I have no idea what I want to major in or where I want to go to college?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am currently a senior in high school and despite extensive research and frequent visits with my school counselor, I just can't make a final decision on anything related to my future after high school. I've been reading various threads on CC for awhile, so hopefully you guys can help me out!</p>

<p>I'm mostly into the arts, mainly music. I also enjoy drawing, writing, and watching movies. I am very involved in the orchestra programs in my town/state, I've been playing piano and violin for about 11-12 years, and I'm into composing which is what I love most. I've been interested in film composing for a long time but since it's such a competitive field I feel like I should have a back-up major with music as my minor; problem is I have no idea what my major will be. My parents both have medical jobs but that's definitely not for me -- I did jobshadow an optometrist though and it didn't seem too bad. I have also considered a career in marketing/advertising, but the office life isn't attractive to me. In other words, I have no idea what's a good fit for me. I think I need a job with a little variation though, a little excitement.</p>

<p>My mom says I should go to CC for 2 years but I really do not want to do that. I really don't. I'm okay with staying in Oregon but not in the little city I'm in now, and I really want to have the traditional college experience. If possible I'd love to be in California but OOS tuition is a problem, and I have 2 younger siblings to think about. What I was thinking was to find a college that has a film school so that I might get a taste for film composing through working on student films, etc (maybe one of the UC or CSU schools). My dream school is USC but with my stats I highly doubt I could get in lol. </p>

<p>GPA: ~3.71 UW (will be higher by graduation but whatever)
SAT: 1840 (retaking in November)
Classes: AP/Honors except for 3 regular math classes
Clubs: National Honor Society, Key Club (Officer), Z Club
Sports: JV/Varsity Tennis
Activities: Piano and violin, Youth Symphony Orchestra, All-State Orchestra 2 times, violin tutor, Youth Volunteer Corps, church mission trips, placed in various music composition contests
Family income: $150,000+, not completely sure but they're not giving me a ton of aid</p>

<p>Sorry this is so long, I just can't seem to find any answers and I'd love to get in some early action applications. If you know anything I might be interested in career-wise or some colleges I should look into, that'd be great. Any advice would be lovely!</p>

2

<p>First, put your choice of major and eventual career to side for a moment. Many, many highschool students have no idea what they want to major in or what job they want after they complete their education. Only a few specific careers require that you make a decision when you apply – for example, engineering, architecture, nursing. </p>

<p>Most colleges allow you to enter their liberal arts program and to choose your major around the end of sophomore year. Your career path often develops slowly over time as you get interested in your major, have internships, make contacts along the way.</p>

<p>So, concentrate on finding the school, not the major.</p>

<p>Second, money is a big question the needs an immediate answer. Ask your parents to use a net price calculator to determine how much NEED based aid you might be eligible for. Once you have that figure, sit down and talk about how much they would be willing to contribute to your education. </p>

<p>If that works, for most private colleges, then good, you can have a wide list. If it doesn’t work, then you’re going to have to pursue MERIT aid. There are plenty of good colleges who would offer merit aid to someone with your credentials, but you have to do some extra work to find them.</p>

<p>After you have the money sorted out you can begin thinking about what kind of college you’d like: big/medium/small, rural/suburban/urban, political, artsy, sporty, geographic range, etc. You should focus on FIT, not major, because most likely your major will change again and again.</p>

<p>You say you’ve done extensive research and spent time with your counselor. What have you come up with so far? Just USC? Have you done any visiting? </p>

<p>It’s okay to have academic reaches as long as you have matches and safeties too. You just have to start with one or two that sound good, then you can build a balanced list of colleges/universities in the same general personality/environment as your top choices.</p>

<p>You have a good academic record and solid ECs. You will be a contender for many good colleges, but you do need to sort out the money first.</p>

3

<p>Chapman University and Loyola Marymount, both in the So Cal have well regarded film departments. They are good quality colleges where you have a shot at admissions. I don’t know if you would get any merit aid and they are expensive privates.</p>

4

<p>See, this is the advantage of going to a big state school. No matter what major you end up settling on, they’ll likely have a program in it, and it’ll likely be at least half-decent.</p>

5

<p>Thanks for all the information so far! I just filed the FAFSA today so I’ll see how that goes. My plan is to just apply for a few schools I’m interested in and see what kind of aid they offer.</p>

<p>I guess I should’ve mentioned that my safe school is the University of Oregon, which is a fine college but it doesn’t have a film school. Oregon is pretty lacking in film schools from what I’ve dug up. There’s Portland State, but I’m not interested in that school.</p>

<p>I would love to be able to visit schools in California but sadly I don’t have that opportunity. Also USC is one of the only California schools that has a representative who visits my high school. In the past I’ve looked into Fullerton, UCD, and CSULB, but I’ll have to check out the ones you suggested, BrownParent.</p>

6

<p>Wesleyan in Connecticut is good for film and music. It’s quite selective, but you may see some improvement on your scores.</p>

