Advice for a high school grad on selecting a major?

[Naer]

Skip college. Suck the gov tit while learning online

 

[NoTine42]

I'd say look towards technical writing and HR-type careers if those are her interests.

If she insists on her initial choices her only schooling options are a community college + in state or a full scholarship somewhere else.

 

[mmntech]

This. We are getting drastically short on skilled trades people. The plumbers and HVAC techs I work with are knocking on six figures these days.

It's a shame the education system actively discourages it. Or at least it did when I was in high school here in Ontario. Joke is that those guys are out making $40+/hr while college educated kids are lucky to be making half that, if they can even find a job at all.

 

[DrPizza]

Really? I would think that an English degree would get her into one of the few English-degree-oriented jobs or a lower level generalist job such as admin assistant. I don't think it would have any chance of getting her into even an entry-level specialized job unless she already had a lot of relevant real-world job experience to make up for it.

I think some studies showed that English majors had a tougher time getting their foot in the door, and a lower initial salary, but they experienced excellent job growth and pretty decent mid career median salaries.

English degree would easily get her into teaching. Teaching is still a profession that will hire without prior experience. Hell, my sister who has a Biology degree almost accepted a teaching position in a HS. She does database administration at a hospital instead.

I know a lot of people who have English degrees and certifications to teach English in NY, where they have higher standards than most states for certification. And, some of them have done extensive long term subbing. It's very difficult for them to find jobs; it's getting very difficult to find jobs as budgets are being slashed in many states, teachers with experience are getting laid off, etc. If someone wanted to get a degree to teach history or English today, I'd tell them, "you're nuts. Good luck." (And, I still love my job as a teacher.)

This. We are getting drastically short on skilled trades people. The plumbers and HVAC techs I work with are knocking on six figures these days.

This is very true, but you have to be willing to work with your hands. If she enjoys things like psychology or English - go for it - IF she's going to be in the top 10% in her college class.

 

[OverVolt]

Something STEM related. Stay away from the liberal arts degrees.

The stem shortage is more of a myth. Take antibiotic resistance for example. Pfizer who brought penicillin to market and was a leader of antibiotic research axed the whole department with 70 years of experience developing antibiotics. So all those biochemistry, organic chemistry, etc. Phds are sloshing around in the job market chasing $30k a year jobs that dwindle by the day as they ship them to India. Thats the truth of the matter in much of the core sciences.

STEM really just means computer science and engineering. And engineering has something like a 17% graduation rate. You have to excel at math. Top 70%ile with lots of effort, or top 90%ile with still lots of effort.

I think any university program can lead to a good job if the program itself is solid and companies are interested in its graduates. The more exclusive, the smaller the classes, the more hands on stuff you can put on your resume etc. The better.

 

[OverVolt]

Why would you need more English in college, I already speak English.

 

[Kaido]

One if my uncle's daughters is a sophomore and high school and needs advice on what classes and majors to start focusing on.

For me, I've always enjoyed technical pursuits, but then again I'm a guy and I naturally enjoy such things.

My uncle's daughter CAN do the technical stuff competently but she doesn't necessarily enjoy it. She enjoys writing, history, and psychology.

It's easy for me to say, "sorry, those majors are worthless and you'll have a hard time finding a job with them - buck up and do it even if you don't enjoy it", but I'm wondering if there are any non-technical/medical majors that can still find good work? Even something like finance can be very technical.

Dunno, just trying to offer her some advice.

It's difficult to pick what you want to do for the rest of your life in high school, where you have zero experience actually doing anything in the real world. For starters, all jobs are the same: it boils down to work. Some are indoors, some are outdoors, some are in the office & some involve travel, some are fun and some are boring. But work is work. The first thing to decide on is what kind of attitude you want to have about it. You can be mopey or happy no matter what job you have. I've seen people in minimum wage jobs with a super happy attitude & I've seen people making a quarter million a year who are miserable beyond belief.

I think you get a bit brainwashed in high school that there's one magical job out there that will make you happy. For starters, there is no magic job, there are many jobs that you can really enjoy. Plus again, it boils down to attitude. You can be happy doing anything if you decide to be, and no one is holding a gun to your head if you don't like your job. Just look at your own career path (assuming you're still doing traveling photography) - it's nonstandard, but you seem to have an awful lot of fun doing it.

My advice would be to look past college & classes and focus instead on a career as an end goal, instead of majors & minors. In the real world, companies are looking for talented, motivated kids that they can train & put to work for the benefit of their growth as a business. If you take 50 random classes, you're not going to be of much use to anyone. So rather than course shopping, have her do some career shopping. She already knows she likes writing, history, and psychology...now she just needs to research jobs that combines those things, and look into whether or not she'd actually like doing them.

I wanted to be an artist growing up. Then I learned it's hard to make money, the money can be intermittent, and unless you get super famous, it's hard to really make a good living at it. I later got into computers, found out it's a well-paying job if you amp up your skill set, and really enjoy what I do these days. I wish I had explored the jobs a little bit more when I was in high school because I could have saved myself a lot of time & money preparing for a career. Obviously hindsight is 20/20 & it's hard to know what you'll want to do in the future, but if she already kind of has a sense of what she likes, then pair that up with some careers & have her go talk to some people in those careers - people love to talk about their jobs & most are willing to share and even do a follow-along if you ask.

