Article For Those Picking A College Major

[Anastasia13]

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/12/14/tweak-your-major-transform-your-job-prospects/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl3|sec1_lnk3|119999

On picking a degree you are passionate about and can get a job with.

[OnlySunshine]

Thanks for posting.

Edited December 15, 2011 by MaterMisericordiae

[LaPetiteSoeur]

Unfortunately, I'm majoring in French.

I love it, I love the language, I'm good at it, and language is important for communication and understanding.

However, the people at my university quickly tell me "You do know you'll never find a job, right?"

Usually they are majoring in Psychology and don't want to go to grad school.

Edited December 15, 2011 by LaPetiteSoeur

[GregorMendel]

[url="http://graphicsweb.wsj.com/documents/NILF1111/#term=Science"]http://graphicsweb.wsj.com/documents/NILF1111/#term=Science[/url]

This report from the Wall Street Journal is the most complete I have come across yet.

Good luck to anyone making this decision, remember to pick a good one!

[Amppax]

Hmmmm... Theology, Philosophy, and History all have wonderful unemployment rates

[MissyP89]

I was lucky enough to get a job offer before graduation thanks to internships and being really persistent ... what I got is part-time. I don't make much.

But I'm doing what makes me happy. *shrug*

[Archaeology cat]

See, I don't think one should necessarily get a degree because of employment opportunities. I know that's a bit idealistic, but I didn't go into archaeology because of the job opportunities, but because I love it.

[penguin31]

I was always given the following advice, and I find it to be rather sound:

"For a college major, choose something that you enjoy, that you can make money doing. Don't just pick something that while you enjoy has *no* practical purpose - you can learn about it online or through books for far cheaper. At the same time, if you pick something profitable that you hate, you'll just wind up miserable and burned out."

Edited December 16, 2011 by penguin31

[MissScripture]

[quote name='penguin31' timestamp='1323999713' post='2351885']
I was always given the following advice, and I find it to be rather sound:

"For a college major, choose something that you enjoy, that you can make money doing. Don't just pick something that while you enjoy has *no* practical purpose - you can learn about it online or through books for far cheaper. At the same time, if you pick something profitable that you hate, you'll just wind up miserable and burned out."
[/quote]
Yes, I think there needs to be a balance between liking what you do and being able to earn enough to live on.

Then you end up with people like me, who get to the end of their schooling and discover they actually hate what they just put in 6-7 years of schooling for. I was blessed enough to get pregnant and have a husband who makes enough that I don't have to get a job, or I would be miserable beyond all reason. I totally thought it was going to be the sort of thing I would love to do when I started. It just didn't turn out that way...

[Little Flower]

So I want to do one of two things: go to Christendom and major in Theology, or go to the local college (or anywhere that can give me scholarship money) and major in computer engineering or some kind of engineering.

you cant make any money period pretty much as a theology major

plus i like programming

so i think im gonna go with the computer engineering major

[arfink]

[quote name='Amppax' timestamp='1323973863' post='2351728']
Hmmmm... Theology, Philosophy, and History all have wonderful unemployment rates
[/quote]

Too bad I went to seminary, and now I got a degree in Philosophy and no money to "do over." And nobody wants to help former seminarians, cuz "he's not going to be a priest now, so dangit we won't give any money to him!"

Edited December 16, 2011 by arfink

[Anastasia13]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1324007692' post='2351963']

Too bad I went to seminary, and now I got a degree in Philosophy and no money to "do over." And nobody wants to help former seminarians, cuz "he's not going to be a priest now, so dangit we won't give any money to him!"
[/quote]
If I were you, would look for fellowship/teaching assistantship/research assistantship offering PhD programs in something that is in some way related but also gives more practical knowledge. Otherwise, I would go with community college coursework.

[TheresaThoma]

All I have to say is IDP, individualized degree programs. You can really tailor your degree to meet your needs. I'm officially majoring in Aerospace Physics. I get to take advantage of an amesome Aviation program but mix in a good dose of physics (including some of the really weird stuff). And yes people do get hired with this degree.

Edited December 16, 2011 by TheresaThoma

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='penguin31' timestamp='1323999713' post='2351885']I was always given the following advice, and I find it to be rather sound:

"For a college major, choose something that you enjoy, that you can make money doing. Don't just pick something that while you enjoy has *no* practical purpose - you can learn about it online or through books for far cheaper. At the same time, if you pick something profitable that you hate, you'll just wind up miserable and burned out."[/quote]Couldn't have studied under Ian Shaw for free, though.

[AccountDeleted]

A lot of times people choose a major that will get them a good job today but in the future things change. there will be jobs in the future that haven't even been thought of yet, and you might not even know you would love to do that.

When I was young, there were no computers so I became a nurse. As a mature age student I went back to college and studied IT Education because I fell in love with computers. I had no idea that they were going to be invented though when I was young!

Do what you you are good at ...the use transferable skills later if you need to change careers! Be flexible.