<p>I thought of this thread today when I saw a graphic on another site that read “Major in what you love. You’ll never work a day in your life, because they’re probably not hiring in that field anyway.” :)</p>
<p>I majored in what I loved- dead languages, and I’ve had a corporate career for over 30 years and honestly don’t feel like it’s work. I love what I do- I love the people I work with and I deal with fascinating and ever- changing problems. I am so happy I didn’t study something “practical”- I would have been a terrible nurse or accountant or middle school teacher (or even HS Latin teacher which is the back up plan for Classics majors). I’m glad I’m good at what I do even though I don’t “use” my degree in the way that a professor of Ancient Greek tragedy uses the degree. But I think my interpretive skills and ability to understand and suss out unfamiliar situations were honed studying ancient texts.</p>
<p>I know that the Liberal Arts are under attack- too impractical, too prone to political correctness, the mark of elitists who can study what they want without having to earn a living. But I’ve known too many unhappy (fill in the blanks) who studying something “practical”, hate their profession, and spend their days watching the clock wishing the day would end. </p>
<p>yes- it’s a luxury to study something you love. But it gives you the ability to launch post-grad that a more vocational degree may not. YMMV.</p>
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<p>SJSU publishes data indicating that only 17.1% of frosh graduated or are still enrolled in their first declared major (which is often at application and entry, although undeclared is possible) after eight years (note: this is a moderately selective state university with some part time enrollment, and many full timers taking only 12-13 credits due to needing to work).</p>
<p>The issue is not that he may change majors, or that there is any problem with changing majors per se, but that some of the majors of interest have long prerequisite sequences, so he needs to be careful in his first few semesters to avoid accidentally losing those majors as options, if he is budget-constrained to eight semesters.</p>
<p>I asked my son if he felt I was pressuring him and he said no, not really. He told me straight out if I do, he just ignors it and figures it’s my problem not his. He says he feels he needs to choose a major at the colleges that require him to go in with a major even if he changes. Otherwise, he feels no compulsion to declare any major. He shifts with the wind; he realizes this. Still, it’s good to identify schools that have the options he wants. And yeah, the top schools-Yale, Stanford, Princeton, etc. all look <strong>terrific</strong> as far as exploration and cost for him…uh, it’s just that they’re impossible to get into. :-)</p>
<p>And yes, ucb, as usual, pegs it. It’s the long term costs that are what we need to try and get a handle on early. He was already asking if we could afford the three safeties that he’s been admitted to. I got to explain the whole financial aid application process to him, explaining that we really won’t know where he stands until April. </p>
<p>Something to consider is that if a suitable school happens to produce a net price that is sufficiently below budget to make a ninth semester affordable*, it may be worth strong consideration, to reduce the pressure to decide a major quickly and reduce the risk of running out of money due to changing to a major that will require an extra semester due to long prerequisite sequences.</p>
<p>*Be careful with assessing the affordability of a ninth (or further) semester. Merit scholarships are likely to end after eight semesters, and need-based financial aid policies for semesters after eight need to be checked at each school.</p>
<p>I majored in what I loved - a combo of studio art and architectural history. Went on to get a grad degree in architecture - while I could have managed my career better, it was surprisingly easy to combine with being a fairly hands on Mom. Once I was on my own, most of my client meetings were evenings or weekends when dh was home and I could visit job sites during school hours.</p>