<p>I'm going to a private (and very expensive) liberal arts college in the Northeast. Because of the price, I've been avoiding majoring in what my "true passions" are (God, can that sound any more cheesy?)</p>
<p>I was going to DM in Business Management and Economics, but I realized I hate numbers, and I actually wanted to shove the economics textbooks down my throat in HS. I was just going for it because of the potential money/job factor. After I realised I would probably suck at this, I switched into Nursing, because it seems cool. However, I hate people. Well, not hate, but I think I wouldn't be a good nurse because people annoy me easily lol. Dealing with sick people? Eh. Plus, I'm terrible at math, and I need to take a ton of chemistry and math classes at my school. I'm not even guaranteed a spot in the nursing program because I didn't apply to the nursing program, just to the school. If I went through with it, I'd have to apply internally to the nursing program and hope that I get accepted. Also, I have a lot of back problems from car accidents and falls, and I heard you have to lift a lot of weight and stuff like that being a nurse. If my back hurts now at 18 doing simple stuff, I don't want to see myself at 30 after doing the hard work that nurses do.</p>
<p>If I could have my way, I'd major in Art, History, Political Science, or Women Studies. Those were my best subjects all throughout my education, apart from Women Studies, which I just find interesting. I just can't bring myself to waste that much money on a "useless degree" (no offence)</p>
<p>Idk what to do. A part of me is just thinking I might as well not go to college if I'm gonna suck at everything except what will leave me unemployed.</p>
<p>Liberal arts majors can be useful if you know how to apply them (depending on what careers you’re interested in - you might not make a ton of money but you’d have a good chance of getting a teaching or government job with one of those majors, and those are just things I can think of off the top of my head), so I’d recommend going for what you’re interested in because that will lead you to be more successful in school. </p>
<p>The problem with majoring in something you hate is it’s going to lead you into a career field you hate, so even if it sets you on a harder path in some ways, majoring in something you care about is more likely to get you a job you enjoy, regardless of whether or not you make a ton of money. </p>
<p>Another thing to consider is double majoring in something you love and something more “practical.” That way you can spend a lot of time on something you’re passionate about but also feel confident that you’re making a good investment in your future. Maybe spending time on those econ courses you’re not crazy about would be more bearable if you were spending the rest of your time working on art, or whatever else you wanted to pursue. A lot of people do this as a sort of compromise and it seems to work out well for them most of the time.</p>
<p>If you want money for sure I don’t think going the liberal arts route in most cases is going to give that to you. </p>
<p>My girlfriend has a 3.8 GPA and a very real chance of getting shut out of graduate school for Psychology because of her super abysmal GRE scores…not liberal arts but up there with the uselessness of the degree without a PhD. Her backup plan is to work at Little Cesar’s with her brother as a pizza genius for a year before reapplying. She also majored in Art. Girlfriend is also at a private liberal expensive arts college…about 40K in debt.</p>
<p>Still…get out and find something you’re interested in that will give you an ROI. If you can rough it out in some type of business major and major in something else that you enjoy, like polisci, I think you would do okay. </p>
<p>It sucks that the competition I think for jobs that require liberal arts degrees is hyper-competitive. A friend of mine from Berry College with a high GPA in Art & Education got rejected from all graduate schools and while searching for a real job she is stuck on the couch watching Lost Girls on Netflix this summer. She’s not happy and she’s worked 3-4 jobs every year in college to support herself in college…she’s still saddled 30,000 in loans. </p>
<p>Double major. I think that’s the way to go. Do something practical and something you like 'cause you don’t want to put all of your eggs in one basket.</p>
<p>I was thinking of going back to try and DM in Comm and Business Management, and then see if I could minor in something in the liberal arts field. But idk if that’s gonna give me any job prospects?</p>
<p>Excuse the DP, but I would also kind of feel like an idiot if I go back to my advisor and tell her to switch me back… Is that a dumb feeling? I’m pretty sure people change majors all the time. I just don’t want to start the year wasting all that money on textbooks and labcoats and whatever, and then switch to another major.</p>
<p>I know what you’re going through. I’m a junior and it took me two full years to find my niche in school/career. Like you, I jumped around a lot and I was also so close to sticking to Econ. However, I just didn’t LOVE it. It didn’t come to me naturally, nor did I even care to talk about it whatsoever. I simply lacked passion for the field. Then I transferred to another uni, thinking I found my passion in film/communication, got super involved: two internships, clubs, took multiple courses. Guess what? I HATED it! I hated the idea of working in the entertainment industry after I got involved. My internship experiences did nothing but make me realize this was not a fit for me. Goodbye film career!</p>
<p>It wasn’t until last semester, which was when I took my first Psychology class and fell in love with it. For the first time in school, I felt I could really study, understand and further pursue a degree in it (and make a career out of it). It also didn’t hurt I was volunteering at a hospital as well, which was when I realized I could really see myself in a clinical or academic/research setting for psychology.</p>
<p>It really does take time to find what you like. It may be in something like “Women’s Studies,” but it’s ultimately what you make of your experience and resources. I know plenty of Psychology students who have retail jobs, but I also know a good friend of mine who majored in “East Asian Studies” at UPenn and ended up as an analyst in the city straight out of undergrad. Do what you like. If you feel like you’re lacking skills, look into taking a few courses in C++, math, etc…something “practical.” It wont hurt to add a minor, but major in something you can learn from and enjoy. If you’re bright enough, you’ll find your way around in life. For instance, because I plan to get my PhD in Psychology and hopefully practice OR research, I’ve decided to minor in math/statistics. I know this will come in handy for graduate programs as well.</p>
<p>People can say some scary things, no doubt about it. But ignore them. They’re ignorant. Just do what feels right, get involved, and you will find your way. You might even be surprised too! Good luck.</p>
<p>You should talk to an academic advisor to help you decide, but my advise is that it will do you no good to major in something you hate or aren’t good at just because its “in demand” and then look forward to spending the rest of your life in a job you hate or don’t do well.</p>
<p>I have a similar problem. Social Studies were always my strong suit and passion. So what Im doing is double-majoring - and in so doing opening up my potential opportunities later on a great deal while still pursuing what I love. Art History was my top choice, and my second major, potentially more “useful” later on, is another Social Studies subject: Global Affairs. Luckily, my college is near Washington DC so I may be able to do some internship or networking in this field.</p>
<p>Good luck - but I’d say do what you love and double your major, rather than taking one you don’t like, to increase your potential opportunities in the future.</p>