<p>I searched the forum and didn't find a similar thread, so here it is:
What was your major and how much it assisted you in life? Did you pursue it because of interest or because of usefulness? Would you have picked a different major, if you were to start college all over again?
I feel that hearing people who actually have some life experience would be more helpful to me and to others too, I'm sure.</p>
<p>Biology- absolutely loved the 'gee whiz' part of it. That is, the animal behavior, ecology, environmental, plant taxonomy, etc.</p>
<p>Not so wild about the physiology, molecular, chem, calc. and physics that I had to take to get the piece of paper.</p>
<p>It was quite helpful when I was a Park Ranger.<br>
At this point, I am a stay at home mom. The biology background helped with all aspects of child raising, especially as a volunteer in the kids classrooms. It also makes me very popular on group camping trips when I start to take apart owl pellets, or show everyone the little bits of nature they are missing. I still can't figure out why everyone doesn't lie down on the dock in the harbor to look at the sea anenomes, tunicates, crabs, etc. </p>
<p>I would do it again, but would lean toward pre-med. Or early childhood education (double major).</p>
<p>Visual and Environmental Studies. It's sort of a catch-all that included studio art classes, film history, a couple of design classes and all the architectural history that Harvard's architecture school offers. I really enjoyed it, but I did end up having to go to Grad school for three years to actually get an architecture degree. It was a good background however and I actually did get about a semester's worth of credit.</p>
<p>Sometimes I think I should have majored in History of Science and written for Scientific American. Other days I think I should have gone to art school and studied illustration. But most of the time I'm happy being an architect.</p>
<p>I was a graphic design major at Carnegie Mellon. I graduated in the middle of a recession and no one was hiring graphic designers -- at all. So I got my legal assistant certificate at George Washington, worked for less than a year at a law firm before applying to law school, and went to Tulane Law School. I've been a healthcare attorney for over 20 years now.</p>
<p>I recently spoke at a presentation for law students and one of them asked me which class in law school best prepared me for practicing law. I thought about it for a minute and responded that my undergraduate major in graphic design prepared me more than any law school class because it focused on problem solving. </p>
<p>So I ended up in a completely different place than what I could have ever imagined when I was in college, but it was a good journey. And my graphic design background was really helpful with my kids' class projects!</p>
<p>Enjoy the journey -- you never know where it might lead you.</p>
<p>I never found a major in my first college--my Dad was really sick and I dropped out to find a focus. Then I went for nursing and it was perfect because I could get a job and that led to psych nursing and higher degees in psych. Follow your interests. Take one step and then the next. It will all work out.</p>
<p>Started out as an Early Childhood Education/Art major but since no one was getting jobs (70's), I switched my major in my senior year to Art History. Got a job right out of college at a prestigious museum in NYC where I worked for 10 yrs., was accepted into their selective Summer Internship Program and later, got 2 Masters Degrees (Art History and Visual Arts Administration @ NYU). I LOVED MY JOB but the pay was not great. Was offered my "dream job" as a Corporate Art Consultant/Admnistrator but I couldn't accept the job for various reasons. :( I look forward to someday maybe returning to the mueum!!
After being a stay-at-home mom for 5 years I went back to school to become a licensed Optician and I now have 2 of my own stores (one in husband's practice and one a retail store). I have people who work for me so I can have the flexibility of being available for my family.
I just left my oldest son at college (freshman) and after going through the college search and admissions process with him, I would go back because of all the new and exciting majors there are but I wouldn't want the stress of applying, etc.
BTW, great idea for a POST!!</p>
<p>My degree is in European history, with a Russian/Soviet Union concentration, and I had very heavy minors in both political science and psychology. </p>
<p>When I graduated, teachers made less than a pittance, so I never went that route. I had seriously considered a foriegn service career, but when I met my future wife, that option went down the tubes. </p>
<p>If I could do it all over again, I'd be at CIA or Cordon Bleu.</p>
<p>I didn't have a major, nor much of a plan. Not surprisingly I ended up without an undergrad degree. I have a J.D. (law degree, Juris Doctorate) I received at 22. That's it. I took equal parts poli sci, sociology, religion and maybe a bit more history than anything else. Just a jumbled mass of classes without apparent rhyme or reason (other than that's what I wanted to take). And I was the king of "drop/adds". I wouldn't advise this plan for others. Still have no idea how I got away with it.</p>
<p>My degree is in Geography and Environmental Engineering. Most of the students in my major studied things like wastewater treatment; I studied simulation and systems analysis. After learning American Sign Language for the last few years of college at a nearby church for the deaf, I briefly considered going to graduate school to learn to teach the deaf... but then I also considered trying to become an actress after having marked success in college dramatics. And then instead of any of my other options, I rode my bicycle across the USA the summer after I graduated, and then because I couldn't imagine working in an office somewhere, I clerked at the A&P until I got a call from a friend of my college advisor, basically pleading with me to take a job he had, saying it was perfect for me. Which it was: it was a direct offshoot from the simulation work I'd been doing my senior year with my advisor! I happily (and dumbfoundedly) took the job, had some fantastic mentors, and have been in I/T, training, user focused design, and technical communications for over 30 years. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably formally train as a teacher at some point. But the analytical training I got as an undergrad, and the ability to take a large problem and break it into smaller manageable parts, has served me well in all aspects of my career.</p>
<p>When I retire, I'm opening that Bed & Breakfast I've been dreaming of for years.... in a great college town somewhere.</p>
<p>Wow, you guys are all so interesting! I consider myself privileged to be among you.</p>
