<p>I know, I know, I've been making a lot of topics here recently. D:</p>
<p>I'm going through the "every choice I'm making is wrong" phase of major-deciding. >:[</p>
<p>How am I supposed to know what I want to do for the rest of my life? I can't even decide what I'm going to eat for breakfast in the morning.</p>
<p>I've always said something business, because it seems like a safe-ish (nothing is safe, I know that) degree. Then, I went to Psychology, but, to really have a career in that, don't you need to go on to get a masters or even PhD? I can't afford to do that.</p>
<p>I've always had interest in interior design, but I'm not sure I could make a living off of that, I think it's more of a hobby.</p>
<p>Now, I'm on to art history. I love learning about it, but haven't had many opportunities to do so. It is a completely risky degree because there are only so many things (and they are completely numbered) that you can do with a Art History degree tacked to your shoulder.</p>
<p>So... thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions? Ideas? How can I go about deciding what is right for me?</p>
<p>Thank you very much, you guys, for any help that you could give! (:</p>
<p>If you need any information, just let me know! (:</p>
<p>College majors rarely lead neatly to a career. With the exception of very focused preprofessional majors (like engineering and nursing) and jobs that require specific skills (lab technicians, programmers, etc.) most jobs are open as far as major goes because the majority of your classes in undergrad will actually be outside of your major. For example, management consulting firms hire English majors just like they hire business majors.</p>
<p>That said, you should combine practicality with your interests. Don’t settle on business because it sounds safe-ish; select a major based upon the skills you want to learn and what you’re interested in. Your entire career will not be decided by the major you select at age 19, so relax. Take classes in the departments that interest you and decide from there. Which classes capture your interest? What do you enjoy learning? What classes don’t you groan when you have to go to them?</p>
<p>Since I was a psychology major (and am now a psychology grad student) I can comment on that. Psychology can be an excellent major for people with business aspirations because you learn how people make decisions, how they think independently, and how they work in groups. That means with a little extension you can apply that knowledge to why people buy things (and how to get them to buy things), how people work in groups (and thus how to make them work more efficiently and productively in groups), and how people think about things and make decisions (and thus how they decide to go to your university, work for your company, buy your company’s products, etc.) You also learn how to write and do research, and if you focus you learn statistics - all valuable skills for an employee.</p>
<p>It’s not true that you can only find a job as a psychology major if you get a graduate degree. That’s only true if you want to find work as a psychologist - that is, as a counselor or therapist, or a psychological researcher. But many psychology BA or BS holders go on to work for pharmaceutical companies, Wall Street firms (especially consulting), think tanks, and market research operations. Many business also hire in-house psychologists to write their company surveys and direct hiring and human resources. Sometimes you do have to have a master’s degree (either an MBA or a specialized degree in industrial/organizational psychology) but don’t assume you can’t afford it; sometimes employers will pay for it. Few people pay for master’s degrees out of pocket anyway; you will have to borrow money, but the payoff may be worth it. In addition, you usually don’t have to pay for a PhD in psychology if you choose to go that route.</p>
<p>So what do you like to do? Do you like numbers? Do you like to write? Do you like to read? Do you want to work with people or does more solitary work appeal to you? what do you like to read about? Think about the answers to these questions and keep an open mind; take interesting classes as they come along, but take classes that will also satisfy your general education requirements should you decide not to major in that field.</p>
<p>Thank you very, very much for your input Juillet! You’ve been quite helpful! (:</p>
<p>After considering what you said, especially the questions at the end of your post, and the fact that I dropped Psychology class today in the hopes of having more time to work on Spanish 2 and (hopefully) pass it, I am going to do away with the Psychology possibility.</p>
<p>It’s a subject I’d like to learn more about, but I don’t think I would enjoy it tremendously. Plus, I went into the idea thinking of becoming a psychologist, not really anything else.</p>
<p>I think interior design might be out. BSC (State University of New York College at Buffalo) only has about a 50% acceptance rate, if that. D: I’m still going to apply, but I’m not getting my hopes up.</p>
<p>But, it does ease my mind a bit to be down to two-ish possibilities. I can’t really do a whole lot with an Art History degree, but it is what I would love to learn about and are the classes I would enjoy going to.</p>
<p>I still think I will probably come around to a business major again. I’m not necessarily in love with it, but I wouldn’t hate it either. I’ve got different kinds for each school in mind, including management, administration, and entrepreneurship.</p>
<p>Honestly, the whole thing gives me a headache to think about. D:</p>
<p>You seem to have artistic interests, without really being committed to being a practicing artist. You might consider a career in arts administration. These people manage the business end of, e.g., museums, symphonies, concert venues, etc. They generally have a combination of arts and business experience and background.</p>
<p>The majority of us don’t know at 18-19. I wound up in a job field that didn’t exist when I was that age. My field required understanding in a subject I was lousy in, in school- but did understand as an adult.
