My dad doesn't support (and won't pay) for my major.

College Majors
1

<p>I'm going to enter College come next fall, and ever since I was six, I've been certain my passion is in International Relations. I can say hello in 26 languages, I can point out all the 195 nations on a map, I watch NHK, BBC, and al-Jazeera every day.</p>

<p>I'm that hardcore, and my teachers already see me as the future UN Secretary General, but Sec Gen of my HS's Model UN will suffice.</p>

<p>Anyhow, I'm going to a relatively good public 4-year; the largest in the state. If I get in, I will have had the highest eduation of my brother and parents.</p>

<p>Here's the deal. My dad doesn't believe IR pays or has job openings- which in some ways is true, but in others, has been rebuked thanks to globalism.</p>

<p>My parents graduated from Comm College, my mom only partial, my dad an Assoc Degree. He attended the school I'm applying for a few months, but left (never told me why).</p>

<p>My dad is a stingy immigrant dad. He demands I have an alternative, which I do; environmental policy. As Environmental Club president and adopter of a 40-acre park, that doesn't require any more proof.</p>

<p>Again, that major does not satisfy.</p>

<p>He threatens to loan and not pay for my college tuition. We're not in economic trouble, but he has tried to make me abandon my childhood passions for medicine or business- fields I do horrid in and have the most sincere apathy.</p>

<p>My mom, who didn't get a degree always tells me to pursue my passion, and knows I'll succeed. She came from a war-torn nation and smiles at every accomplishment I make. Shes an optimist, and promised me as an elemantary student to pay for my school even if she has to work three jobs.</p>

<p>My dad reminds me every few days to find a better major and major in Business like him. He always says that there are no jobs for me (which did make me even check Monster, and had I been 18, create an account). I can only predict that when I enter college, the arguments will get heated. And if I don't maintain a B average in college, he'll cut off funding. He doesn't want me to get a job now though, and wants me to constantly 'study', something he never did. I've done internships and scholarships in lieu.</p>

<p>My brother failed most of his HS, and goes to a Comm College. However, he's majoring in aerospace engineering; a 'promising field'. Although his GPA was around 2.9 (mine is roughly 3.65), he still gets all the support, perks, and freedom.</p>

<p>It kinda ****es me off that my dad who didn't succeed is always mocking my pursuits. Am I overreacting? Have any of you pursued passions your parents were vehemently against?</p>

<p>Should I really abandon my passion for what my dad says and accept reality? Or should I excel and find my own future?</p>

2

<p>Try to double major in something like Economics, to go with IR. IR is generally a useless degree, but if you combine it with a business-like major, and go to grad school, you should be good.</p>

3

<p>Agree with pandem that an undergrad degree in IR/IA as a whole doesn’t hold much chance of a good job unless you’re extremely bright and pass the State Dept FSO Exam or join the Peace Corps. However, that also depends on where you go to college and any internship connections you make while in college. e.g. going to Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign service and doing Internships gives you a lot better chance at a decent job than “State U” IR/IA degree.</p>

<p>Most students I’ve known and counseled on IR/IA undergrad degrees is to double major - like pandem suggested economics.</p>

<p>A Grad Degree is strongly recommended at some point in the IR/IA field to get a decent job and actually beecome an “expert” at something in the field. Brookings won’t even look at you unless you have a Master’s in IR.</p>

<p>Reagrds</p>

<p>CJ</p>

4

<p>An IR/IA job is pretty interdisciplinary and you can market it a lot of ways, especially if you get good internship or work experience while you’re studying. Lots of government and defense agencies are interested in IR/IA majors, especially if they speak a foreign language and/or have regional expertise. Contractors are also looking for many of the same skills. </p>

<p>While you often do reach a point where you need a master’s degree in IR/IA to advance further in your career, there are definitely entry level IR jobs available. Think Tanks do hire employees with just a bachelors degree, though the jobs are primarily entry level. However, it can be good experience and you can make some great contacts when you decide to move on to another job or go back to grad school. Many government agencies and NGOs also have entry level jobs available for people with just bachelor’s degrees. So, you could likely find employment with just a bachelors degree. </p>

<p>You might reach out to the IR departments at the schools that you’re interested in and see if they have any employment stats about what their grads are doing a year, five years, ten years after graduation. Alternatively, ask to speak with alums from the program and talk to them about their career path and how well their degree prepared them.</p>

5

<p>I don’t know if you’re not trying to talk about the particular program, but the program you’re interested in is pretty amazing. If your Father won’t pay for it unless you do something business related, then I’d do what was already suggested and take a double in Economics or perhaps a double in Business, but remember that your chosen school requires you to take 5 years to graduate with a double if it’s between hugely different programs. So you’d have a 5 year program leading to two bachelors in Marketing and International Studies.</p>

<p>Here’s another option. I have a friend, who again goes to the same school I go to that you intent to go to, who had the exact same situation with her father. She’s an all-American girl whose parents came here from Nigeria and so, naturally, she wanted to major in sociology and save the world while Dad wanted her to do something else. What did she do? She is doing a pre-med track while majoring in Sociology. I mean, you could do a similar thing if you have an interest in International Studies and also in science/medicine. I mean think about it, you could become a doctor and work internationally in a “Doctors without Borders” situation and have the best of both worlds. That would actually be pretty awesome.</p>

6

<p>You could do an Econ doubled with International Relations in 4 years though. It’s just business that would be 2 degrees in 5 years.</p>

7

<p>Thanks for the tips everyone.</p>

<p>What I have planned is to major in IR and minor in Environmental Sciences at a 4-yr, then continue for my Masters at a IR school (Monterrey Institute caught my eye). </p>

<p>Depending on my college performance, I might end up doubling major and relying on international environmental sciences as my field of pursuit.</p>

<p>In case I really need to find an alternative, it would most likely be law- comparative law or general studies and whatnot. I can’t really stand economics, so I’d choose law over an econ/business backup.</p>

<p>Whatever I do, I most certainly will not give up IR; I’m just too passionate.</p>

<p>Any comments? Your input is greatly appreciated (and to the above as well).</p>

8

<p>

Economics is an essential part of IR. If you can’t stand a minor’s worth of economics courses, you may not like IR at all. </p>

<p>I agree with your dad that it wouldn’t hurt to have an employable backup major (no, general studies or comparative law do not count). I went to a liberal arts college and 4 months after graduation, most of my classmates were either unemployed, underemployed (think serving coffee at Starbucks) or in graduate school. Retrospectively, many would have chosen a different path if they could start over.</p>

<p>I am not telling you to abandon IR; just be realistic about your prospects and create a backup plan if there’s a real chance that you’ll need one. </p>

<p>

That’s very reasonable. If you are not maintaining a B average, you are not making good use of the opportunities provided to you and you are hurting your own career (a sub-B average is a red flag to employers and grad schools alike).</p>

9

<p>My scholarships require a B average too.</p>