<p>Longhaul, I am right there with you. I don’t want to push anything, contrary to how it may sound, but I find there is a very fine line between being totally laissez faire and letting them chart their own course (or between being pushy and providing guidance). As a parent, I do think it’s part of my job to make educated suggestions about things he hasn’t thought of, just as not too long ago I might have suggested he try the broccoli. But I am finding it hard to figure out where to stand so that I stay on the ‘suggesting’ and not the ‘pushing’ side. </p>
<p>My son’s friends are also very focused. It seems like every single one has a really well-defined career in mind. It doesn’t matter whether they will really stick with it or not, it just seems to my son like everyone knows with absolute clarity what they want and he does not. I am also thinking of a gap year to get some maturity and vision, but I want him to apply to schools next year with the school supports available. </p>
<p>The suggestions above are very helpful. Thanks to all. Perhaps I can just suggest a physics major, and he can take it from there. Really, in the absence of a sense of purpose about this, he is totally unmotivated about applying to college (though he does well in school), so I need to help him find an answer so he can move forward!</p>