<p>I wanted to go to art school, but my parents insisted on a liberal arts degree (I'm glad they did), so I majored in Interdisciplinary History, then Art History. Postgrad I went to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris, then the Ecole des Arts-Decoratifs. Stuck around Paris and worked as a 'fashion and culture' journalist and did fashion illustration. Moved back to US, built costumes for Washington Opera and Arena Stage, had first baby and went overseas with Foreign Service husband.</p>
<p>Many moves, twists and turns later, after working many years in various capacities in Embassies overseas, discovered my passion -- teaching adults painting and drawing. It is such a joy to unlock creativity which has lain dormant, in some cases for many years! My dream is to teach college art, and volunteer-teach art in shelters for battered women and facilities for the elderly. There is so much creativity out there in the world, but people forget they have it!</p>
<p>More information than you wanted -- sorry. Oh, and really? I wish I were good in science (Karen Colleges, I want to be your kid!).</p>
<p>I majored in Middle Eastern Studies because I went to college after serving four years in the air force as an arabic linguist and that was the major that offered me the most credits toward a degree (i.e. the quickest route to a piece of paper). My favorite coursework was in sociology and history. However, when I talked to guidance about getting a PhD in sociology, I was told it would take five more years (nine total) and emphasized statistics coursework, which did not interest me. I thought about law school, but ended up getting a masters in Public Administration on the advice of guidance. That was a mistake. I had zero interest in the material as it was almost all finance oriented. </p>
<p>If I had it to do over again, I should have pursued the PhD in sociology. My undergraduate major neither hurt nor helped me get a job and seems to be a source of entertainment when bios are read prior to speaking engagements. My master's degree was essential in getting a job, but not the kind of job I enjoy. </p>
<p>I expect to retire soon (probably this January) and will try to pursue an actual interest if I can figure out what that might be at this point.</p>
<p>Like a lot of you, lots of twists and turns. Failed pre-vet twice (hopeless at physycs), then got a double masters in biochemistry and genetics, 2 years of research but couldn't stand killing rats and mice twice a week, got a Masters degree in Primatology in Edimburg but couldn't get a job, so moved back to France and took teacher's exam in English as a foreign language (and got a fourth master's degree in Elizabethan studies). I now also teach bridge as well as play a lot of it.</p>
<p>My career path can be told in the form of a joke:
What's a harpsichordist?
A failed pianist.</p>
<p>What's a music historian?
A failed harpshichordist.</p>
<p>Undergrad degree in piano (from CMU, blackeyedsusan!); masters in harpsichord early/music; then Ph.D in musicology. Loved every step along the way; still do.</p>
<p>Biology (took care of the premed requirements), and my true love, music. I remember much more about medieval music than undergrad bio, or even classes in med school (scary; much of medicine is on the job learning). </p>
<p>If I had a better voice, I'd be a starving early music singer. If I could "do over"- more strongly consider vet school with an emphasis on large animal work- sheep in particular!</p>
<p>Biology - I started out as a pre-med and then discovered Art History, but it was too late by then to major in it. So instead I got an MA in Art History and am now in the rare book world, rather than the medical one. The hours are better, but the pay is not. ;)</p>
<p>Undergrad major was political science,began college in 1970 ,was going to go to Law School and save the world.
Needed cash, got a student aide job in the Registrar's Office.Met future husband during senior year (also on the staff) moved in together,still needed $$ so traded student job for a full time job. Decided Love was more important than Law,made a career in various Student Services winding up in Financial Aid.Absolutely loved working in college settings.
Seeing people's career paths should give us pause about how set in stone our children's paths need to be at their age.....</p>
<p>BSBA- UNC-CH. I am currently NOT working in any business-related job, unless you consider being a piano teacher/accompanist a business. Worked for a number of years after graduation, and attended the MBA program at night through UCF, but ended up dropping out (within 3 credits of finishing!) after my oldest was born. Even though I am not "using" my degree currently, I'm still glad I went the path I did- a business major is extremely useful. I love what I do now- I control my own hours, it's not bad pay (on an hourly basis), and the performance aspect of it fulfills my occassional narcissistic tendencies. I am exposed to, and have the privilege of playing, the most beautiful music in the world. :)</p>
<p>I majored in Psychology and minored in Art History. Neither major really helped me and I would definitely chose differently if I were to do it all over today.</p>
<p>Started out wanting to major in Elementary Education but quickly decided that wasn't for me, and I switched to Human Resource Management. Graduated with a BS in that, and was working in the HR department at a bank at the time. Then I had babies and stayed home with them for 14 years before I decided to go back into the workforce. I struggled with what I wanted to do; I didn't really want to go back into the "business world," so I went back to college instead and got a BS in Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology. I now work part-time as a Medical Technologist in a hospital laboratory.</p>
<p>WOw - wha a great group of stories...</p>
<p>I majored in BioMedical Engineering (VERY NEW in 1975 - and I was a GIRL!) with the idea that I would complete my degree and go to med school (this was instead of the Biochemistry major I was intending on before I found out about this Engineering thing!). After taking 2 premed courses, I decided that I just downright DID NOT like premed people (I'm competitive but they were obsessive!)so I focused on medical instrumentation. I was one of 3 who did not go to med school(of the 25 BME's that year), went to work as an account service person for an instrumentation company, all of sudden discovered adult education, started a Masters in Education(but did not finish due to a job move)and have been in Training and Development ever since. I consistently amaze folks with my Engineering Degree....and it is the thought processes and behaviors (not the content) I use every day!</p>
<p>Do over.....no idea....more theater!</p>
<p>MikksMom</p>