Lost Ag Major...Advice GREATLY Appreciated

College Majors
1

First time posting on any forum ever! Bear with me…

I am a Junior majoring in Animal Sciences. I started with the pre-vet option but have recently come to realize vet school isn’t for me. I’m now trying to decide whether to stay in Animal Science but take a different track, or switch majors completely. Any insight would be appreciated regarding the following possibilities…

  1. Pursue a BS in Animal Science production & management (would be the 'easiest' option because I am already at least halfway through my course work, but need more info on possible jobs in the industry) 2.Switch to Ag Communications (I have always been skilled at writing, and I hear Ag Comm is a growing field)
  2. Double-Major in #1 and #2
  3. Major in Animal Science but add an Entomology minor (this seems like a unique and interesting option...but are there good jobs in Entomology? In pest control, research etc? I mean we'll always have to live with bugs, right?)
  4. Get out of Agriculture completely and switch to Forestry/Wildlife. Sometimes I wonder if this was my true calling because I've always loved the outdoors and wild animals, whereas Animal Science is 90% about food animals. However from what I've heard there is less job security in Wildlife than in Agriculture, and I would like a job....

A few more things about me:

-I feel like I’d prefer a job that allows more “hands-on”/ outdoors work to sitting at a desk all day, but I am flexible
-I am certainly not opposed to grad school, but I’d rather get some ‘real world’ working experience first. Or maybe join the Peace Corps or something like that to take a break from school and broaden my horizons
-I know some of the options above would require me to stay in undergrad more than 4 years. I AM NOT OPPOSED to staying in school an extra few semesters!!! And neither are my benefactors.

I would love information/advice/ perspectives on any or all of these ideas. I’ve been talking to faculty at my university but figured there’d be no harm in outside opinions. I feel like I’m having a quarter-life crisis!

2

I too have been reading that agriculture is an up and coming field with great job opportunities. This is JMHO but I would suggest choosing whichever Ag major can have you finishing “on time” or earliest. I don’t think in this particular field the details of the exact major are worth additional cost and time finishing an undergrad degree. Then you can get work experience in whatever you choose and if you decide to go to grad school you will have a solid undergrad Agriculture degree to bring to the table.

3

I think any of your choices 1-4 look good. There are a lot of good jobs out there. My son is Animal Science pre-vet and has looked at options (he has the opposite and really feels that so far it has made him want vet school even more). If there is any hesitation then definitely find something else. Vet school should only be for those that really don’t see themselves doing anything else! I commend you for figuring out that it isn’t for you. There are a lot of good ag jobs out there. I would go with lowest cost highest return.