In a nutshell, have her look for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow - what's the plan once she graduates college? What is she going to do work-wise for the subsequent 40 years? Basically reverse-engineer it: look at jobs, pick one, and design a program around that so you can smoothly transition into it. That's what I would do if I could do it all over again. I didn't do that until college, when I started taking internships at computer places.

 

[OverVolt]

Go to work, look at a computer screen. Come home... look at a computer screen.

Nope nope nope nope nope.

 

[videogames101]

Gonna be honest here. If she's going to be moderately attractive, go for a real accounting degree (not an associate's in business or some bullshit). Otherwise, engineering. Either way she'll be looking at plenty of jobs after graduation.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Tell her to write down a list of jobs that interest her and try to match a single major with as many as possible.

1. Remind her that tech careers often earn more $
2. Tell her people aren't born knowing math and science. If she doesn't get it, she CAN put in the time to learn it if secondary education failed her.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Hmm, for a technical use of English and Psychology: user interface design?

Tell her to write down a list of jobs that interest her and try to match a single major with as many as possible.

Good idea. Try to find 2-3 majors that would help with getting into careers that seem interesting.

She can also pick up booklets (or view online?) the courses required for each major, look at the syllabus for a course and the required textbooks, look at the textbooks themselves. Preview the major before starting it.

 

[Strk]

I think all this advice on telling her to take a major she may hate is a terrible idea. I think just being realistic on the job/pay makes sense.

As for medical, does she actually have an interest in it? You mentioned it, but didn't say she liked it or not. There are plenty of jobs there that pay well. Physical therapists, nursing, occupational therapists and the list goes on quite a bit and they all pay quite well (a few can also do better than your engineering degrees).

 

[MongGrel]

Business.

Become a CEO.

 

[soulcougher73]

If it's not a real degree I probably wouldn't bother. Engineering /science /technical/accounting /law/medical.

 

[Rakehellion]

One if my uncle's daughters is a sophomore and high school and needs advice on what classes and majors to start focusing on.

For me, I've always enjoyed technical pursuits, but then again I'm a guy and I naturally enjoy such things.

My uncle's daughter CAN do the technical stuff competently but she doesn't necessarily enjoy it. She enjoys writing, history, and psychology.

It's easy for me to say, "sorry, those majors are worthless and you'll have a hard time finding a job with them - buck up and do it even if you don't enjoy it", but I'm wondering if there are any non-technical/medical majors that can still find good work? Even something like finance can be very technical.

Dunno, just trying to offer her some advice.

Writing. Journalist, copywriter, editor, teacher.

Psychology and history won't get you anywhere until you have your PhD.

 

[Obsy]

What does she think of lindy dancing?

 

[Matthiasa]

People focus on pushing her to do things she doesn't like due to money reasons yet ignore the fact that psychologists make more than anything listed by a not so small amount.
For AP classes the best bet it to take as many as the she has time to take due it to making the application look better.

 

[Ruptga]

I think all this advice on telling her to take a major she may hate is a terrible idea. I think just being realistic on the job/pay makes sense.

Yes, but... it's very possible to like the work your major qualifies you for and hate your college courses, and vice versa. Academia have it in their heads that "college isn't supposed to teach you how to do your job, college is supposed to teach you how to think." There's a measure of truth to that, but ultimately it means a lot of degrees boil down to 50% bullshit, 25% useful but not entirely relevant info, and 25% what you went to college to learn in the first place. It's basically a given that she will have to deal with a lot of classes that she hates or just doesn't care about, regardless of what major or school she chooses.

Realistically, I would recommend that nobody go to college unless they're very sure it's what they want. A degree is just one way of getting a good job, and it isn't even a guarantee. Depending on what kind of work they want to do, how much pressure they're comfortable with, and how much money they need to be content, there may be other good options.

 

[finglobes]

Chinese

 

[ultimatebob]

I'd go for a Marketing degree, since that contains aspects of Writing and Psychology in a business degree with some actual earning power.

It works even better if she's attractive, since then she can do sales as well.

 

[inachu]

One if my uncle's daughters is a sophomore and high school and needs advice on what classes and majors to start focusing on.

For me, I've always enjoyed technical pursuits, but then again I'm a guy and I naturally enjoy such things.

My uncle's daughter CAN do the technical stuff competently but she doesn't necessarily enjoy it. She enjoys writing, history, and psychology.

It's easy for me to say, "sorry, those majors are worthless and you'll have a hard time finding a job with them - buck up and do it even if you don't enjoy it", but I'm wondering if there are any non-technical/medical majors that can still find good work? Even something like finance can be very technical.

Dunno, just trying to offer her some advice.

Do what you love. Do what you desire. If you make money from it then it is not a job. It then becomes a hobby that you make money from.

 

[Uppsala9496]

I have a history degree......and work in the insurance industry.

 

[OverVolt]

Dart board with randomly generated majors?

 

[Sonikku]

Just avoid the Liberal Arts degrees and you're in the clear. :thumbsup:

ha ha, just kidding. You seriously need to make money and there isn't much left that does that. Engineering/trades/medical. Pick one. Even Registered Nurses are in high demand.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

High school? Whatever she likes and has an interest in.