I have a friend in the ICAM (Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts Major) program at UCSD’s Sixth College (which has an ICAM-related theme). She’s a hypertalented musician, a skilled visual artist, and a terrible coder. But she’s grinding through her CS classes because it’ll allow her to hone her skills to become hirable in the 21st century while still pursuing her passions. UCSD has a lot of students like her, great facilities for it, and new projects like the Design Lab and the enVision studio that @thermom posted (which is located in the super futuristic Structural and Materials Engineering building). There are a lot of options for artistically inclined students who are willing to blur the boundary between art and science.
It’s also okay to spend the 4 undergrad years studying art- if that were what he wanted.
Let’s see. I have a wife who is a painter and a father who was a theoretical physicist so have something of a sense of both worlds (and I have a PhD in an applied math field and began my career as a professor). Art is a tough profession. My wife is really talented, extremely hard-working, well-known, her work is in museums and she has shows at good galleries in several cities. Unlike most artists we know, she is cash-flow positive, but she feels (correctly) underappreciated by the world given her level of talent. My sense from watching is that the art world has become a branding or star system in which marketing talent and hustle outweigh artistic ability. So, not an easy profession for those who love to make art rather than hustle/brand.
One approach is to pursue a fulfilling career in one area and do the other as a hobby. I also have a friend who went to a liberal arts college, got a PhD in physics from Stanford, taught at a one or two of great universities on the east and went into policy before starting a business that he learned about while on the policy staff of an institute of a university. He also is gifted artistically and loves digital photography, which is his abiding hobby. Another friend started as a fine art photographer, became a merchant banker, did pretty well, retired for the most part and has gone back to his photography.
I recently met with a guy who studied both music and computer science. Did both. Became a protege of Steve Jobs and Marvin Minsky. Has had a very interesting career.
@ucbalumnus, I would have thought that kids with physics and math degrees should be able to find jobs in finance or data analysis without too much trouble.
I have a number of friends who are architects. This is a tough career. Architects are frequently laid off first and hired last as the real estate cycle swings from negative to positive. So, in some ways they take big risks. But, they don’t get the economic rewards associated with the risk. Not great career rewards, I don’t think, unless you are a real hustler and probably own the firm.
I think the interesting blending is with folks who combine the two areas – e.g., special effects software that uses math and physics. I know someone (with a physics PhD, I think) who was one of those who wrote the software used for special effects that was used for a number of years. I’d say virtual reality is the next such area.
Finally, perhaps what the OP’s son should do is to attend a school with a flexible curriculum (Brown, Amherst, Williams come to mind but I am sure there are many others) that enables him to take courses that match his interests. Beyond that, he should actively seek career advice and internships in areas that combine his interests. Don’t wait until he graduates to explore various areas.
I am glad Shawbridge mentioned internships, which are really clarifying for many.
And what I meant above is that music and art and dance students can get a degree in their artistic field, but don’t have to work in it. A bachelor’s in art opens doors the same way any bachelor’s does, and art students can have access to med or law or business or nursing school, as well as both art and non-art jobs. Non-profit work is an especially good transition out of school (look up hireculture.org in Massachusetts for an idea) and internships abound in those organizations. I really do believe young people can pursue what they love for the undergrad years and pursue the sometimes wandering path toward a career after that.
That said, if a kid has an interest in science, or whatever, that poses another set of questions…
There’s no question that real estate is cyclical and that its ups and downs impact architecture firms, however my observation is that a career in architecture isn’t necessarily high risk economically.
The downside of architecture is that the combination of getting a professional degree and going through the licensing process can take 10+ years. Entry level positions are paid in the $40 to $50 range, which is liveable but less than other professions like law or medicine (I’m not sure about engineering) and certainly not as much as finance or tech.
After becoming licensed and gaining more work experience, an architect can earn in the low to mid six figures at a medium to large sized firm, not a get rich quick scheme but comfortable.
Most of the architects I know (including my son) really, really enjoy the profession. It’s a convergence of art and commerce, with some science and technology thrown in and an overarching culture of collaboration and client interaction. Not for everyone, but those who like it, seem to love it.
I did mention that for applied math majors. However, not all who are into math and physics are into finance and such. Operations research may be another applied math area to look into.
Everyone always says this. But agree with @ucbalumnus – do kids with physics and math degrees want to work in finance? Mine would hate it…
Finance is as varied as engineering or medicine. Unless people find it morally objectionable, it is likely there are jobs in finance problem solvers would enjoy.
"Everyone always says this. But agree with @ucbalumnus – do kids with physics and math degrees want to work in finance? "
-Cannot make general statements like this one. Some will want and other will not.
@shawbridge I agree 100% with this:
I’m seeing the same thing with my work-I cringe at having to hustle and market myself, I hate it, but it’s absolutely required if you want to sell any of your work today. I’m making myself take marketing and business classes so I can understand how to brand myself better. And I’ve learned not to grind my teeth at the artists who sell like crazy that I can (literally) draw circles around in terms of ability. The hustle ability is as important as the artistic one. Just ask Van Gogh…
My kids, both talented artists, see me struggle and while they’ll be adding their art portfolios to their applications, neither one wants to do it in college (one will do CS like their dad, one probably history).
@intparent @ucbalumnus The ones who went into finance (often after not so successful science career) seem to enjoy it. Not only they do not mind making two more digits in income compared to those successfully staying in science/tech careers, but also they enjoy solving challenging interesting problems in finance, being appreciated for their quantitative skills, and working with extremely smart peers from different backgrounds. All of their analytical, problem solving, & risk taking aptitudes serve them well in success in finance.
@motherofdragons My area of expertise is Art History.BA/MA. Every generation of artists complains about having to market themselves. (And I’m thinking all the way back to Cimabue. :"> )Now it just seems more daunting. With the internet you are not just competing in your local market, you are competing with a global market. It does make me shudder.
musicamusica,
My S. knew this situation when he was 14 y o in the middle school. That is when he started researching the Graphic Design. He simply told us (not the other way around) that he could not make it as an artist. I do not know where he got this from, it was no Internet at this ancient times. He was right 100% and the only thing that he somewhat regretted was that he did not consider Architecture as he also was Math oriented and “mechanically inclined” as they used this type of terminology way back.