He actually did provide a brief explanation along those lines (hence the mature manner comments) and then was a bit more specific with the school that wanted 4 years of HS math.
They’re all saying on their own words that it doesn’t matter. The 4-year one is saying 'it’s okay as long as he’s keeping his grades in the other subjects '. Well-done.
@MYOS1634 that was my interpretation as well and thankfully I’ve no worries about the strong finish now.
This simply is not the case, and comes from a very narrow view of what one can do with an undergraduate major. Both my kids were poli sci majors, both initially had jobs related to their majors, neither went into law. As a lawyer myself, I understand that viewpoint --it is probably the world view I had back in the day when I was applying to law school … but that really doesn’t reflect the real universe of employment opportunities out there.
My kids have both gone on to get advanced degrees but neither needed the advanced degree for employment-- but both were in the workforce for several years between undergrad & starting grad school, and my poli-sci major daughter actually still works for the same company as she did before starting grad school. (She worked full time and attended grad school at night, and over the course of 3 year got herself promoted past the level that she thought she needed the grad degree to attain. )
I’m going to send you a PM outlining my son’s career path in more detail.
I was a Poli Sci major. And while it did not hold me back, per-se, it also definitely did not provide a direct career path. Which is ok. I’ve done well, albeit not remotely any kind of direct path. My large state school didn’t provide any guidance, but nor did I seek any. Internships were not paid, so not an option. I personally do not think it is as easy to find jobs with more of a general liberal arts degree than with something that has a more linear path. It doesn’t mean it’s not possible, of course it is. Conversely, for law school, I actually think there is far more freedom for undergrad.
What I see today is a higher and higher reliance on specialists, not generalists. I see it who we hire at my last 2 major companies, and to this day in the types of opportunities offered/available to me. I’ve done quite well with that degree, forging a career in business development and marketing. But. I could leverage it better, even today, despite a successful career, if that degree was in marketing directly or better yet if I had an advanced degree. It’s not an impossible path, it just may be a harder one. And that’s ok too. My point only was that I am not sure I am willing to pay up to or over the budget for a school that is a “general” great fit, versus spending that extra money for the value of a specific programs strength.
Not that he can’t study poli sci, I just am not sure I see the point of paying twice as much to do so.
But the point is, most undergraduate majors don’t provide a direct career path. The ones that do often have a very focused course of study tied to some sort of outside system of examination and accreditation. (Engineering, accounting, nursing, etc.)
A college education and job training are two different things. They may overlap, but the goals are different.
The problem with the rationale about paying more for a focused, career-oriented major is that students often change their mind. You have a son who you have said is ADHD, which increases the likelihood that he will decide at some point that he’d rather be doing something else --he’s not the type of student to have a lot of patience if the course of instruction turns out to not be what he anticipated or if there are a bunch of courses or requirements he is expected to meet that he decides are not meaningful or relevant to him.
You need to make financial decisions on what you can afford to pay–but it is a false economy to decide that a degree in X is worth more than a degree in Y, because you have no guarantee at all that your son is going to complete that X degree. Is he going to be in a position where he can simply talk to an advisor and change majors? And will the courses he has completed transfer to that alternative major?
If your son was dead-set on a particular career it might be different. (For one thing, you’d at least know he was motivated to stick to it). But your posts suggest that he isn’t really sure what he wants to do, but probably something to do with the environment. So right now you’ve just gone through the angst of a high school senior wanting to drop calculus - do you want to set yourself up for another angst-ridden decision a year down the line if he decides that the career-focused major he signed up for isn’t for him…and quitting the major effectively means he has to transfer to another school?
That assumes I’d make him switch schools if he changes majors which is not at all the case. What I said was that I will need to decide, if in fact a certain school is is top pick, if that is worth paying twice as much for, knowing that is a risk. It is a reasonable financial consideration among many factors, but having that as a consideration does not mean that should such an event happen there would be angst or I would make him change schools.
I changed majors and I want him to study what he wishes to, we deliberately chose schools that would have plenty of options. That said, ADHD has zero relationship, in my mind, with this particular child in relationship to whether he changes a major or not (or goes in undecided). Once this kid decides what he wants, he is relentless. Single minded and driven to success. I also completely disagree about the assumption of ADHD and one course challenge = a lack patience or willingness to take courses of lesser interest simply because they are requirements. He’s slogged through plenty of classes that were not interesting but he saw the long term benefit, or a requirement he had to do. Calc was not a requirement in any way shape or form. Huge difference. No matter where he goes, or any student goes, there will be classes that are less interesting and are required. Everyone wants to minimize that.
What I do know is that the school that is half as expensive is also last on his list so in some ways it is a moot point. I do not know that this particular school will be his top choice once all is said and done. He has others that may we ll be a better fit that are less expensive. Once all visits are in we will weigh all options and go from there.