How Did You Choose Your Undergrad Degree?

[Archaeology cat]

I love archaeology, and at the time thought I would pursue it as a career. Even went so far as to get my MAand start the PhD. Then I realised that what I actually wanted was to be a very well-educated, geeky, SAHM.

[Micah]

Funny story.. Before entering I decided to be either a doctor or professor. Completed first two years in biology, was taken along with some student archaeologists at a research dig for 9 weeks and decided to switch over to the social sciences. Job opportunities in archaeology were pretty much nill so I ended up in the closest academic field, history, which ironically also has few job opportunities. So Ill be going to grad school for sure.

[Archaeology cat]

It is difficult to get field jobs in archaeology (and with a bad knee, wasn't a good idea, though I did dig for a few years). To dig, you either do CRM work, or are affiliated with a university or museum. So I knew I'd have to do grad school, and had planned on working in academia.

[tnavarro61]

i am not yet working. i have units in Industrial Psyhcology and I am pursuing a degree in Legal Management. When asked why I chose management, I close my eyes, and think. I then open my eyes and say, "I don't know." -> me

Edited September 19, 2010 by tnavarro61

[icelandic_iceskater]

[quote name='mcts' timestamp='1284858160' post='2174411']
You could study the art of toll-booth working
[/quote]
will you be the janitor for my booth?


So undergrad degree typically doesn't matter as much as GPA and grad degree?

My GPA is ok, at least thus far, but my school's name isn't very well known outside of or even within the catholic world. I'm a bit worried about that.

I have my majors narrowed down to a few options, but I don't want to chose the wrong thing and have to start over. I've decide to go into something I love (either a theo major or a theo minor coupled with as many philosophy courses I can fit in, as my school doesn't have an official phil degree) and something useful-ish (either psychology, communications, or literature.)

Career wise, if I used the "something I love" I would aim for either working for the church as a DRE or youth minister, or getting a masters in theo and teaching high-school. With psych, I likely go for a masters in counseling and try to be a high-school guidance counselor. With communications, journalism would be my goal, and with literature I would teach. But, I don't know. Nothing really seems like "aha! That's what I was made for." Hmm deedle dum...

Thanks for sharing your stories--keep them coming! I had no idea archeology and zoology were such popular degrees. Phatmassers are so cool

[MissScripture]

[quote name='icelandic_iceskater' timestamp='1284910658' post='2174561']
will you be the janitor for my booth?


So undergrad degree typically doesn't matter as much as GPA and grad degree?

My GPA is ok, at least thus far, but my school's name isn't very well known outside of or even within the catholic world. I'm a bit worried about that.

I have my majors narrowed down to a few options, but I don't want to chose the wrong thing and have to start over. I've decide to go into something I love (either a theo major or a theo minor coupled with as many philosophy courses I can fit in, as my school doesn't have an official phil degree) and something useful-ish (either psychology, communications, or literature.)

Career wise, if I used the "something I love" I would aim for either working for the church as a DRE or youth minister, or getting a masters in theo and teaching high-school. With psych, I likely go for a masters in counseling and try to be a high-school guidance counselor. With communications, journalism would be my goal, and with literature I would teach. But, I don't know. Nothing really seems like "aha! That's what I was made for." Hmm deedle dum...

Thanks for sharing your stories--keep them coming! I had no idea archeology and zoology were such popular degrees. Phatmassers are so cool
[/quote]

If you want to go to grad school, it may matter what your undergrad degree is to some extent, but mainly, you'd just need to be sure to take the pre-req classes for whatever you wanted to do in grad school. (I mean, I know of doctors who majored in music, and still got into med school. They just needed to take all the biologies and whatnot to be able to get in). Also, I'm not entirely sure how much GPA matters if you're planning on getting a job straight away, basically because I didn't do that, so I have no idea. I think that would sort of depend on what job you're trying to get. But when it comes to grad school, GPA is pretty much vital for most things. But that has exceptions, too, and that really depends on how competitive the grad program you're trying to get into is.

