<p>After all these years of buying him doctor kits, pouring over science books together, having to hide the vinegar (baking soda + vinegar disasters,) dragging him with me to be underfoot at my lab, letting him take AP Calc and AP Physics last year as a junior, etc. etc., my brilliant (if I do say so myself,) 780 in Math, National Merit Finalist/Semi-finalist son has decided to major in .......Psychology???!!???? A liberal arts major!!!! Where did I go wrong???!!!????</p>
<p>Psychology is a social sciences field, not humanities, and leaning more and more toward the hard sciences these days. The preparation your son has had so far would stand him well in psychology.</p>
<p>PS:</p>
<p>It's his life. Maybe you need to see a psychologist? j/k.</p>
<p>Joking?
My S -- sky high scores like your S's, best grades were in things like AP chemistry, etc. plans to do the same thing. He's also a URM, who has been highly sought after by engineering, etc. programs.</p>
<p>He loves psychology. He wants to be a teacher. I think that his students will be very lucky!</p>
<p>Sort of. My husband and I are both scientists. We have no idea on how to advise this kid on anything - we know nothing about liberal arts. I snuck into classes like ethics, economics and history to avoid taking any real arts or humanities in school.</p>
<p>Trust me. Your S will figure things out. My S certainly seems to be figuring out how to become a teacher if he majors in psych. Remember, our boys are smart. They can handle this. :)</p>
<p>well, looks like your son is a people person, and after spending much of his life already doing and being around science, wonder if he burnt out on it and said, "I want something else"</p>
<p>I majored in biology, fully intending to go to medical school, and am now in the rare book business. That's what I reminded my daughter of when she went off to college this year. College is not (usually) vocational school. It's about exploring all sorts of courses and interesting ideas and, hopefully, finding something to be passionate about. It sounds like your son has done that, which is wonderful!</p>
<p>Why do you need to advise him? He'll have plenty of advisors in college; he'll also have plenty of chances to change his mind and major.<br>
And as I and other posters have pointed out, psychology is not "liberal arts" if by that you mean humanities.</p>
<p>Duckwoman: If you were banking on your S being an MD and making $$$, let me tell you, from one married to an MD, it is not the profession it was once cracked up to be, financially speaking. The costs and headaches of being in private practice (overhead, malpractice insurance, medicaide/medicare, HMO's) often outweigh the gratification gained, especially if making a lot of $ was the underlying motivation. Don't get me wrong, medicine is a wonderful career area, especially for women who want a career and a family life) but the health care system is in disarray and new grad physicians do not have an easy road ahead. The future is very unclear. I can't speak to the other sciences, but I would be proud/pleased if my D chose to study psychology. </p>
<p>Here's the kicker....my D, child of an MD and a master's level Speech Pathologist, a National Merit winner, great in the sciences and math, attending a very competitive east coast school, is majoring in IR..........BUT is now thinking about acting/musical theater!!! It's her passion..........oh well, I hope she likes to wait on tables too!</p>
<p>My son attended RSI program and has done internship with many well known research scientists. He took multivariable calculus, AP PHysics, AP CHem before he was senior in high school, and took courses beyond APs in science; he did way many independent projects in summer and in high scoll which involved way beyond in math/science. However, he will major in economics and politics. We as an immigrant lack excellent writing skills and forget about politics as we are cluseless for politics. We gave up long time ago and want him to be happy. So let your kid decide in whatever they choose to do and what makes them happy. This way at least you have an open communication. Why break it. Let them choose and be the person they want to be. It is their life.</p>
<p>My friend has 3 kids. The oldest Down's & her other two are very bright & caring kids who did extremely well in HS & got into the colleges of their choice. Both took many APs including those in sciences & participated in lots of sports at the HS level. Both are majoring in psychology & are interested in neuroscience & how brains function & how to help folks like their older brother. The older one graduated from UVa & is now in China, teaching english & honing her mandarin skills; she loves it there & is deferring grad school for now. The other is a junior at UCSB & also loves psych.</p>
<p>It happens. I'm still explaining to relatives why my NMF math/science/ computer geek kid is now in a "Great Books" program, seeking a liberal arts degree. He's not getting job training, but he is getting a great education. It's fine with me. There's always grad school. (BTW, his dad was a history major/later MD). Don't panic yet--if your kid is still in high school, he has plenty of time to change his major.</p>
<p>I'm a psychologist; it's a great profession. If I were just starting out now, I think I'd be doing brain research...it's fascinating and, yes, it's science. I've loved doing therapy too, especially with adolescents and working with kids in schools. You should be excited for your child. The brain is the next frontier!</p>
<p>My S is a humanities major and is completing the pre-med sequence (for some unknown reason), none of this is permanent nor "binding" on the future. As a matter of fact, occupational sociologist Andrew Abbott has reported there is little correlation between college major and eventual occupation.</p>
<p>DUCKWOMAN - psych major - awesome major - prepares one for just about any and all professions - be happy he has identified something he wants - he will go far - trust in him - he will do ok :D</p>
<p>Will be interesting to see where he lands on his journey - the world will be his oyster as a psych major............... just follow his path - you may be very surprised :)</p>
<p>My d is taking pre-med requirements and going for a BS in Psychology with a minor in Anthropology. She has been pretty firm in this goal for a couple of years, so it may stick. There are literally hundreds of course choices in the department from the biopsychology to neuropsychology to child development...and so on. It's not a 'touchy-feely' degree; though we've had a time of it convincing my engineer husband otherwise. What comforts him and may help you is the fact that his brother got into Stanford Law School with a BS in Psychology from a state university.....rec'd big scholarship money and ended up as Editor of the Law Review to boot.</p>
<p>Our pediatrician earned his undergrad (and, I believe, his Master's) in political science before heading to med school. Your son may decide to enter psychiatry, which requires an MD -- putting all those science and math courses to good use. Kids are trying out different personas at this stage. Some are calculated to shock; others are along the lines of "is this who I am?" At least at a liberal arts school, one can switch majors if what he likes now doesn't fit later. If your son made TSI, chances are he'll get an excellent college education wherever he is, whatever he majors in.</p>