A Question On Some Majors

[Ice_nine]

I shoulda been more sensitive because I did see your last thread. Mea culpa.

[PhuturePriest]

I shoulda been more sensitive because I did see your last thread. Mea culpa.

Don't worry about it. If me and my nine million threads were always fresh in your mind, that would be much more troubling than if you were calling me gay. ;)

[PhuturePriest]

So, sadly, there don't appear to be any jobs where they pay you to put chemicals together and watch them interact purely for the sport of it.

[EmilyAnn]

Chemistry involves a lot more math than people expect. 

 

Also remember that you have to study this subject for 4 years. While it's good to think about what you're gonna do with it after you graduate, you've also got to enjoy it. 

Edited July 15, 2013 by EmilyAnn

[CrossCuT]

My experience is in Biochemistry which is basically the love child of chemistry and biology. What sort of questions do you have about them?

[CrossCuT]

Chemistry involves a lot more math than people expect. 

 

Also remember that you have to study this subject for 4 years. While it's good to think about what you're gonna do with it after you graduate, you've also got to enjoy it. 

The chemistry classes themselves really dont...they dont generally go above basic calculus.

However the math gets trickier in that actual MATH classes that are required as part of a degree. You usually have to go up to Calc II and take Calc based physics which is the same thing as stabbing yourself in the face.

Edited July 15, 2013 by CrossCuT

[CrossCuT]

So, sadly, there don't appear to be any jobs where they pay you to put chemicals together and watch them interact purely for the sport of it.

 

Actually...You get work in a place that does chemical synthesis! Im not sure if that requires a chemistry degree or Chemical engineering degree...I think its chemistry but Im not positive. 

 

Ardillacid would be a good dude to ask...he is much more involved in the chemistry side than I am.

You can ask me anything biology related though! :)

 

 

Hurray for triple post!

Edited July 15, 2013 by CrossCuT

[Tufsoles]

Do a med major. Trust me, You'll never run out of jobs. But choose your med major wisely.

[Basilisa Marie]

So, I've been looking at majors and looking them up. However, the internet is pretty vague, and I'd like to hear from some people who have real experience with these majors. The majors I'm looking at are chemistry, biology, and civil engineering. I'd like to know what exactly you do with each of those majors, what kind of work I would be doing, how I would be doing that work specifically, etc.

 

Any help is appreciated.

 

One thing you can do is check out course requirements and descriptions for different majors at different colleges you're looking at. :)  Even the titles will give you a good idea of what's required.  

 

Chemistry and Bio are good if you want a career in the sciences, either preparing for medical school, doing research, or working for something like a drug company. Civil Engineering is stuff like building things for cities. 

 

Most people end up changing their major. It's hard to know if you can handle taking a million math and science classes until you do it.  My boyfriend thought he was going to be a history major and go into archeology, and now he has an MS in biomedical science and starting medical school today.  On the other hand, I always knew I wanted to go into theology, but picked up English and Philosophy minors along the way.  So you're not REALLY going to know until you get there, and that's not only normal but probably how it's supposed to be. :) All you really need is a general idea. 

[CrossCuT]

One thing you can do is check out course requirements and descriptions for different majors at different colleges you're looking at. :)  Even the titles will give you a good idea of what's required.  

 

Thats always a great way to start!

Just go to some college, click on their majors/minors section and pick one of the majors of your interest and just read all the classes that are required. See if those classes sound cool or not!

[ChristinaTherese]

I started as a Chem major and then got tired of it. But I do know that there are some jobs available without a grad degree, if you want that. But if you really love your subject I don't really see a problem with going on to grad school, so I wouldn't worry too much about that. Just make sure that you study something that you love and you'll probably be able to do something with it. Goodness, you might even be able to do something with underwater basket weaving if you wanted to badly enough. And like other people said, people change their majors all the time. You're sixteen, so I wouldn't worry too much. You'll be going in young, if money is no object it shouldn't be a problem if you have to take an extra year or two.

