<p>D1 was an excellent student in math/science while in high school. She double majored in math/econ, and got her butt kicked in math. She said college math definitely stretched her ability. She did very well in econ, finance, applied math. She is now working in finance.</p>
<p>D2 is more of a humanities student, even though D2’s physics teacher said she was one his best students. She rolled her eyes, “I guess he doesn’t set his bar too high.” She is a freshman in college, she will probably major in philosophy because she is very analytical, and minor in economics (back up in case she doesn’t go to law school).</p>
<p>Engineering is very difficult. As a hiring manager, I have a great respect for it. We’ll hire engineer majors as analysts because of their problem solving ability.</p>
<p>I want my kids to be self supporting when they graduate (off my payroll as soon as possible), but I don’t think it is productive to push them toward a career or major that they are interested in. College level courses are a lot harder than HS. If they are not interested (have desire to work hard) then they will most likely not do well. It is a fallacy to think just because a kid was an A student in high school then he/she will continue to do so in college.</p>
<p>I have a feeling this is the route he will take at one of the state colleges. Better instructors and exposure to other students that have a passion for a specific subject might spark his interest. If he gets some crazy merit award and one of the tech focused colleges we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it… </p>
<p>As I think back, I really had no idea what I wanted to do and picked a major during orientation. Then changed it twice freshman year. I also did not like any particular subject in high school and certainly was not passionate about any subject. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree… Although he is much smarter than me and actually studies in High School which is a plus (I never cracked a book and worked 4 -6 hours every day after school because I was passionate about making money to pay for college, girls and a car).</p>
<p>A number of friends who were engineers got laid off–permanently–when the tech bubble burst. They never got back in because a new crop of engineers–more up to date, and cheaper–came in when things got back on track.</p>
<p>Engineers do have great starting salaries, but it seems as if the salaries top out before those of business majors…</p>
<p>I apologize in advance if this sounds blunt, but . . .</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>It’s good to have that dialog, but it seems like he’s made it pretty clear where his thoughts lie. Maybe you just don’t like the way the dialog is going. It’s his future, it needs to be about what he wants.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>His thinking or yours? And why is it about money? Instead of thinking about “where the money is at”, think about “where his happiness is at”. He’ll enjoy the rest of his life a lot more.</p>
<p>Choosing a major strictly for vocational reasons is always a bad idea. As a poster up thread notes, what looks like a lucrative field today may collapse before four years are out. Ask anybody who started a CS degree about 1998 or so what the job market looked like when they graduated. Ask recent civil engineering grads how they’re doing. Yes, there are exceptions, but guess what? There are exceptions to everything. </p>
<p>Pick something you love and are good at. Don’t have any such thing? Go to a LAC or a university’s college of arts and sciences and take a broad variety of courses. Then decide.</p>
<p>Interests are pretty basic. HS sports, recreational sports, video gaming, girl friend, youtube, FB, buying low selling high on ebay for easy spending money. </p>
<p>ECs are nothing special. Local helping the poor type projects and tutoring a few hours here and there only because he needs to do it, not because he wants to do it.</p>
<p>He has an extreme type B personality. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I am fine with business, that’s what I do so I know the potential. What I am trying to do is get him to commit at least to a general direction.</p>
<p>
I agree, the problem he is good at everything from math to writing and even art.</p>
<p>Maybe I have the CC syndrome, I read posts by other kids just wishing beyond belief to get in a certain college that know exactly what major and job they want. My son is so laisser-faire, he would never dream of going to a college forum to get “chanced”. He is happy to send out his 10 apps to State Us, LAs, Tech focused colleges, and a few top 10 privates and see what happens.</p>
<p>A student with no academic passion for anything may take this route, run up against the institutional deadline to declare a major, and declare whatever happens to have the fewest prerequisites. Then he will graduate with a degree in a field that he neither likes nor necessarily has much in the way of job prospects. Then what?</p>
<p>Actually, this may be anathema to many here, but what about going to a community college first, where there are fewer financial or institutional limitations to exploring various fields of study before declaring a major? He may be able to sample a wider range of subjects at the community college (perhaps over more than two years, but extra years at community college are inexpensive compared to extra years at a four year school), then eventually figure out what he wants to do, complete the prerequisites, and transfer to a four year school.</p>
<p>Having a “passion” for something is GREATLY overrated. How many people truly have a passion for what they do–a real passion, not just the overused term for liking your job. He is a high school boy. How many high school kids claim the don’t like school, most of them. Most really DO like school but it isn’t always “cool” to admit that. Look at the kids when August rolls around and how excited they are to get back to school. They ‘say’ it’s because of friends but most kids really do like school, like learning, etc. Those that don’t are not the A students :D.</p>
<p>My son is doubling in math and economics. The math is math, no different from the math any other math major has to take. If a student wants to study economics beyond the UG level real math is an absolute necessity.</p>
I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in that. Few HS students know much about the day-to-day life in the workforce, that’s why they aspire to the careers they have heard about. That’s in part why we have so many aspiring pre-meds, investment bankers, consultants, etc here. </p>
<p>I’d echo the advice about not pushing your DS into a STEM career. Instead I’d encourage him to map out a program of discovery. He needs to start exploring different areas and careers, if not now then as soon as he starts in college. He should be haunting the career center, attending every talk they give and all their seminars.</p>
<p>I second what mikemac said about exploring, as well as some of the comments that have been made about attending a CC for a year or two. Also, give some thought to a gap year (or even two), provided that there would be a way to do that without stifling the exploration process.</p>
<p>However, if STEM subjects are possibilities, then he must plan his discovery at a four year college to ensure that he will make progress in those possible majors to avoid delayed graduation if he decides on such a major, due to sometimes-long sequences of prerequisites. This is less of an issue if he starts at community college, since extra semesters of community college are less expensive, and there is not the institutional requirement to decide on a major after four semesters.</p>
<p>It is less of an issue if the only possible majors are those with short or nonexistent prerequisite sequences (some humanities and social studies subjects, for example).</p>
<p>I think this is a good idea. It sounds like he has the ability but lacks a focus which is very normal especially for males. Declaring a major at this time is totally unnecessary; let him go to college and explore. A couple of years down the road will make a huge difference.
