<p>I was an English major for two years and then was accepted into Cal with a 4.0. I had an intention of pre-law. However, I had a huge crisis over the summer wherein I really doubted if I would actually LIKE law. Honestly, I don't have a passion, have never shadow, or interned, or personally know any lawyers. I just thought about money, an easy major, and transferring out as quickly as possible. When I realized how much tuition was going to start to cost, and the unmarketability of an English major if plans go awry, I freaked out. I also hate hearing about how there are way too many lawyers out there, the enormous debt one would undertake if one didn't land biglaw or something close to it, and the derisive comments about pre-law people being "students who had useless liberal arts degrees or are bad at math." It makes me feel utterly useless because I didn't challenge myself, I even took Algebra so that I could get an easy A when I should have been taking Calculus. All this uncertainty: lack of passion, doubt of success, etc. got me feeling depressed big-time. It kind of made me realize that if I really wanted it, I wouldn't be feeling outright suicidal and pessimistic all the time about my career goals. But I do wonder still, if all pre-law students with humanities degrees don't feel that way. It's a downright poor climate for lawyers right now unless you're at the very tippy top schools, and even then, you'd have to be in their top percentile. I became a really cynical, terrible person whenever talking about my future. What do you think? Is it just me or is that how every person in my situation feels? Should I just stick it out?</p>
<p>My grandmother also passed away this summer after being a bed-ridden, decomposing invalid for the last 5 years. It hit me really hard. I was already previously interested in health because it was a secure field, and some of my family are happily working in it. It just seems so much more meaningful than law; something that can really, truly alleviate suffering. I don't want to ever watch someone die slowly like that ever again, and feel so helpless that I couldn't do anything.</p>
<p>My friend is a history major, and she feels like she has no career prospects, doesn't know or have a "backup plan" but is going to finish off her degree anyway because we're already two years in. It seems like many 4 year uni students feel that way; they're paying a ton of money so staying an extra year or two would be a really big deal. So would I would be taking advantage of my CC status if I stayed longer? Would universities now blacklist me, even if I maintained a high GPA? I haven't taken any (relevant) science classes at all, so I'm going to likely be here for at least one or two more years. I'm not sure whether to switch my major to a biological science or just take as many bio classes here in a year as I can and finish off the rest at uni. I find now that I just can't stand sitting in an english class. I actually noticed very soon in college (1st semester) that the classes were not teaching me anything. It soon became a means to an end, a route for me to get easy grades. All the material would've easily been learn-able through 20 minutes of Sparknotes. These are fictional characters and fictional events. What's the point looking at it? I could do this reading on my own time, completely grasp it, and yet not be able to use anything I've learned to apply to real life. It seems pointless also, to debate and ponder about what one dead poet or another "meant" in a single line. I do like reading and writing, though, that it's a just hobby. I'm basically paying the school to have me read and grasp stuff I could do myself. I also feel dumb when people around me discuss the fine details and mechanisms of science and I don't understand a smattering of it. People feel awkward when I say I'm an english major and say, "Oh, cool....um, I like reading books, too."</p>
<p>So, to conclude, I think I'd rather do health in all honesty. Pre-med, PA, NP, I don't know, but just something that will make me more excited about life. The experience with my grandmother has made me really interested in studying and researching Alzheimer's disease. Biology actually was my first choice for a major in high school. I originally came into college saying that I would do pre-vet (although I was also thinking of law) and once my councilor told me I could have any major, I was like "Oh cool! English Lit, then!" And somewhere along the way, I ended up not taking the bio, chem, and math classes he suggested because english was just so easy, and flexible to work into schedules (there's no order-unlike math/science where you have to take Calc. A before Calc. B and so forth). I don't think I really have an interest in pre-vet anymore. I've had no experience with raising pets; I just really liked animals and watched a lot of Animal Planet growing up. Maybe that's just me thinking they're cute and cuddly though. I can see how I definitely jumped on that bandwagon too prematurely.</p>
<p>I know I'm going off a lot of what-ifs right now with all these emotional decisions, and a lot of people would say that I wasted a huge opportunity with Berkeley, but if I apply to transfer this year, I would only be a year behind. But If I want a biology major...oooh boy. Most of these "pre-health" grad schools don't care what your major is, but my problem is that I like so many things in the bio field that I might want to actually do something specific to the degree if I'm not able to get admitted. Such as being a wildlife biologist or eventually going on to do biotech. For now, I just plan on right now devoting time to shadowing and interning different professions until I find the right fit for me. </p>
<p>What are some good, high paying health-careers that make decent money? Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary, Optometry, Podiatry, Dentistry, Nursing, Physician's Assistant are some that come to mind. Also, whatever I want to do in the future, I know that I want some measure of autonomy in what I'm doing. That's why I hesitate a bit to do nursing. That's why I also didn't think of being a paralegal and gunned for being a lawyer. It might just be my personality, but I don't think I could be satisfied with secretary/assistant/middle-man job, with no room to move up. I definitely don't want to stagnate.</p>
<p>When I told my family and relatives that I was considering medicine, they were extremely supportive (because every asian parent wants pre-med kids?). But, because of my precarious position...they were very wary of giving me advice. What probably nailed the coffin in my decision to forego Berkeley was my aunt telling me, "Oh, it's okay if you aren't a doctor! You can just find a nice pre-med at Berkeley and marry him!" I mean, what the hell. I'm not looking for an MRS degree. </p>
<p>Also, one last thing...I am exaggerating law school prospects too much? I know it's a "numbers" game, and my GPA "numbers" are pretty good, but I don't know how I'll do on the LSAT. I don't think anyone really knows their full potential until their senior year and they study for it. Do people just guesstimate or not think about it as much as I do? I sorta just <em>assumed</em> I could at least get near a 170 but I don't know if I actually can. I don't know if I can make T-14, and even then, I don't think I would be okay with myself unless it was T-8.</p>