<p>I'm wondering if there's a topic about this somewhere that someone could link me. I'm interested in the thoughts regarding this.</p>
<p>If not, I'd like to hear your thoughts! </p>
<p>As a high school senior, there's so many people asking me what I want to do as a career or major in. However, I've come to the conclusion that, at 17, I'm too young and immature to really make these sorts of decisions. I have so many interests and I'm pretty sure I can succeed in whatever I find a passion in later in life. This answer isn't meant to be an easy way out or anything. I just feel like I should find out when I'm a little more mature and I've had more experiences.</p>
<p>I agree with you. I think the ‘job’ of a 17 year old is to figure out where one would like to go to school next, identify some of one’s interests and strengths, and set oneself up to learn more by many experiences, and taking courses of interest in college (many of which one may have had zero exposure to in highschool). </p>
<p>I think there is often undue pressure on teenagers to figure out their life’s mission. Especially an unfair burden since it is so difficult to make a match early on when one has neither the information about themselves (interest or abilities) nor information about the possibilities (the 1000s of occupations, and more importantly what those possibilities really entail on a day to day basis). Choosing a career based on a stereotype of it, or based upon the most visible characteristic of that occupation to outsiders is a terrible way to choose a career!</p>
<p>While some kids feel very strongly about what they want to do, many may end up down the wrong path because they had misinformation or incomplete information, or because their interests and abilities changed over time. I think it is almost sheer luck if one ends up knowing in advance what they want to do, choosing their major and finding a fulfilling occupation that happens to coincide with it. Although on a more positive note, I think that for most of us, when it comes to a fulfilling career, there are probably ‘many fish in the sea’ that would do the trick.</p>
<p>I’m 24 and I’m still not 100% sure what I want to do, although I feel like I am a lot closer and have narrowed it down to two related fields. I started a grad program nearly three years ago that I realized isn’t for me.</p>
<p>When I was 17, I thought I wanted to be a physician, then a lawyer, then a high school guidance counselor…I feel like when you are 17 - and even when you are 22 - you aren’t aware of the thousands of jobs that are out there (like starbright said). I wanted to be a doctor because it was one of the few careers I was familiar with. I wish I had spent more time in college finding out what different kinds of jobs were available, and I wish I had gone straight into the workforce after college (instead of grad school) to figure out what kind of education/degree I needed to do what I liked.</p>
<p>You should know what you want to do right after you do it. If you are fortunate, you will have the opportunity to do it again. Sometimes you will know what you want to do while you are doing it. Sometimes you realize what it is that you want to do a little while after you stopped doing it . . . and suddenly . . . BAM! It hits you that that is what you really want to do - but you may never get to do it again, so you just do whatever it is that you have to do to provide for those you love.</p>
<p>If you enter a four year university, you will likely have to decide and declare a major around the end of your second year, or sooner. Make note of which majors have longer prerequisite chains of courses (usually math, science, and engineering type majors); if any of them interest you, start taking the needed courses early to avoid delays if you choose such a major.</p>
<p>If you go to a community college for your freshman and sophomore level courses, there may be less financial and institutional pressure to decide until you transfer to a four year university. But once you transfer as a junior, you may have little leeway to switch majors.</p>
<p>When you’re asked that question, you don’t have to give a single answer. You can just as easily mention two or three options that you are considering.</p>
<p>And considering options is what you need to do right now, anyway. Think about what subjects you might like to major in and what careers you might like to pursue. You don’t have to narrow it down to one of each at this point – just pick out a few. </p>
<p>Then, you can do a little investigating to see what you would have to do to qualify for each of the majors (some have lots of courses you have to take in your first two years; others only have a couple), and you can think about what you might be able to do to test your interest in the career fields (job shadowing experience? part-time job? internship? extracurricular activity related to the field?).</p>
<p>I agree with you that there’s still plenty of time for exploring. I’m just suggesting that you do your exploring in an active way.</p>
<p>College is the time you spend to find out thing(s) about yourself. It probably is the 1st time you’re away from home & is expected to handle things on your own. Try to think of who you are, what you like/dislike, how you see yourself vs others, and last but not least, where do you want to take yourself to. Accept the possibility that you may fall short of own expectation(s) as well as those of your loved ones’. Work on your self-esteem, your love of self; be patient; laugh when you feel like crying; pick self up & try again when failing a task; and tell yourself that you’re okay.
