How to decide between two possible majors?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>So for the longest time, I've been struggling on deciding between two possible majors for college: physics or music therapy. </p>

<p>I love both of them very much. I currently volunteer at my local hospital with the music therapist there, and I love every part of it. In addition, I think it would be really cool to go and do some graduate work with it so I would be able to conduct research (I would most likely specialize in neuroscience). Not to mention, music has been a passion of mine since at least first grade (I'm currently a junior in high school). It is something I would enjoy doing for the rest of my life.</p>

<p>However, physics is also another thing that I find very fascinating. Of all the classes I've ever taken in school, math and science are by far my favorite, and physics has been my favorite science. I enjoy discovering how the universe works and why things happen. I've even read some books by Stephen Hawking and Brian Greene, and I find the topics in those books fascinating. I would enjoy doing work with physics as a career, and if I chose this as a major, I would eventually go on to do graduate work (most likely specializing in astronomical physics). </p>

<p>I want to choose both of these majors, but I know it would be completely impossible. Not only would a double major with these two things be impossible, but there's no way I would be able to use both degrees for careers if I were to devote my life to either one.</p>

<p>How should I go about deciding between the two? I'm completely stumped. Most of the colleges I'm looking at don't have both of these majors; it's usually one or the other, with the exception of one or two. So changing majors later wouldn't be an easy option as I would most likely have to change schools too with it. Any advice would be appreciated!</p>

2

<p>Have you made a list of pros and cons for each major?</p>

3

<p>The Physics major and degree will be more valuable to you. Music and music therapy are wonderful too of course, and if you can’t see yourself doing anything else than go for it, but frankly we need more science grads in the USA and the employment market will be a lot brighter for you. If you love doing both and have an aptitude for Physics, go for Physics.</p>

4

<p>I haven’t made a written “list” of the pros and cons (so to speak), but I have many times over gone through the pros and cons in my head of each one.</p>

5

<p>I’m very interested in double majoring as well (and plan to because it’s workable with my planned majors). I plan to do my undergrad (double majoring) and then go to grad school for whichever of my majors I ended up preferring. If this could work for you, I think it makes sense. However, I do think physics would be a valuable major and encourage that one if you have to choose (I might be biased since one of my intended majors is astrophysics).</p>