Non-supportive Parents!!

<p>I think you should major in what you love. I realize this may be changing, but college in the US was not originally intended to be vocational. It was supposed to be 4 years in which you could pursue interests and broaden yourself in many ways. With prices high and loans burdensome, there is good reason for the change, but it is still true that careers and majors do NOT have to match.</p>

<p>Definitely keep doing internships and building connections.</p>

<p>I would suggest a third party to mediate this between you and your parents, perhaps one who is sensitive to their culture and to your desires as well. Don’t know if this would be a teacher (film teacher?), a guidance counselor or even a brief couple of visits with a therapist.</p>

<p>I have a kid who majored in music. This comes up on the music forum all the time- parents upset about their children majoring in music and at the very least wanting a back up. But often that back up detracts from the music, honestly. My kid is going to do fine with job opportunities in or outside of music, but she did do internships for a few years in college.</p>

<p>As far as double majors go, CS in an non-engineering division is likely to be easier to double with film than CS in an engineering division or engineering. Although, as noted above, a single major with film courses as breadth electives may be more easily doable.</p>

<p>Also, as noted above, the career path into the film industry often involves a gauntlet of unpaid internships that serve as another weeding process before you can get into a paid job in the industry. Unless your parents would be able to support your living while doing unpaid internships (looks extremely unlikely), you may find the front door to the industry closed before you can even begin. Of course, you could always make films and videos on your own, but then you need to self-fund the production, and only a few make it big enough to make a living for the producers (consider how many videos there are on YouTube). Realistically, film majors need to consider other career paths at graduation (basically like other majors which do not have specific career paths with good career prospects).</p>

<p>If you have enough interest and ability in CS or engineering to do well in such a subject, you may want to look into using that as a back door into the film industry, with backup options in other CS or engineering jobs, may be more workable. However, this may not be a good idea if you do not have enough interest and ability in CS or engineering to be successful at such a subject.</p>

<p>I agree with ucbalumnus ,</p>

<p>Film + computer science. Special effects require computer skills. It may be really helpful to have second major in CS for your future work in Hollywood.</p>

<p>Where did we all get the idea that OP has any interest in computer science? It’s possible I missed it.</p>

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<p>The OP never mentioned it, but he stated that he would be disowned if he did not major in engineering or something else parentally-approved. CS comes up because (1) it can be applied to film (computer animation and the like), (2) it is likely to pass the parental approval test, and (3) it can help with backup career options or possible back doors into the film industry (which otherwise is very difficult to get into). Of course, that depends on the OP having enough interest and ability in it to successfully complete a CS major along with film courses or second major.</p>

<p>I was thinking about CS actually and I think that’s the closest thing I can get if want to keep my dreams. I talked to my parents. They like the idea of double majoring. Thank you guys for everything!</p>

<p>Since I was the first one to suggest the combined SC/ Film program of study I’d like to say you’re welcome! DO let your parents know that double majoring CAN take longer than 4 years, so look CAREFULLY and compare the class requirements and overall graduation requirements at different U’s. Some computer science programs are part of the engineering program, some stand alone. The same level of knowledge in CS at one college might be achieved by fewer classes - a la a minor- at another college.</p>

<p>Take a look at UNM’s interdisciplinary film and digital arts program</p>

<p>[The</a> University of New Mexico College of Fine Arts - Interdisciplinary Film & Digital Media](<a href=“http://finearts.unm.edu/index.php/programs/interdisciplinary-film-digital-media]The”>http://finearts.unm.edu/index.php/programs/interdisciplinary-film-digital-media)</p>

<p>Also: <a href=“http://catalog.unm.edu/catalogs/2012-2013/colleges/fine-arts/interdis-film-digital-media/index.html[/url]”>http://catalog.unm.edu/catalogs/2012-2013/colleges/fine-arts/interdis-film-digital-media/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You can choose to specialize in digital film production with engineering or business concentration.</p>

<p>(BTW, the UNM’s state of the art digital performance space is where The Avengers was filmed)</p>

<p>If your GPA & ACT are decent, UNM has several OOS student scholarships.</p>

<p>Look for the Amigo Scholarship on the bottom half of the page:</p>

<p><a href=“http://scholarship.unm.edu/scholarships/[/url]”>http://scholarship.unm.edu/scholarships/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;