
<p>Then I spent 2 years in college sampling many majors - English, Writing, History, Politics, International Relations, Economics, Italian, Philosophy, Biology, Physics, etc. Econ was the most boring imo. I ended up finally picking a (science) major I like and couldn’t be happier. It leaves me with a ton of options after graduation since it’s a liberal arts degree and basically every field is open to me except ones that require specific training (like engineering). </p>
<p>I can’t think of any majors that lead to lots of money - engineering, nursing, etc are in high demand but they don’t make a ton of money or anything. Finance maybe, but you can do that with any degree.</p>
<p>Money. Don’t get me wrong, I liked my major (I recently graduated) but it was largely a financial decision, in a lot of ways. It was the right decision.</p>
<p>I majored in what I loved, knowing I would make little money. And once I am done having children and they are all in school and I’ve gotten my finances arranged more properly, I am going to get a JD to do something else I love that also won’t make much money. As long as I can support myself and my family, I don’t need anything more.</p>
<p>I chose it for the money and ended up loving it. Win-win.</p>
<p>what I loved. I am not motivated to do work that I am disinterested in, so I wouldn’t be able to put up with 10 classes in a subject I hate. Then again, I plan on going to law school so my undergrad major really doesn’t matter, meaning I have the freedom to study subjects in which I am interested in, especially since my double major is 60 credits total and we need 120 to graduate, meaning I can take classes like the history of rock n roll.</p>
<p>I have a very similar story to XX55XX. Two years ago, I was all set to start studying Computer Science, but then for some reason, I got interested in Finance and Banking (and the financial meltdown probably had a big role in that.)</p>
<p>So I’m studying Finance, something that I love and am interested in, and something that has the potential for a large income…</p>
<p>I originally majored in something I loved, but then decided that just because I loved it didn’t mean I wanted to work in the area. Now I’m majoring in something that I love, but because of pay and job availability, I’ll be getting a second degree in something else, which I really like, but don’t necessarily love.</p>
<p>What I loved – political science. </p>
<p>I’m not even graduated yet and I have equally (or often less) intelligent engineering friends making 25-30$/hr at a summer internship while I’m VERY lucky to get 10$/hr.</p>
<p>I haven’t picked a major but I’ll probably pick something I love. In high school there were a LOT of things I didn’t care about, and I put as little effort as I could into those things. I’d rather not repeat that laziness now where it really counts.</p>
<p>I will probably pick something that I both enjoy and also has good job prospects. Then again one of my dream jobs is to be an FBI agent and they don’t exactly make killer money.</p>
<p>I am doing it for both. I want to work with animals and decided against working towards jobs such as zoo keeper or veterinary technician due to low salaries. Instead I will be getting a BS in Biology with a Pre-Vet emphasis and then heading on to Vet school.</p>
<p>Couldn’t be happier…I’ll be doing what I love and paying my loans off without sacrificing a comfortable lifestyle.</p>
<p>I know that I want to do some sort of engineering, but I also want to make a decent amount of money, so that’s why I chose chemical engineering. I guess it’s sort of 50/50 then. I plan to go into business after a few years of working in the chemical industry, anyway. :D</p>
<p>I’m majoring in something I love. :)</p>
<p>And maybe come graduation, I will be living in a cardboard box with a B.A. in English :(</p>
<p>I do plan on going on to graduate school so I can get my M.S. and certification in Speech Language Pathology. After all, I need a job. :p</p>
<p>Considering I am majoring in philosophy I went the financial route.</p>
<p>I majored in what I love. The world needs people who want to make a difference, not more people who love money. If I did it for the money, I would be a doctor or a lawyer, not an engineer.</p>
<p>It’ll be harder for people majoring in english, or philosophy but there are still ways for you to do something to change the world :)</p>
<p>
Engineering is one of the few jobs with a high starting salary with just a Bachelor’s degree; a short route to money. As for MD’s, they follow their undergrad with 4 grueling years of med, then 3-6 years working 70-90 hours/week making about $30k/year before they get to see any money. Then they work long hours with a huge chunk of their salaries going toward malpractice insurance because our tort system is so screwed up. </p>
<p>As for JD’s, I won’t pretend to know much about law, but aren’t they in low demand right now?I wouldn’t say English contributes less than any other major/field either, since critical writing/analytical skills are pretty important in business, marketing, publishing, etc.</p>
<p>I’m sorry if this sounds rude, but I feel like you’re being very condescending implying that Engineers are the only ones “making a difference”, when let’s be honest, that’s hardly the case. Engineering is very important, but I notice a lot of engineer majors have this attitude that their field is more important than anything else.</p>
<p>^I’m not stating that at all. I was just making a statement in general about how people need to pursue what they love the most because they probably have a better chance of making a difference in that field rather than if they were doing something just because of money.</p>
<p>^ I’m sorry if I’m misinterpreting - it’s hard to tell online because I can’t see your expression or hear your tone or anything. I guess I’m biased because in the past I’ve had conversations with engineers who have this holier-than-thou attitude, implying everything else is unimportant and easy. </p>
<p>I agree people are usually happier doing what they like the most. Lol I’m probably a good example of this since I sampled like 20 majors before settling on one as I mentioned earlier (although I regret this since I wasted time and money).</p>
<p>I don’t think poorly of people who pick a field just for money though. Maybe because I’ve spent 20 years being poor and it ain’t fun…hah. Whenever I run into HS classmates who went to college I notice the 2 most common programs they’re in are Engineering and Nursing, often picked by low-income students because they’re practical and lucrative. I would never judge anyone for this choice because people who grow up poor and are 1st in their families to head to college often have to think more practically.</p>
<p>My brother majored in English. Now he writes grants for a non-profit agency so they can help the kids the group serves. Don’t try to make liberal arts majors feel better about our place in the world, there are many, many opportunities out there for us ;)</p>