<p>So I've decided to kind of narrow my search down this summer, as I am going to be a junior next year. I'm very strong in English/Reading (English score alone on the ACT was a 35). I'm not very strong in Math/Science (Math score was a 28 and science was a 26).
However, I am much more interested in Math/Science, as I really love to be challenged. I love history and English, and my brain just wraps around it easily, but math is just so hard for me. I really like that. (I do know that in college, English would become challenging.)
My big question is: Should I aim for a career with an English/History degree, or a Math/Science? </p>
<p>I want to be in a career with a high salary. In fact, for years and years I wanted to follow in my grandfather's footsteps and go into law. But, looking at where law is going, I've decided that path is out for me. Medicine looks good, but I'm a little squeamish. I've heard that is easily overcome, and I feel I could overcome it if I were exposed to it. I also know it is crazy competetive, and that, given my poor math/science abilities, I might not be able to compete as well. (I will add, however, that my brain likes biology. It wraps around biology almost as well as history and English.)</p>
<p>Another thing is that I will be learning French next year. I'm not sure how that's going to go for me yet, but if I really like it, are there careers out there that pay well involving foreign languages?</p>
<p>My final statement is that I do not want to have anything to do with education. Period. My mother is a teacher. It's too political for not enough cash.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for taking the time to read all of this and (hopefully) giving me whatever advice you can :)</p>
<p>Are you a junior in high school, or in college?</p>
<p>If the former, relax. Once you get to whatever college you will be attending, take intro course in science and the humanities, and most likely your question will answer itself. As biology gets more advanced, it gets more like other sciences–especially chemistry-- and involves more math. “Humanities types” who are great at high school biology often find college bio a lot more daunting. But the first two years of a liberal arts curriculum give you plenty of time to explore and to clarify your interests and abilities.</p>
<p>You may, however, find out that you are a pretty decent science student but just better at humanities subjects. This was my situation lo these many years ago. I had to decide, at the end of my sophomore year in college, whether to maximize my eventual career options by finishing up a premed course and going to medical school or grad school in science (I was getting high grades in science courses at an Ivy League school) or to pursue what I was realizing I was most talented at and interested in, which was English. I ended up getting a PhD in English, but it’s not a path I recommend to someone who doesn’t want anything to do with education. I wanted to be an English professor, and that’s what a PhD in English prepares you to do.</p>
<p>You might want to re-evaluate the “high salary” requirement as many interesting and fulfilling jobs are not going to make you really rich, and many of the jobs that make you really rich are not a whole lot of fun. It might be easier to scale down your “needs” and learn to live happily on a smaller pot of money. In general, you will be more successful in whatever career you choose if you have some natural talent in the area and you like what you’re doing. The real high earners in any area of endeavor need to work long, long, long hours and often take years to reach their goals. It’s very difficult and probably unhealthy psychologically to commit yourself to that extent in an entirely alienated way, just for the payoff.</p>
<p>^Great post, jingle. Agree with everything you said.</p>
<p>A French B.A. doesn’t give you a whole lot of options, let alone high-paying options. If you are fluent, you might be able to get a job as a translator, but don’t expect to be rolling in cash with that job. Otherwise all the typical liberal arts jobs are available.</p>
<p>Adding two cents: Isn’t a B.A. in French (Literature) awarded through an English speaking university the same thing as a B.A. in English (Literature) awarded through a French speaking university? The language of the subject matter is “foreign”, but the lessons learned - the ability to read, think and communicate critically - are no different. All typical liberal arts jobs are available to the student of French literature, in addition to translator jobs.</p>
<p>Well, if you want a high salary, then math/science is the way to go. I took the ACT and got a 26 on the science section…the average of my other sections was a 34.
I don’t think the ACT science section measures true science ability-it’s mainly just how fast can you read/understand these graphs and answer these questions. I’m most definitely not good at science, but I’m not horrific at it either.
If you like math/science and you want a good salary, then go for it. However, I suggest that you really do try to think about actually loving your job, not just for money or because you’re ok with it. I want to major in math, and I know I would be able to get a much higher paying job, but I want to teach. Medicine is a tough field. My sister is in med school now and it is a huge commitment. She can do it because she loves it-but I advise against it if you don’t have true passion.</p>