School is important, but your inner peace is even more relevant to your own survival as a decent human being. Seek comfort, understanding, guidance when you feel the stress is too much. Good luck!</p>
<p>A few 17 year olds know what they want to do, but most don’t. Many will have a general idea of the sorts of things they are good at - science, working with people, wanting something hands on, writing, but many will be good at many things and there will be no obvious path. The best thing to do is keep your options open and close as few doors as possible. Pick a school that is strong in many fields and see what strikes your fancy as you start taking courses. </p>
<p>My older son has known what he wanted to do since he was 7. He’s about to graduate and already has a job offer in the field. (Computer science.) My younger son had no idea what he wanted to do at 17, but at 18 as he started looking at colleges he got interested in the idea of majoring in international relations. He’s at a college that is very strong in IR, but has plenty of other good options if that doesn’t work out. I went to college thinking I’d major in history and literature and realized by the end of my freshman year I’d shoot myself if I didn’t spend more of my time doing hands on stuff. I ended up in a major called Visual and Environmental Studies which combined art, design, film and architectural history. I loved it. It wasn’t on my radar when I applied to college.</p>
<p>I have spent many years in school and working (11 years working) in engineering. I never liked it, but waited that long to switch. I am very happy that I did. I love what I do now.
It is very different from person to person. If you lucky, you will find your call sometime in your life, many never do. I feel very lucky and thankful. I have realized that I could havet stayed in engineering, since there were no quarantee that I would like something else. I just took a risk and it paid off. I would like to point out that it depends on personality. I did not switch because I was stressed out. I do not know what is being stressed out. So, that was not the reason. I like my current job in IT, because it is exciting to me. If you are not excited about what you do, I am not sure if it is worth doing for 8hrs/5days every week (or more, some of which is not even paid).</p>
<p>When I was a teen, I was exposed to very few “business” type of careers - I didn’t even know there were people who do what I’ve been doing for 25 years. I was a special ed major because I knew what a teacher was. I taught, didn’t love it, went to law school and it’s a good fit.</p>
<p>Here’s my advice:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I don’t have a clue about your financial situation, but choose a college that is affordable. Most of the merit money is for 8 semesters, and if you think it may take longer to find your passion (and graduate with a degree in it), opt for a school that can be afforded for 9 or 10 semesters. Plus, grad school may be in the cards and that has to be paid for, too.</p></li>
<li><p>Are you at least able to figure out whether you have a math/science preference or a humanities preference? Determining that would at least give you a direction in college. The thing that served me best in law school was strong writing skills.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Though there are some kids who do have a good idea as to what they want to study in college, most do not. And even those who knew and were sure, often change their minds. The best most kids can do is have a good idea of what they truly dislike and what interests them. I have a son who is very strong in math, for instance and that has been a subject he has disliked less than most of his other courses. When we looked at schools, I checked for the math offerings and how strong that department and related ones were. Another son was set on musical theater which was a narrowing factor, narrowed further by the fact that he wanted a university experience rather than a conservatory one. My latest does not like the liberal arts and is thinking about giving business a try.</p>
<p>My math kid has finally gravitated to the mathematics via political science, economics, statistics, math sciences and now mathematics. He took a run at some business too. By the time he was a junior, he had a better idea of what courses he like, what jobs he wanted to pursue and that defined his major. This is the sort of transition a lot of kids make. As long as you pick a college that has some leeway in courses and includes your interests, it usually works out.</p>
<p>Most schools want a major declaration by junior year and it is usually needed if you are going to get all of the needed advanced courses in a discipline in time to graduate in 4 years.</p>