<p>What does everybody think of an English major? What graduate programs can I get into with one? I'm torn between pursuing what I really like and going for something more lucrative that I can learn to tolerate. </p>
<p>I was pretty poor growing up -- I don't wanna come home to Ramen noodles and a 1-bedroom apartment 'cos nobody will take a second (or, hey, first) look at my manuscript.</p>
<p>Your thoughts?</p>
<p>I knew an English major who went to work in the insurance industry.There is, I think in N.YC., an insurance industry college. However, the girl I knew who was an English major and took this path had strong math skills also. I recall there were several math elimination tests, you know, you get less than 75 you are out. She became an underwriter.</p>
<p>Juxtaposn, I am in the same situation as you. I really feel like majoring in English, but it seems like everyone around me is saying that I'm going to waste my potential and that I should do something more profitable.</p>
<p>Oh, and I'll be graduating with $40,000 in debt (a little less if my dad's appeal goes through, and any scholarship money I receive between now and graduation is taken against that number directly.)</p>
<p>I was an English major - never considered anything else. I went on to graduate school and then to law school. I think majoring in English is great preparation for just about anything. I don't equate majoring in English with being or becoming a writer, however. I love literature and linguistics but was not born with a writer's thumb.</p>
<p>I have a friend who was an English major Phi Beta Kappa. Well, her first job was clerical, but that changed after a couple years when she went to work for General Mills in public relations. She later moved to freelance p.r. for a popular restaurant in our city. I think she has had a creative, fulfilling career.</p>
<p>When you mention "manuscript," it makes me think you would like to be a writer. There are many kinds of writing jobs that pay regularly. If your goal is to be a novelist or memoirist, however, you will need a backup job, at least at first, before you become famous.</p>
<p>Good luck, and as far as a college major, follow your heart!</p>
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Juxtaposn, I am in the same situation as you. I really feel like majoring in English, but it seems like everyone around me is saying that I'm going to waste my potential and that I should do something more profitable.
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<p>Problem is, any potential I've got to waste is in the writing department. I'm just average / slightly above average in other areas.</p>
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Good luck, and as far as a college major, follow your heart!
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<p>I'm not sure I can afford to; $40,000 is a lot to pay back with a liberal arts degree.</p>
<p>If you're smart and driven, you can go into almost any field or graduate school (assuming you've met their requirements) with an english major.</p>
<p>You can even go to med school as long as you take the required pre-med courses.</p>
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If you're smart and driven, you can go into almost any field or graduate school (assuming you've met their requirements) with an english major.
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<p>Huh? Even something specialized, like medicine?</p>
<p><em>edit</em></p>
<p>Whups, we posted at the same time. Wouldn't fulfilling pre-med and English requirements be ridiculously hard?</p>
<p>Go to the US Gov Jobs website and scan through. Maybe you can find something of interest.Park Ranger, Interpretation of historic sites, all require college, English okay.</p>
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Go to the US Gov Jobs website and scan through. Maybe you can find something of interest.
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<p>The Occupational Outlook Handbook?</p>
<p>Been there -- several times. =/</p>
<p>I know an English major, went to grad school and got her masters. She has two part-time jobs teaching freshman writing classes at local community colleges. She is in her 40s and can't pay back her student loans. She doesn't own a home, she doesn't have any medical insurance (it's offered, but she feels she can't afford the premiums) or any retirement money put aside.</p>
<p>On the plus side, she loves what she does.</p>
<p>If you want a to get a BA in English and complete the pre-med track, it would definately take you longer than four years to complete all the undergrad work. Unless you wanted to take like 20 credit hours all 8 semesters and do summer sessions, then it might be possible to do it in four years. This is why people on the pre-med track usually major in things like Bio and Chem, because there's a lot of overlap between Gen Ed classses, the classes for the major, and the classes required for the pre-med track. </p>
<p>I'm an English major. Like you, I'm just average in other areas. I'm HORRIBLE at math, which is unfortunate because I wanted to be a doctor for most of my childhood. In HS I was thinking about being a malpractice attorney, so I could still have a little bit of interaction with the medical field, but I didn't want to spend 3 years in law school, taking on thousands of dollars of debt to spend the majority of the time learning about law that wouldn't apply to my interest (ie, criminal law, tax law, environmental law). Besides, I know it's hard to cut it in law school and damn-near impossible to pass the Bar. I am just not interested enough in pursuing that career that I'd want to go through all that work and struggling. I don't think I'd make it. Another downside is that all the law schools that have the health field are a really long way from home, which I just can't do. </p>
<p>Now, I'm seriously interested in the international health field. I'd like to work for WHO or a reputable organization like it. I've already found the school with a great program that, with hard work during undergrad, I can get into and succeed in. </p>
<p>You can be anything with an BA in English, from a teacher, to a doctor, to a foreign ambassador. If you go through college finding it more and more true that being a writer is the ONLY career that will make you happy, more power to you.</p>
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Wouldn't fulfilling pre-med and English requirements be ridiculously hard?
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Not at all. Many, many med school applicants do not major in the "traditional" biology or chemistry field. You just must take the prereqs--inorg. chem (2), org. chem (2), physics (2), and minimum of 2 bios with lab--some/few med schools require 2 maths. Actually (if I remember correctly) on the premed forum, I saw a link a while back that showed liberal arts majors scored better overall than science majors on the MCAT (where your verbal strength will help). </p>
<p>Your English major would prepare you for many various jobs. I also know English major students who went on to business school, law school, one I know is working at a publishing house. Perhaps, you could pick up a minor in another field that would just serve to strengthen your desirability to employers.</p>
<p>I have two close friends who were English Majors. One is a company VP and makes probably 300K a year, and the other is upper management and makes six figures, easily. I also know people with degrees in English who work at companies like Google and Microsoft.</p>
<p>
<p>Pre-med at Cornell is supposed to destroy even the best n' brightest, though.</p>
<p>I mean, that's what I've heard.</p>
<p><em>edit</em></p>
<p> [quote] I have two close friends who were English Majors. One is a company VP and makes probably 300K a year, and the other is upper management and makes six figures, easily. I also know people with degrees in English who work at companies like Google and Microsoft.
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<p>Those two are special cases.</p>
<p>Sorry, I misinterpreted your question. I never meant that the classes wouldn't be hard--only that it could be worked in your schedule--I don't know how Cornell does it, but the sciences could be used to meet some core/divsional (whatever they call them there)?</p>
<p>I don't know if you are even interested in med school--only wanted to point out that you can combine other interests with the English if you want to leave some doors open for future exploration. For instance, if you are interested in business, or foreign language, or health policy---there are so many things you could explore along with your English.</p>
<p>I would hate to see someone give up a passion--hope you find a way to keep the passion and work it out so that you feel "responsible" too!</p>
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Huh? Even something specialized, like medicine?
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Pre-med at Cornell is supposed to destroy even the best n' brightest, though.
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That's pre-med. English doesn't enter into that equation. It's not as if majoring in English would add to the number of courses you need to graduate (well, it shouldn't--I don't know Cornell's specifics). Pre-med isn't a major, so you'd need a major regardless. You'd have less overlap than you would with a Biology major, but you'd be taking some electives in that case, instead. I don't understand your concern with that particular problem.</p>
<p>I also might want to be an English major. I'm guessing it could help me in graduate school, or help me become a teacher, editor, underwriter, etc.
I have a feeling I won't be making much money in the future...</p>