<p>I know that CC probably gets a lot of posts like this, but I just don't know what I'm going to do in college. Up until now, I haven't been too worried about going into college as an undeclared major; that's what college is all about, right? Deciding what you want to do with your life? Except lately, I've been really bothered by my lack of direction, mostly because my parents are sending me to a very expensive, out-of-state university in the fall. </p>
<p>Some background: I come from an upper-middle-class family. My parents' (they both work) have a combined income of about $180,000 a year. At the beginning of high school, my parents promised me that I could go to whichever college I wanted, and that they would cover the cost of my undergraduate education. They have saved for years so that, even at my expensive university, they can cover the cost completely. I know that I am very fortunate to be in such a position.</p>
<p>Now that I've committed to my university, I am beginning to feel some buyer's remorse. I feel guilty that my parents are spending so much money on my education, especially when I am undecided and really have no clue what I want to do with my life. And with such an expensive degree, I feel obligated to major in something that guarantees a high-paying, high-power job. No subjects are really interesting to me, and the ones in which I do have a vague interest (i.e. anthropology and psychology) do not guarantee great careers besides becoming a psychologist or professor, which I do not want to do. I am considering going into a career in medicine, not because I really want to be a doctor, but because I want my higher education to pay off in a way that makes me a lot of money. </p>
<p>I'll be going off to my university next month and my guilt has soured my view on college as of late. So, A) Has anybody experienced something similar, and B) would you send your kid to an expensive college if he/she truly had no direction?</p>
<p>Your parents want you to be happy. It isn’t like you chose the school because it’s expensive. You’re actually better off being undecided at an expensive school because those usually have excellent professors who know how to inspire their students. You might be destined to be a math major but have a horrible professor who turns you off to the subject - there’s a lesser chance of that occurring at your college. Your parents were prepared for this when they saved for your education (which was really smart of them and I wish my parents had done the same). Just focus on adjusting and discovering what you really like and worry about the usefulness of whatever that is after you decide to make a career out of it :)</p>
<p>I agree with neverXclarity- if sending you to this school isn’t a hardship for your parents (and from your post, it sounds like it isn’t), then don’t worry about it. </p>
<p>Part of the point of the American university system is to allow you to experiment with new subjects through your general education requirements. Look at the categories you have to take and pick classes in those categories that sound interesting to you. You have 1-2 years to decide before you have to make a decision.</p>
<p>Many, many college students do not know what they want to major in, or if they do know their major, they aren’t quite sure how to turn that into a career. Often, it’s hard for new college students to really know what they want to do because they’ve never been exposed to many subjects. Taking one psychology class in high school is very different than studying psychology for four years or taking graduate level courses nor does it expose you to depth of the different fields that exist in psychology. You may not have exposure to other related fields like cognitive science or neuroscience. Taking algebra or calculus in high school is very different than majoring in math, especially since many of the upper level courses are very different than calculus.</p>
<p>Take classes you’re interested in, and you’ll figure out what subjects you like and which you don’t. You’ll also find out about which subjects you’re better suited for and which you aren’t. Look into internships or job shadowing or organizations that will allow you to explore career possibilities in whichever majors you’re interested in. You may not want to be a professor now, but you might like it more as you go through college. You may decide that majoring in something that will give you a high-paying job quickly is more important than majoring in something else, and that’s fine. You can major in one subject and minor in another, or take classes that you just find interesting but don’t want to major in, or even double major.</p>
<p>Even students who have a major picked out, still don’t know what they really want to do or what job they want or how to turn that into a career. It’ll be fine. There are many, many resources in college to help you figure it out, so take advantage of them. Keep an eye on graduating in four years, especially since you go to an expensive school, but be open to trying new things.</p>
<p>You’re parents want you to have more opportunities–that’s why they worked hard and saved money so they could send you to the school you wanted to go to. Take advantage of the opportunities that the school has for you, and everything will work out. As long as you finish your degree and find a job where you can support yourself, your parents will feel like their investment paid off. Once your older and self-supporting, there are many ways you can pay them back, but for now, just be grateful and work hard.</p>
<p>I also wanted to note that doctors have higher salaries because they often go into serious debt in medical school and then have years of relatively low-paying residency. Don’t become a doctor for the money; become a doctor because it’s what you want to do. There are many other career paths that can give you a high-paying job without going through another four years of expensive medical school.</p>
<p>Don’t feel too bad. Most college students don’t know what major to choose. Even those who “look” like they have a major and everything planned out really don’t even know. It can be really sickening to not know what you want to do and have to worry about finances. Breath easy. There are many people in the same boat. Speak with your college academic adviser; it really helps!</p>
<p>Don’t worry too much about finding a major in freshman year. You don’t really start your major/core courses until sophomore and junior year, so you have plenty of time. Although, you should be spending this time trying to find your niche. Decide on a general area that you want to major in and work from there.</p>
<p>For example: Let’s say you are thinking about something science related. Talk with science professor and volunteer to work with the science department. Maybe start taking some basic science classes freshman or sophomore year. Then maybe that helps you decide you want to be a high school biology teacher, so you declare your major as biology. In this instance, you would work your way into a major. You don’t have pressure to choose something right away, but it gives you a direction to work toward.</p>
<p>I have a friend that is doing this. He knew he wanted to end up in something business or legal related. He studied business his freshman year and had a few classes in legalities (or whatever you call it! I’m only a nursing major!). He wind up deciding that he really wanted to go to law school. This way he found his general study, took some related classes, and THEN found his niche. Finding your major this way takes 100% of the pressure off your chest.</p>
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<p>Good luck with school! Remember that your parents could never stop loving you. They worked hard to help you through school; appreciate and respect that. Not knowing what you plan to do the rest of your life is half of the fun! ;o)</p>
<p>I was in your shoes for my 2-3 years in community college. I majored in CIS and after almost failing two Programming courses, I realized that CIS wasn’t for me. I decided to pursue my major in Criminal Justice… It’s ok if you don’t know what you want to major in your first 2 years in college. Majority of people don’t. I think for right now you should be “Undeclared”.</p>