Our daughter made the decision to focus on art, and to attend an art college. We didn’t try to dissuade her. We did suggest some alternatives (yes, major in art, but how about the flagship university in our state?). But the choice of colleges, and ultimately also the major, was hers to make. We knew she had the talent. She had special opportunities in pre-college art programs in summer, and her portfolio got excellent evaluations.
When our son was setting off for college, I asked him if he knew what he wanted to major in, and what kind of career he was looking for? He said maybe he’d go into law, or maybe become a college professor (‘chip off the old block’). He might major in political science. I advised him that if he wanted a career in political science he should have a very strong background in economics (he’d get plenty of general liberal arts where he was heading: UChicago). But I also urged him to “give science a chance.” I was hoping that he’d find the spark from some outstanding professor at the university, and off he’d go in that direction. Didn’t happen. He majored in economics. And he’s made a fine career, though not as an economist (though that background is important to him).