<p>Hello everyone, I was reading your posts regarding Classics under the thread: "don't get no respect." Some were informative and some were not. Classical studies are important. I have been studying Classics for 1 year now and it is nothing short of spectacular what these studies can do for you with regard to academic rigor and expansion of mind. I went from being an OK thinker and writer from a public college to being accepted at Columbia University this Fall. I attribute this achievement solely on my newly acquired and more profound ability of textual analysis, which was attained while studying Latin. The classics strenghtens your thought process and makes you a better writer without a doubt. In essence, learning Latin and Greek will demystify English grammar and illuminate the bedrock of most contemporary study: philosophy, law, politics, poetry, etc... </p>
<p>Lastly and ultimately, I would like someone's opinion on double-majoring. I want to incorporate Economics into my curriculum. Do you think that would be overkill? I have a sincere interest in social science but I'm kind of worried it might be too much. Is there anyone out there double-majoring in Classics and some kind of science?</p>
<p>well as i see it, the classics arent too helpful with job placement and all, nor do they exactly look super impressive to top grad schools.
But i do believe that the study of the classics can be incredibly useful in greatly sharpening english language skills and historical appreciation and understanding.</p>
<p>Seriously, who cares about how great it is in the job world. That is why people go to grad school.<br>
I personally think that people should always major in liberal arts/ esp a language because it helps you not only become smarter, but a more useful person who will be able to affect the world better through great communication skills.</p>
<p>Many majors give you knowledge, but only few like classics and other liberal arts majors can give you great, useable life skills.</p>
<p>So yeah, classics major, good for you. Congrats on becoming a more helpful and a sharper person.
I plan on majoring in EAS (specifically japanese) so that i can do the same.
It can not only help me communicate with more people and do specific things i want to do, but it will help advance my overall communication by contrasting difference between languages so that i can better use to learn my mother tongue English.</p>
<p>I definitely don't understand your statement about "nor do they exactly look super impressive to top grad schools." </p>
<p>If you mean PhD programs...wouldn't Classics programs only/largely be looking at Classics majors? I don't think a Chemistry PhD program would like a Classics major, but I don't think a Classics program would like a Chemistry major either.</p>
<p>If you mean Law and Med school, then I would have to strongly disagree. Well, ok, maybe Med schools wouldn't <em>love</em> it, though if you had all the med school prereqs--why not? Many suggest budding doctors should learn latin, or order to help them with medical terminology. And for law school, I believe classics is absolutely one of the best things you can choose. The analytical thinking and vocabulary assistance learning a translating latin and ancient greek would give you, would most certainly help one on the LSAT and in writing.</p>
<p>No, perhaps one cannot get a whole lot of jobs directly out of undergrad with a classics major...but not that many, if any fewer than could most undergraduate degrees. In terms of moving on to grad or professional school, I think they still have a lot open to them. One thing I will concede: PhD admission, and then academic job placement is brutal, because so many who study classics do choose to remain in academia.</p>
<p>nonono. What i mean, is it is not like grad officers go, "oh this guy is a classics major. He must be a genius". Generally speaking, language based majors arent usually regarded as difficult majors (usually on the lower end of dificulty), but they wont hold it against you, and if you are applying for any type of classics grad program, or history grad program, it will definitely help you.</p>
<p>Language majors arent usually regarded as difficult majors?</p>
<p>I would have to disagree with that statement. Last semester I took organic chemistry and ancient greek. Ancient greek was so much harder than orgo!!!! I respect all classics majors.</p>
<p>Classics is a great program of study because it really teaches you to think--analyze, reason, write properly, communicate effectively. I've also heard that it is a great major/minor for someone going into law school. </p>
<p>And I'm curious: If you're looking at someone's resume, which major would make you say, "Hey, he (she!) must be a genius!" ?</p>
<p>mainly just super tough science/engineering majors.
Not that any major is easy at top schools, but the general impression i get from people who do language majors say that it isnt that hard compared to what their friends have to do. Generally speaking, people i know who do language majors arent bogged down with as much homework as some of their peers in tougher majors. </p>
<p>Although i personally think that most all liberal arts majors are good for business grad school, as well as law and liberal arts. Liberal arts majors teach you how to think. </p>
<p>Anyway, what do i really know? Im just seventeen, so all i can do as of now is spew back oppinions and conversations i have read, or been involved in.
I dont have first hand experience yet, so when i do, my oppinion will probably be more valid. (i plan on Majoring in EAS (mainly japanese)) so maybe my oppinion will be more valid then.</p>
<p>Big - Super tough science/engineering majors!? Give me a break. At the undergrad level, all you have to do is survive a couple semesters of calc. plus maybe linear algebra. I CREAMED that 30 years ago for Comp. Sci. (Back when Comp. Sci. was a REAL Engineering field, not the vocational major it is now.) You might spend a couple hours Sunday afternoon doing problem sets, but you'll spend those same hours EVERY DAY working through Greek.</p>
<p>Classics is generally considered to be one of the "hardest" undergraduate majors. That's why it is almost universally considered to be the best preparation for law school. </p>
<p>If you're not into that, but still on the grad school track, you've got med. and ancient history, several varieties of archaeology, Classics (obviously) Divinity, Art History, museum studies... its a GREAT major. Oh, and if you're into finance, I can tell you that the owner of at least one propriety trading company on the CBOE has a PhD in Classics - I got a development job there (back in the go-go 90's) in part because I knew the jokes Caesar's troops told when he triumphed!</p>
<p>Anyhow...</p>
<p>Anyone who tells you that language majors (ancient or modern) don't have as much work to do as other majors is completely full of it!</p>
<p>Check back in once you've had some upper level Japanese classes!</p>
<p>Bear in mind that in addition to TWO languages and the literature thereof (and I don't know about Latin, but ancient Greek is not a walk in the park), a Classics major also calls for students to analyze material related to history, philosophy, religion, political science, art history, theater, athletics, anthropology, and the earliest days of science. It's far from just a language major.</p>
<p>In re-reading that post this morning, it came off a lot meaner sounding than I meant it to. My only excuse is that Mondays are meeting days where I work, and I'd just got home after a particularly long and unproductive day of 'em.</p>
<p>So, sorry for the tone! It wasn't really me typing!</p>