What was your college major . . . what are you doing now . . . and what's your DC's college major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if your objective is to see whether the majors of parents and their current occupations offer any sort of guidance as to the prospects for majors children choose, there is a fundamental flaw in your approach.

Basically, with the changing job environment, certain majors that may have been viable in terms of job prospects in years gone by may have limited prospects today.

I'm guessing OP, and most other posters, know this.

My major: American Studies
DH's major: Government
we're both lawyers
1 kid graduated from college, and majored in applied math; 2nd kid currently in college, majoring in engineering; 3rd kid is a HS senior, applying to engineering programs

My response when someone tells me his/her kid is majoring in English is always "That's great! You know, there are plenty of jobs out there for English majors who have the right skills.", and I really believe this, but I'm sure I sound like a total hypocrite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know, basically 3 questions for the price of one . . . just engaged in a dialogue with DC, DH, and others about prospective college majors, and I am curious about the answers to the above.

My major was English and I own a marketing company. My children have gotten degrees in American Studies, Criminology, and Computer Science (3 kids). My youngest child will major in Biology.

[Anonymous]

I was a government major and DH majored in English. We both became lawyers, although I've since switched careers and am now a psychologist. We are the perfect example of people whose majors didn't matter because we went on for advanced degrees to specialize in our fields.

DD is majoring in bioengineering and is interviewing for engineering consulting jobs at the moment. DS is majoring in economics but is only a freshman, so too early to tell about career plans yet. I definitely think they are making more targeted education choices than DH and I did at their ages.

[Anonymous]

me: engineering / IT
DH: business / IT

kids still in HS:
DS: leaning towards STEM
DD: leaning towards biology/pre-med

[Anonymous]

My kids aren't old enough so I'll answer for myself and my parents... which might be pretty interesting for you all too. How times have changed...

Mom: education (teacher)
Dad: education (IT)
Me: art (designer)

[Anonymous]

Major: Visual Design, Minor: Computer Sciences
Graphic designer specialized in Motion Graphics, Movie Animations and character development for video games.

[Anonymous]

Communications and marketing or some soft shit like that. I was modeling and acting then, and never needed my degree for work.

One kid is in med school and double-majored in biology and music.

The other kid is double-majoring in communication and Italian, but taking a lot of psych courses. She's wanyed to be a lawyer or a vet for over ten years. We'll see where she winds up.

[Anonymous]

DH: engineering major works as an engineer
Me: Economic/statistics major worked as a healthcare underwriter, now SAHP

Kids are in HS
DS1: currently applying to engineering schools
DS2: science leans towards physics and biology/ecology trying to find a major that incorporates both, does well in chemistry but it doesn't float his boat

[Anonymous]

me - undergrad - Chemistry, masters - accounting; work as a financial analyst
DW - accounting, Tax CPA
DD - would like to be a vet so probably something like Biology or Zoology

[Anonymous]

I was not a statistics, sociology, psychology, or philisophy major.

Can someone digest all of the prior posts and let me know if there are any patterns or fundamental truths emerging?

[Anonymous]

Me--history, JD, very part-time lawyer while SAHM
Husband--history, JD, lawyer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was not a statistics, sociology, psychology, or philisophy major.

Can someone digest all of the prior posts and let me know if there are any patterns or fundamental truths emerging?

one truth - at one time you could get a liberal arts degree and then pursue a JD and you'd be ok. Try that now and you'd be shit out of luck...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was not a statistics, sociology, psychology, or philisophy major.

Can someone digest all of the prior posts and let me know if there are any patterns or fundamental truths emerging?

one truth - at one time you could get a liberal arts degree and then pursue a JD and you'd be ok. Try that now and you'd be shit out of luck...

Yep -- how many of us erstwhile English/History/Government majors now practicing law are encouraging our kids to go to law school? Not many, I'll bet -- or at least not many of us whose children have any affinity for STEM fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was not a statistics, sociology, psychology, or philisophy major.

Can someone digest all of the prior posts and let me know if there are any patterns or fundamental truths emerging?

one truth - at one time you could get a liberal arts degree and then pursue a JD and you'd be ok. Try that now and you'd be shit out of luck...

Yep -- how many of us erstwhile English/History/Government majors now practicing law are encouraging our kids to go to law school? Not many, I'll bet -- or at least not many of us whose children have any affinity for STEM fields.

So what are the "pre-law" majors these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH: engineering major works as an engineer
Me: Economic/statistics major worked as a healthcare underwriter, now SAHP

Kids are in HS
DS1: currently applying to engineering schools
DS2: science leans towards physics and biology/ecology trying to find a major that incorporates both, does well in chemistry but it doesn't float his boat

Sounds like environmental science or something similar (my school had quite a few variations on this) would work for your DS2.