[Maggyie]

Do a major where you can be pretty sure you'll be able to get a good job when you're finished. You will thank yourself. I've seen it a million times, it's all "lah-di-dah do what you love" in college but it can't last forever... and then your loans come due. I made this mistake myself! I wish we could go back to the days when college was just about attaining wisdom (not necessarily "knowledge") but we've been dealing with almost double digit unemployment for almost three years. So be careful.

[little_miss_late]

I majored in Creative Writing. There were more jobs out there for me than I'd expected. If you can write well, you will be valuable to many employers. The hard part was selling myself to the first company, but I think even people with more "sensible" majors can have trouble getting started.

[Fragments]

I'm in the UK, I am going to be studying Physics at university.

I loved the subject and coupled with a British lack of physicists let me be sure that it was going to be an enjoyable and sensible choice.

[incarnatewordsister]

It chose me. I decided to first take all the obvious classes, math, sience, history, etyc. And I took a Spanish Literature, Golden Age Literature that I loved!
I knew I had to be a Spanish Literature major. Then the Translation Studies followed.

I graduated wityh a major in Spanish Literature and a minor in Translation Studies. Later I got a Social Work AA and a Translation Studies AA. I do more translation than I read Litwerature, but I love what I studied.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='little_miss_late' timestamp='1284918323' post='2174607']
I majored in Creative Writing. There were more jobs out there for me than I'd expected. If you can write well, you will be valuable to many employers. The hard part was selling myself to the first company, but I think even people with more "sensible" majors can have trouble getting started.
[/quote]

This is what I am seriously considering. I want to major in music but I am so close to transferring to the university and I doubt I will graduate from beginner level on the flute to advanced in that time (less than a year). Someone suggested I major in English and minor in Music, which I thought of and it seems like a really good idea. I want to be a writer and a musician. I love playing my flute and I practice all the time. But I was also looking at the poetry I've written over the years and I have really been encouraged to continue to develop my skill and talent and be a professional poet. I also think it would be really interesting to learn how to write fiction. Agatha Christie and Louisa May Alcott are two of my favorite writers. Both are very different, but I enjoy reading them both because of their creativity in their books.

[Vincent Vega]

There is no undergraduate degree in what I want to do, so I picked something that would provide a good common basis and that would also serve as a versatile fall-back should my plans change/I can't get into a PhD programme directly after getting my Masters/I need to earn some money first/etc.

[Vincent Vega]

There is no undergraduate degree in what I want to do, so I picked something that would provide a good common basis and that would also serve as a versatile fall-back should my plans change/I can't get into a PhD programme directly after getting my Masters/I need to earn some money first/etc.

[MIKolbe]

[quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1284859473' post='2174429']
why are you calling yourself fat?
[/quote]

[ThePenciledOne]

1) How did you decide what you're undergrad degree was?

Well, currently I am an English: Writing Concentration/Philosophy double major. I love writing, and from what people tell me I am not half bad at it either. So, I had to follow into a passion of mine, since that's really all I could dream doing. I mean, sure you can follow what will 'make money' but I think personally as Catholics we should be looking at a larger picture than that merely.

You have to do something in which you have gifts for or are passionate about, though that is just my perspective. The Philosophy got tacked on last semester as I grew drawn to it, since it really is a great thing to know and really everyone should take at least three philosophy classes, since it really teaches you how to think. Anyway, I am still in undergrad of course.

2) How did this fit into your career?

I am really hoping to be able to write as an author professionally, which sure is a pipe dream maybe, but I am still revising my novel currently. Otherwise, I would love to be a professor of either Creative Writing or Philosophy (maybe both). So, my plans for now is to go to grad school and hopefully get my PH.D. Though that is all up in the air as well, though I am fully aware the Lord has a plan for it. I mean, I wouldn't be here at Franciscan. Sometimes, you just have to leave it up to Him.