<p>Hey there. Long story short, I graduated high school with a 3.8 GPA solely due to the fact that I worked hard. I never read much unless it was unequivocally engaging, but always turned in assignments on time and rarely missed class. In high school, a good chunk of one's grade is built of off participation ("80% of success is showing up"). Then, after graduating in 2010, I went to college, and failed out of three different schools. Prior to Fall 2012, my dad (a ChemE Ph.D. from Cornell), basically gave me one last chance to do well in academia. My father is a professor, so as you can tell I grew up in a family stressing academia. I am from Pennsylvania, but moved to California to attend De Anza College where I lived with my uncle and later in the year my own apartment. Huge life transition, but basically no distractions. Academics were my thing, and I made friends with my cousin's friends, who were like-minded academically-focused (It's Cupertino for crying out loud). I earned a 3.91 in my first quarter and a 4.0 in the winter and spring, boosting my GPA to a 3.96. As you can tell, major changes were made. However, I noticed that I had EXTREME distractibility. I basically did everything for the grade and failed to learn anything, not because I didn't want to- but because I couldn't. Admittedly, classes were a bit easier, a lot of them being GE's, but I worked extremely hard. I basically spent 4-5 hours a day during the spring quarter in the Cupertino Library memorizing math- but really didn't learn it. I got my A and everything I learned more or less went out the window. I realized that I had an extreme focus/retention issue, and back in Pittsburgh for summer break, I saw a therapist for ADD. I was diagnosed, and now reading over a business law book, I really am engaged, not necessarily in the subject, but being able to read and retain info is straight up awesome! It's like a deaf person being able to hear for the first time. </p>
<p>With that, I have no idea as to what I want to do in my life. Since this past year was so grade-oriented, I really didn't have time to focus on what I wanted to do. I technically studied business at Duquesne, CCAC, and Pitt (my 3 schools), and out of high school I declared business simply because I viewed it as a fallback with ok career perspectives. However, I have no idea as to where I want to take my professional life. I'm already two years behind, but more important than that, I want to choose something I like. I definitely believe that simply mastering a subject makes you that much more interested in it, or at least able to do it, but that doesn't necessarily correlate to major interest in every scenario. Anyone can study biology and learn about it, but does that mean everyone wants to become a biologist? My sister nags me about this, and I'm INSANELY hard working, so I know whatever I do I will be successful in. I just have no idea as to what it is. My tentative plan is to transfer to Cal Poly in Fall '14, but I want to make sure I make the right choice as far as major as that essentially determines the rest of my life. Business majors, why did you choose to study business, and what are the results of your studies in terms of jobs and living?</p>