I don’t suggest the CC route for him since most students there are also “finding” themselves and it seems your son needs to be surrounded by a more focused student body.</p>
<p>The problem is that in many colleges the business and engineering programs are pretty rigid (and often in separate schools which you must apply to by program.) That makes exploring these areas pretty difficult and entering after a semester or two and graduating on time impossible. </p>
<p>I would recommend he apply to all schools as undecided and enter that way. Then after exploring (and hopefully completing most of the college’s core requirements) he can pick what major he wants. Think about the large number of subjects taught in college which your son has had no exposure to in HS, maybe one of these will be his “passion.”</p>
<p>When visiting/researching colleges check out what resources or programs they have for “undeclared/undecided” students. My daughter is in an undeclared students program at Northeastern and it has helped her find some direction.</p>
<p>At the Colleges That Change Lives roadshow, the presenters ask the adults to raise their hands if they are now working at what they said they wanted to do when they were high school students. Out of a few hundred adults, there will be less than 10 hands raised. I’ve now gone to three of these over 4-5 years, and it’s always the same response.</p>
<p>OP, one thing that I would encourage your son to do when he starts selecting college classes: enroll in classes with the highly-rated professors, the ones where people rave about their lectures and how much they learned in the class. Even if it’s in a subject that’s not at all on your kid’s radar. Enthusiasm can be contagious.</p>
<p>I found this my old thread and thought I would give an update, because so often I’ll read and old thread found through search and wonder whatever happened and how did it work out…</p>
<p>Anyway, he ended up at UM getting a 3.9 his freshman year and was accepted into the Ross school of business starting this, his sophomore year. He is loving it except for all the group projects in every business class (I warned him). Now mainly he is deciding what area he wants to focus on in business and if he wants to do a minor or double major in that area of focus.</p>
<p>Recruiters flock to Ross and BBA graduates often have excellent job offers before graduating in the $60k+ range. So I guess he landed on his feet as usual and knew what he was doing. </p>
<p>So far, everything worked out and only 3 more years to go!</p>
<p>I think many high school students don’t have the maturity (although they may have high intelligence) to make good decisions about college so I think some guidance is necessary. If your child tunes out parental advice, then getting a third party (preferably professional) involved as a sounding board might be a way to go. We used a private college counselor (at a very reasonable price) and he was able to guide my son to choices that were a good fit. I think in the right place (and I think there are always several universities to fit that bill) they will thrive and find their way. </p>
<p>With that being said, I think employers do look more favorably at students who take ‘tougher’ tracks of learning so unless the student is highly opposed, many STEM tracks do make sense to pursue. Sometimes an unexciting career is a way of funding a passion that is not an easy way to make a living. </p>
Update number 2 - time flies and I am still getting older
Son is graduating from UM Ross business school in May. Amazon, Shell, Burger King, Capital One, and RS, All flew him in for interviews. Got offers from RS (a conglomerate with US HQ in NJ) and Shell in Houston. Both offered mid $60s plus nice signing bonus.
Decided on Shell because they offer every other Friday off if he decides to work eight 9 hour days every two weeks, much lower cost of living - plus he gets out of winter weather. He was hoping for an Amazon offer because he loved his two days interviewing and partying afterwards in Seattle - but no joy.
Many in Ross business school go into investment banking for big dollars but he didn’t like the idea of 100 hour work weeks. He is more of a Friday off type guy.
So in the end, he made his decision and it worked out very well.
Now I have all kinds of location tips for him as my first real job out of college was in Houston and I REALLY enjoyed my 20’s there.
Next up is my DD who is now in 8th grade. She is 100% decided she wants to be a doctor but unlike my DS she struggles in math and science and needs to study for hours to maintain As and Bs. I told her to keep the grades up or we’ll send her to a nunnery and save money on tuition. Plus I think it gets me a free pass to heaven
I’ve now gone to three of these over 4-5 years, and it’s always the same response.</p>
