<p>Simple question: Do you "approve" of your child's major? Is it something you would choose for your child, or would you rather have your child major in something else? If so, what would that have been?</p>
<p>Son ended up with math and comp sci after also taking some physics, he waited to declare his major. Fit him when he started and now. Our approval or disapproval would have made no difference to him. Strong willed. None of the above would have suited me, it was evident years before he had no interest in chemistry or medicine, my chosen fields. His father also likes the same fields son does while in medicine. Math/science family.</p>
<p>Parents- your approval should make no difference. Keep in mind that most entering college students either are undeclared or will change the major they start with. Therefore don’t worry if your child has an unrealistic sounding one. By the time s/he is a junior s/he will have changed or be able to justify the choice. College exposes students to things they never thought of and the reality of courses will show them if they are suited for their HS dreams. </p>
<p>Save your battles for other things. There are Parent Forum threads about dance majors et al. Probably good to ask for a backup plan for performance arts majors- related fields a job can be found in, for example. Even Julliard grads may not be able to support themselves in their chosen area of study. Also remind your pre-med/vet/law/et al child that a major is required as these are only intentions. Patience waiting for their plans to evolve over the college years can be hard but needed. Good luck to all with kids in the “pipeline”.</p>
<p>I don’t know what my kids are going to do with their lives…that’s something I can’t predict and certainly something I shouldn’t “tell” them. The only thing I care about is they finish at least an undergraduate degree…what the major is, what they do with that is up to them. I hope that have enough self awareness to recognize their strengths and interests. S1 fell into it late in sophomore year and never looked back and I’m watching S2 reach that point where he is starting to question himself which is exactly what 20 year old kids should do.</p>
<p>Yes Wis we crossposted.</p>
<p>Once he gets one I’ll let you know. ;)</p>
<p>Why not let them make their own decision, but make sure that they make an informed decision, if their choice of major involves their future job and career goals?</p>
<p>Approve? That depends on what you mean by approve. </p>
<p>My son entered college on a full-ride ROTC scholarship. He intended to be a psych major so he could work for the FBI after fulfilling his service obligation. We didn’t give it a second thought. Why should we? The Army was paying. </p>
<p>After his first semester, son decided to drop his scholarship and switch to a Theatre major. Now on our dime, we told him we wouldn’t pay $55,000 for him to be a Theatre major. We’d pay $25,000 +/- for him to be a Theatre major at an in-state school. </p>
<p>So, is that approval or disapproval? I’d like to think it’s practical financial sense. </p>
<p>He chose to stay at the expensive school as a Theatre minor. His major is undecided. But, he’s leaning toward the same thing his father and I majored in: Communications. This makes us cringe. But we bite our tongues lest we become hypocrits. </p>
<p>I’m actually holding out hope that he chooses Political Science. He’d make a great speech writer or satirist. Maybe the next Matt Taibi. </p>
<p>I’m dying to know what direction he takes. :)</p>
<p>My children have chosen majors that reflect what they are passionate about. They work hard and they’re good at what they do. How could I NOT approve?</p>
<p>Approve? I identified DD1’s knack for architecture in 9th grade and planted enough ideas in her head that by 12th grade she had a good portfolio and had taken an impressive number of art and construction courses as electives (our HS has an awesome variety of courses), enough to win her admission with merit scholarship at a respected flagship state university. I also nurtured her skills with lots of art-centered vacations, art classes, competitions, etc. She just finished her 1st semester with a 3.8 GPA… Given her interests and skills, it was either architecture or English literature. The building trades run in our family so it’s not a surprise there.</p>
<p>When she was 3, d1 came home from daycare wanting to be a singing, dancing doctor in the army. She’s 18, just switched her major to nursing (thinking possibly DNP) and sings in two choirs, takes voice and vocal performance classes. She’s a flyer on the college cheer squad. How could my disapproval (if I did disapprove) even matter? She’s been on this path since she was 3, although apparently we all forgot until now. </p>
<p>Honestly, I majored in something that didn’t have a set career path. I really don’t “approve” of the notion that your education has to lead to a specific job or it’s a waste. If I tell the kids I will spend X a year for 4 years to educate them, that’s what I’ll do, no matter what their major.</p>