You don’t choose a career now. You choose a direction. Business vs science vs liberal arts vs arts, etc. Each starts you on a path. You can take the first business or art history classes in college- and go try others.</p>
<p>Jingle - Actually, that’s a great idea and something I never thought of! Unfortunately, the schools I am applying to (and the one I was accepted in to) do not offer anything like that. So, if I did decide to do something like Art Administration, I would have to look into designing my own major/degree.</p>
<p>LookingForward - Yup, I know. (: It is just that, for some directions you can choose while in college, they only lead to so many careers. D:</p>
<p>Arts Administration programs are actually rare, though there are a few here and there (UVA, where I teach, is just starting one up). People who do arts administration as a career generally have either an arts major plus some business background, OR are business majors with a serious interest/knowledge of the arts, whether or not they’ve pursued that interest academically. The salaries are not high compared to what you can make with similar skills in the corporate world–most arts organizations are nonprofits–but for the people that do it, the personal rewards make the career satisfying. </p>
<p>In short, it’s not a major so much as a possible career direction for you to consider.</p>
<p>It’s true that sometimes if you start in one program, you’re on a track. However, you are usually still able to take those other classes. </p>
<p>My point is: very, very few of us knew at 19 what out careers would be. I worked in business next to people with degrees in classics, art history, psychology, engineering, business, you-name-it. Everything from Harvard to comm colleges to no degree.</p>
<p>When you graduate, what makes you hireable? Yes, in some fields, as Juillet says, you need certain requisites. A business major may not seem likely to get a museum job. Aah, but a biz major who also took a number of art classes, had an internship at a museum (even in the business office,) etc, has a better chance. Likewise, an art history major can end up in business. It’s all about the person you become over those 4 years.</p>
<p>Jingle - So going with something like I’ve considered before - Business (management, administration, etc.) major and art history minor - could work in my favor should I ever decide that I want to look into a job in the art administration field?</p>
<p>LookingForward - Point taken. But, for me, it’s not so much the specific job my degree will lead me to, but the options. All I know is what I want to get from life and that I need a degree that will afford me that.</p>
<p>All I know is what I want to get from life and that I need a degree that will afford me that. </p>
<p>I gather you want the income, freedom, pride, etc- and don’t quite know yet what this job area will be. That’s ok. But, a degree in X only tells a prospective boss what you studied. A biz major can be combined with classes in the arts, sciences, languages, etc- and serve you well. Understand that your competition will include kids who started their actual resumes in college- got internships, research assistantships, good summer jobs, etc. There are no slam-dunks.</p>
<p>LookingForward - I don’t necessarily want income (meaning a lot of it, to be rich), or even pride, I just want to be able to live without the worry of how I am going to pay the next bill or put food on the table, especially when I have a family.</p>
<p>I think combining some business administration courses with an arts major or minor that you really enjoy is a good blend of the practical and the pleasurable. Colleges have career counseling centers that can point you toward summer jobs and internships, and make you aware of career paths that you might not have considered. You don’t need to wait until the second semester of your senior year in college to go over there.</p>
<p>Chemistry. Every other field has applications from chemistry. Economics? Finance? Stock prices are modeled by Brownian motion - that’s statistical mechanics. Law enforcement? Drug analysis. Biotech? Obvious, more chemists work in biotech than biologists. Dancing? Chemistry labs increase coordination and reduce clumsiness. Art? Where do you think the paint comes from? As you can see, chemistry can do anything, just major in chemistry if you’re not sure what you want to do.</p>
<p>Spend time thinking about what interests you, how you want your life to be, what kind of environment you excel in (are you better working on your own vs a team? do you like the stability of a 9-5, or would you rather make your own schedule? etc) Don’t worry so much about how likely you are to get a job. I know that sounds ridiculous, especially right now, but you’d be surprised how many people major in something they think is a long shot and end up becoming very successful. It’s all about networking and being awesome at what you do. If you like art and you’re talented in that field then look into all the options that stem from that (art therapy, marketing, advertising, interior design, graphic design, web design, museum curator, art director for a magazine/website/book company etc, there are tons of options out there!)</p>
<p>Redbug119 - It looks like a great program, but, unfortunately, it would cost at least twice as much to go to MCAD as it would to go to BGSU or EMU. I just can’t afford it. ):</p>
<p>LastThreeYears - Quite an interesting paragraph. However, I am not smart enough whatsoever for that, nor am I interested in the field. Thanks though. (:</p>
<p>ShibbyChic - Yup, I’ve thought about all of these things quite a bit. That’s exactly why I’ve ended up at the conclusion that I don’t want to take a long shot, but I don’t necessarily want to play it completely safe either. Like I said, I don’t need to make a ton of money, just enough to be comfortable.</p>
<p>I’m interested in interior design, but have little experience in it aside from a couple of classes in high school and I was apart of a team that redesigned and decorated a classroom in a previous high school of mine. My personal design was not chosen for the room, but I helped with the one that was.</p>
<p>I think I am going to play it safe-ish with a business major and then go for a minor in art history to have it. It is something I’m interested in, but it won’t be my main focus in school.</p>
However, I am not smart enough whatsoever for that, nor am I interested in the field. Thanks though. (:</p>