 

Also, if you're tied between majors I would recommend (and I'm just repeating the advice my mom always gives) that you start with the hardest one so that it's easier to switch than if you decide you want to switch to an easier major. Particularly if one major requires that you spend four years studying that subject in college (or do something crazy like taking organic chemistry and physical chemistry at the same time) and another major doesn't, I would start with the one in the first category.

[PhuturePriest]

Chemistry involves a lot more math than people expect. 

 

Also remember that you have to study this subject for 4 years. While it's good to think about what you're gonna do with it after you graduate, you've also got to enjoy it. 

 

I am only willing to clarify this one more time: I like math. Doing math is not a problem for me.

 

My experience is in Biochemistry which is basically the love child of chemistry and biology. What sort of questions do you have about them?

 

Well, I'd just like to know what kind of jobs you can get. Graduate school isn't an option, so I'm looking for careers you can get with an undergraduate degree.

 

One thing you can do is check out course requirements and descriptions for different majors at different colleges you're looking at. :)  Even the titles will give you a good idea of what's required.  

 

Chemistry and Bio are good if you want a career in the sciences, either preparing for medical school, doing research, or working for something like a drug company. Civil Engineering is stuff like building things for cities. 

 

Most people end up changing their major. It's hard to know if you can handle taking a million math and science classes until you do it.  My boyfriend thought he was going to be a history major and go into archeology, and now he has an MS in biomedical science and starting medical school today.  On the other hand, I always knew I wanted to go into theology, but picked up English and Philosophy minors along the way.  So you're not REALLY going to know until you get there, and that's not only normal but probably how it's supposed to be. :) All you really need is a general idea. 

 

As I mention above, graduate school isn't an option. That's why I'm looking at interesting majors that don't require it.

 

Okay, yeah. I definitely love science, so that peaks my interest a little bit. The problem is, nobody ever elaborates what "doing research" and "working for a drug company" entails, so I'm always left with a very vague idea of what those majors do. :P I at least have a pretty specific idea of what civil engineering does, which is why I'm so interested in it. I always swore I would never have anything to do with engineering, but I finally looked at it about a month ago and I actually found it interesting.

 

And yeah, exactly. That's another reason on why I'm looking at so many other majors. I'm only willing to look at majors relevant to the economy (In other words, majors that actually give you jobs, not to mention ones that pay), and so that's left me with looking at engineering and science-based majors. I know none of it will be easy, but since when was college supposed to be easy?

[EmilyAnn]

I am only willing to clarify this one more time: I like math. Doing math is not a problem for me.

 

I wasn't implying that you didn't, just that if you're not expecting math it can be a shock. 

Edited July 15, 2013 by EmilyAnn

[PhuturePriest]

I wasn't implying that you didn't but if you're not expecting it, it can be a shock. 

 

Oh, yeah. Pretty much anything with science involves a lot of math, even stuff like psychology. My sister wanted to go into therapy, but she didn't because it involved math. I don't want to let anything like that scare me out of something I genuinely want to do. So, chemistry might involve calculus II, and so might civil engineering (Possibly, I don't know. I know you have to do calculus I), but I'm not going to let that scare me out of looking into them and possibly majoring in them. After all, I've never even done calculus, so I can't take other peoples' word for it when they tell me it's impossible to do. But even if I do find it difficult, I'll work through it if I truly want to pursue a career like that. If I let certain subjects scare me out of doing something, I wouldn't have done school at all, as biology, chemistry and math scared the heck out of me. Now I love all three of those subjects.

[tinytherese]

Since you're still in high school you've got time to figure this out. I suggest taking calculus classes before college so you know what you're getting into. If I remember correctly, EagleEye on here who studied mechanical engineering said that Calculus II is really tough but Calculus III is easy. (I know that that isn't the type of engineering program you're looking into but he might have some insights from personal experience or from classmates who studied other forms of engineering.)

 

Before and during college, career counselors can be really helpful. Even if you don't plan on going to a community college, they'll offer to help you since they're public institutions.

 

An interesting book I read within the past year is "Career Wisdom for College Students: Insights You Won't Get in Class, on the Internet, or from Your Parents" by Peter Vogt. You can get it through an interlibrary loan.