<p>I’m almost afraid to post a response. I agree with Momof3 and Wis, the student gets to decide. We did try to make sure our girls had all the facts but they went with their loves - DD1 graduated this past May with a major in English and is still fishing for a good job; DD2 is majoring in Math with a minor in Econ - I’m not worried about her future at all.</p>
<p>Approve? No, not really. There were some other things I hoped he might take a shine to that I thought might lead to a life path he would find interesting and rewarding and suit his intellectual bent. But no dice. :(</p>
<p>My one hope for him in college was that he would fall in love with something that would enable his intellect to really bloom. I think he may have found that, but too late to do more than minor in it. But apparently a minor may be sufficient, combined with his related major, to enable him to go to graduate school in the field. We’ll see.</p>
<p>Oh, yes! My older one was a music composition and Italian Studies major. The younger one an international business/accounting major. </p>
<p>Knowing who they are, I wouldn’t much approve of it if they were reversed.</p>
<p>Yes. Older one was a computer science major, younger one an economics major.</p>
<p>Their dad was a math major, although he regretted having switched to math from his initial major of electrical engineering. The apples only fall a limited distance from the tree.</p>
<p>Unlike mini, I think my offspring could have been just as happy if they swapped majors. </p>
<p>On the other hand, the younger one would have been appalled by the older one’s minor in philosophy.</p>
<p>Truthfully, I hope S changes to something else - but rest assured I will be proud of him even if he doesn’t!</p>
<p>Approve? It’s not needed. I told my D to major whatever she likes (currently undecided). The only thing she needs to know is, we will continue to support her six months after graduation. But, truthfully, I am not sure about that six month thing. She’s our first child. We’ll see.</p>
<p>My son and I have had discussions about his major. It was Biology, but he is discovering that’s actually not his strength. So I asked him recently what he was thinking. He chose something that’s just a little too trendy (i.e. not a “pure science” like math), and we’re still having those discussions. But honestly, if he can thoroughly explain himself and think through to what his major would look like in the job market post-graduation, then I’m okay with that.</p>
<p>As a student I love these threads I really do. I major and double minor in impracticality.</p>
<p>I am a sophomore Television-Radio (Media Production concentration) major with a double minor in Politics and Art History. As I said impracticality. All of my friends in the same major minor in things like Marketing or Integrated Marketing Communications (PR/Advertising). I’ve been told to minor in these but in no god’s way will it ever happen.</p>
<p>A lot of times I justify my major by giving a list of people who have graduated from my college: Bob Iger (CEO of Disney and recently added Board Member for Apple); David Muir (Anchor for ABC World News); David Boreanaz (TV star); Dan Hefner (creator/producer of the Saw film franchise); Jessica Savitch (first women network anchor); Karl Ravech (ESPN host for Baseball Tonight); and other people whose names I don’t remember but include a producer for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and notable film makers. Don’t forget people who attended but didn’t graduate - Aaron Tveit (Broadway star - Next to Normal) and Ricki Lake (the original Tracy Turnblad). </p>
<p>Most of the people above majored in similar things I did - Communications. Of course they all had different circumstances but it does give me hope and the fact that IC grads do go to do great things. </p>
<p>My parents approve of my major. They see my passion in television and know I wouldn’'t be happier anywhere else. They question it all the time and have had criticism from their friends on ‘why I major in television then business or hard science.’ Television is my passion and I don’t imagine doing anything else.</p>
<p>Who am I to “approve” or “disapprove” of her major? Whose life is it, hers or mine? Who will live with the consequences, she or I? Even if I could control my daughter’s future path, I would never try to do so.</p>
<p>She does ask my advice, and I give it. Whether she takes it is up to her.</p>
<p>I guess I would say I approve of S2’s major (Criminal Justice) What I dislike is that now that he’s only one semester and an internship away from graduating, he’s decided he wants nothing to do with law enforcement. There is no more money for extra semesters/changing majors. He is past the point of return. So now what will he do? ugh.</p>