What major/career direction to steer my DD in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any kind of engineering. They make good money right off the bat with only a bachelors.

Something that interests me is computer forensics. Pulling data off computers for use in criminal investigations. Like the recent FBI fight with Apple over the the mass shooters' phones.

Why in the world would you suggest engineering when there was no mention that the girl was interested in STEM?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's got great test scores.

She has high grades, mostly As and a B or two, but mostly because she works hard and studies and not because of a particular talent in a subject area.

She likes working with young kids. She babysits and volunteers with infants and toddlers.

She's creative.

She likes to problem solve and is good with a routine.


Her guidance counselor is no help- just told her to take a general studies degree.

We don't have a ton of money, she will have to take out some loans, so it would be good if she could graduate with a career and not have to go to grad school right away to make money.

Pediatric nursing

Pay is decent with a bachelors. Pay is terrific if you obtain graduate level education. If she wants to have kids and SAHM for a bit, the field is very flexible with that and it won't harm her at all. