<p>My dad thinks i'm going into Pharmacy at Usciences. I want to go to a more prestigious college. They said no to living on campus so i cant live far from home but I really love Carnegie Mellon from the first time I saw it. My dad made me apply to all the local colleges, and the thing is I didn't work so hard in school and for my sats to go to a less prestigious college. My dad thinks I'm not applying anywhere else besides the ones he listed. My dad checks all my majors before I apply to make sure I pick to his liking which is either chemical engineer or pharmacy. I have my acceptance letter to usci but I kept it from my dad because all we will do is argue and i will lose privileges when I argue and my parents will be mean and shout when I say I don't want to go there. My siblings know I got admitted and they've been really mean too and they keep threatening to tell my parents but I don't want to argue all the way up to may and lose privileges. I'm afraid they'll force my hand to sign the admittance paper or disown me or something but I don't want to go there. I want to study earth and science or physics and I don't want to worry about job availability for the time being. It's going to be my freshman year, I just want to explore my options and I can always change my major, where it be in the science department or not. They don't understand that. I don't know what to do.</p>
<p>Physics is a really versatile degree, and to a certain point your major doesn’t really matter unless you are going to do grad school in academia or some research, so maybe try to find evidence for this so your Dad doesn’t make you do Chemical Engineering or Pharmacy.</p>
<p>It isn’t unusual for parents to insist on a state school because of cost… you are lucky that they are paying at all. A “more prestigious” college is likely also more expensive. Sorry you won’t be able to live on campus, though, and about the pressure to major in what your dad wants you to. Not sure what to say about that… if you have choices between schools (that you can commute to), try to pick one with earth science and physics offered as majors. You may be able to take courses freshman year that could apply to either a major your dad wants or one of those majors, and put off the argument a bit longer with him. Maybe he will soften up… or maybe it will become clear that your grades are not good in the courses required for one of the majors he wants you to pursue.</p>
<p>If you want to explore other majors, why not join chem eng or pharmacy and explore other majors during freshman year and change to the major that you like. After taking a few physics or earth science classes, you may find that you may not like them.</p>
<p>If your parents are going to be financially supporting you and paying for your college education, then they do get a say in where you attend and what you major in. Sorry–I know that seems unfair, but that is the reality.</p>
<p>If you want to control where you go to college, you need to become financially independent. Apply to schools that will give you either a full ride or at least a full-tuition scholarship, and then you can take out loans, apply for outside scholarships, and work to pay for your books, housing, food, etc. I noticed in another post that you are in JROTC–that is also another source of income to help off-set your costs. </p>
<p>Your parents might be more supportive if they understand you are willing to give up their financial assistance to pursue your dreams. </p>
<p>I hope things work out for you. </p>
<p>@doresearch, I doubt Junior ROTC will help with college. Now, ROTC might if there were time left to apply for scholarships, which I don’t think there is. </p>
<p>Try to look on the bright side. Your parents are able to send you to college. If the college your parents have chosen has a liberal credit by exam policy, apply all type AP credits and fill in CLEP exams to fill in gaps to make it easier to do a double major in chemical engineering and physics. </p>
<p>@albert69–You are correct. It is ROTC that will help with college. I should have made the distinction, and should not have assumed that JROTC to ROTC might be a natural progression. </p>
<p>The OP does have the option to take a gap year which will allow them to work, save money and apply for any scholarships that they have missed this year. </p>
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Why does he want you to pursue one of these majors in particular? Would an undergraduate degree in pharmaceutical sciences actually be more lucrative than a degree in physics? Either way you have to go to pharmacy school if you want to be a pharmacist.</p>