Would you change your own major if you could go back?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As a parent, I will lety kid choose their major without trying to backseat drive. You get one shot at college, study what you want.

It's one thing to do that when college was cheap decades ago, but now college costs an insane amount of money, "study what you want" is frankly stupid.

But so is forcing your kid into a major they don't want-- they won't ever get the value out of it because they won't work hard at a career in a field they hate.

It has to be balanced. They can choose their major but need to have a reasonable plan for employment/career.

Or even worse, they will work hard at a career in a field they hate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I should have majored in English. I actually knew this from the start, but had it in my head (reinforced by my dad) that English degrees aren't useful and I would never get a job. Wound up changing my major from psychology to poli sci. I was young and dumb and getting bad advice-- there is nothing inherently more marketable about psychology or politics sci! I should have just done English (actually *gasp* Creative Writing) and figured it out. I would have been happy as a high school English teacher, and actually am English degree would have been fine for my eventual career (JD, law).

As a parent, I will lety kid choose their major without trying to backseat drive. You get one shot at college, study what you want.

English Lit is rigorous but creative writing not so much

[Anonymous]

I was an econ major, and I like the understanding of the world that comes with that.

I used to regret getting a PhD. My friends with MPPs seemed to have more interesting jobs. In the last 10 years, though, the flexibility has really come in handy. It's easier to work overseas with a PhD. I've also been able to segue into different subfields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As a parent, I will lety kid choose their major without trying to backseat drive. You get one shot at college, study what you want.

It's one thing to do that when college was cheap decades ago, but now college costs an insane amount of money, "study what you want" is frankly stupid.

But so is forcing your kid into a major they don't want-- they won't ever get the value out of it because they won't work hard at a career in a field they hate.

It has to be balanced. They can choose their major but need to have a reasonable plan for employment/career.

Speak for yourself. I'm eternally grateful my parents forced me into a field I hated (engineering). The money is unbeatable.

[Anonymous]

Econ major

If I went back, I would’ve majored in ag science with an econ minor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As a parent, I will lety kid choose their major without trying to backseat drive. You get one shot at college, study what you want.

It's one thing to do that when college was cheap decades ago, but now college costs an insane amount of money, "study what you want" is frankly stupid.

But so is forcing your kid into a major they don't want-- they won't ever get the value out of it because they won't work hard at a career in a field they hate.

It has to be balanced. They can choose their major but need to have a reasonable plan for employment/career.

Speak for yourself. I'm eternally grateful my parents forced me into a field I hated (engineering). The money is unbeatable.

But you realize how much you are in the minority, right?
Your parents succeeded in passing along their priorities, it sounds like. That doesn't always happen

[Anonymous]

Yes. Would have studied Insurance at Penn State rather than history at Princeton.

[Anonymous]

Nutrition. Great for personal interest, terrible for career. I should have done econ.

[Anonymous]

Eh, I go back and forth. I’ve often said if I’d known earlier I would switched from engineering to meteorology but I’ve no real regrets on finishing up with a BSCE (even though I’ve spent more of my career in IT). The foundational skills from that discipline set me up for lucrative, long stints in jobs I’ve loved. I am lucky enough to know a local meteorologist (who mostly has a staff to do the real work or consults with NOAA/NWS) and when I used to joke with them that they could be wrong…..a lot….and still keep their job — they reminded me the very best baseball hitters are only successful about a third of the time….and he NEVER has a “snow” day off. Touché!

Now, as our oldest heads to college, we are excited our non-STEMy kid nonetheless has chosen something technical enough to always be in need (and with $) yet still broad enough to have many, many options.

[Anonymous]

Did journalism. Would major in Econ now

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As a parent, I will lety kid choose their major without trying to backseat drive. You get one shot at college, study what you want.

It's one thing to do that when college was cheap decades ago, but now college costs an insane amount of money, "study what you want" is frankly stupid.

But so is forcing your kid into a major they don't want-- they won't ever get the value out of it because they won't work hard at a career in a field they hate.

It has to be balanced. They can choose their major but need to have a reasonable plan for employment/career.

Or even worse, they will work hard at a career in a field they hate

X10000

I will never (ever) understand the helicopters!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
As a parent, I will lety kid choose their major without trying to backseat drive. You get one shot at college, study what you want.

It's one thing to do that when college was cheap decades ago, but now college costs an insane amount of money, "study what you want" is frankly stupid.

But so is forcing your kid into a major they don't want-- they won't ever get the value out of it because they won't work hard at a career in a field they hate.

It has to be balanced. They can choose their major but need to have a reasonable plan for employment/career.

This 1000%!

If your kid wants to be a creative writing major, go for it. But also encourage them to get a minor in maybe business or marketing or digital design or something that will help hook them into a career path. And know going in that they simply have to do more work to find their jobs/career path. It won't drop into their lap like a MechEng major will

However, also know that you should not go into major debt for any degree but especially for one where the starting salary is not high. English majors might make $100K+, but not likely in first 5 years, so plan accordingly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nutrition. Great for personal interest, terrible for career. I should have done econ.

Why?

Maybe it’s where you went?

https://www.human.cornell.edu/dns/academics/undergraduate/majors/ns

This looks so much more interesting than being stuck in Econ at Cornell

[Anonymous]

I dropped Chemistry as a major due to failing a required class. I switched to business, but I didn't specialize. I ended up going back for my MBA, but I should have specialized in finance from the beginning.

[Anonymous]

Yes