<p>Wherever you apply you should submit a music performance supplement. Your involvement in music will be a plus at most school even if you don’t intend to major in it.</p>

7

<p>*I guess I should’ve mentioned that my safe school is the University of Oregon, *</p>

<p>That can only be your safety school if your parents have said that they’ll pay all costs. Your mom has told you to go to a CC, so ask her if she’ll pay for Oregon.</p>

<p>How could you have filled out FAFSA? It’s not available yet for next year’s frosh class. Did your mom help you with the detailed info?</p>

8

<p>Like you, I’m a senior & I’m struggling with I want to be when I grow up. </p>

<p>you like music & the arts & like film and movies … well I like film and movies too but I am good in sports. but just because I like sports and movies that doesn’t mean I’m going to create films about sports or become a professional athlete. I was thinking about finding career where I could be happy and still follow my other hobbies… the funny part is that I’m really not sure if I’m looking for a career or a group of people that I can get along with and do fulfilling things with. the more I think about it, the more I’m realizing that I’m hoping to connect with good people and what ever the job is …the job part will work out fine, if the people are nice.
But since I’m still having trouble figuring that out, I’ve decided to go Engineering (I think of it as the new liberal arts) and I think it gives me a good platform to still do just about anything as I get older. I could still go into medicine or law or finance or business or teaching… or just get a job and begin working. If I got a degree in film I think I would be more limited. So my advice is to think of a solid major that allows you good flexibility once you figure out what you want to do…at least that’s my plan. Good luck…this is tougher than I thought. I envy the people that know what they want to be when they grow up.</p>

9

<p>@mom2collegekids - … Well this blows. It’s a good thing you asked how I could’ve filled out the FAFSA now because now I know I went to the wrong website. Trying to get a refund should be an adventure. Thank you mom2collegekids, and I am an idiot.</p>

<p>@PAYNE101 - It’s really great to know that someone is in the same boat as me! (Or maybe that’s not so great.) It sounds like you at least have a better idea than I have of what you want to do in the future. I guess the difference between us is that I’ve actually considered being the one to create movies/music extensively, but I do believe I could find a job where I could incorporate what I love and still make a livable salary… :wink: I’ll have to look into majoring in Engineering, it sounds interesting. Good luck to us both!
Believe me, I envy them just as much. Though I’ve heard that even those people may change their majors a couple times in college too.</p>

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<p>You do NOT have to pay to fill out the FAFSA…unethical websites like FAFSA.com mislead students into thinking they have to pay to file the forms. The FAFSA website is fafsa.ed.gov.</p>

<p>I don’t think you have to go to a college with a film school. Right now you are really unsure of what you want to do, and so you need to go somewhere with a range of majors and maybe some <em>resources</em> in film - like a really good and active student film club. You can do film as a hobby without majoring in it - unless you’re really serious about creating movies then there’s nothing wrong with just having it as a really intense hobby that you spend a lot of time on.</p>

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<p>Pillow, this really is brutal figuring all this out … for what its worth, I also figured that engineering could also be applied to music, art and film (If I really found that was my calling). but I still feel like a complete moron for not seeing my future. So the best we can do is try and enjoy the journey and do things along the way that make us stronger.</p>

<p>You’re not alone… I have a hunch that there are a lot us struggling.</p>

12

<p>UO has a cinema studies program that it offers through the school of arts and sciences.</p>

<p>Some other state schools offer film or media arts through the fine arts school.</p>

<p>Are you sure you need a full-on film school rather than one or both of these options?</p>

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<p>You aren’t as alone as you think. All the choices available to someone with your qualifications can be overwhelming. </p>

<p>It may help by crossing things off - or focusing on what you don’t want to do and where you don’t want to be. It sounds like you’ve done some of that - ruling out rural campuses and the medical feild. That’s progress! Another easy line to draw is campus size. </p>

<p>You know you’ve got to apply to Uof O and probably Oregon State. Great start so-far.</p>

<p>As Naval points out, Film is frequently tucked inside other departments - so you might need to dig a litttle deeper into their catalogs. </p>

<p>It sounds like you aren’t in a position to pay OOS tuition in California. That rules more than 20 campuses. Some CSUs, however, participate in a tuition discount program called WUE which will make tuition about $10.5k. Not cheap but, not absurd. Here’s a list:
[WICHE</a> - Student Exchange Programs](<a href=“http://wue.wiche.edu/search_results.jsp?searchType=all]WICHE”>http://wue.wiche.edu/search_results.jsp?searchType=all)</p>

<p>Apply to a few and see what that gets you. </p>

<p>You can apply to a dozen or more schools and figure it out after you’ve been accepted and understand the true cost of attending. </p>

<p>Lots will change in the next 6 months. You will be six months older, perhaps had a chance to visit several of the campuses. A few colleges will turn you down. It will get easier. </p>

<p>Good luck.</p>