Hi everyone! I was wondering if it is honestly true that your major determines the rest of your life? Or quite the opposite your major does not determine your future? Obviously if you’re majoring in nursing, engineering, or becoming a doctor yes it matters, but what about for other majors such as sociology, anthropology, or recreation? What was your major and what are you doing now? I’m a confused and scared college student and anything helps. Thank you.
I majored in Math/Computer science. I’ve been a QA analyst, database developer, technical writer, business analyst. I’ve worked the last 8 years in Marketing working with web sites. Now I’m in management for a company that develops web sites.
I have several IT Project Managers reporting to me. One has an MBA with a concentration in marketing, one has a degree in engineering, two have degrees in history.
I have a business analyst reporting to me who has an MBA (can’t remember the focus).
There are several front-end developers reporting to me with degrees in Fine Arts, one with a degree in Nursing.
I have a usability expert reporting to me who has no college education.
I work with a senior level software architect who holds a law degree and a masters in library science.
At my last job in the corporate headquarters of a 35,000 person company, I worked with senior level people working in Legal, Sales, Marketing and other areas who had degrees in History, Communication, Journalism, English, Sociology, Spanish - all across the boards.
The first job is easier to get if you have a targeted, more professional major such as engineering or nursing. But after a few years, your experience, attitude, network, and work ethic come to matter much more than your major. At that point having a degree gets you past the Human Resources requirements but doesn’t make or break you getting a job.
There are also many programs, some at community colleges, for people who want to change careers. For example, the front-end developers working for me mostly all went through 6 month certification programs before landing jobs in web development.
I love asking the folks I work with what their paths to their careers were, as I’ve never known what I wanted to do next. I’m 50 now and still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up 
You can go to medical school with any major, as long as you complete the prerequisites.
Many popular majors really provide nothing in terms of specific skill that would impact on one’s life trajectory but maybe that is an important point, right? Students majoring in engineering have skills no high school grad (with no college) has whereas students majoring in psychology, sociology and other social sciences or humanities often lack specific skills that would distinguish them from someone without a college degree. And many don’t make a cent more than they would without the college degree. This is especially true for students who avoid math, computer science, etc. Yes presumably grads can “think” better but not always.
Students planning to continue their education after the BA or BS have a plan that will allow them to carve out a nice career. But those counting on getting a job but who have no specific skills, thinking things will work out without planning, forget it. They often find that they can only get low paying jobs.
Your major could matter to some extent. Certain majors are more marketable than others. For example, I am not sure what somebody who majors in art history can really do with their lives.
I am an electrical engineering major, hoping to get a full time job after graduation.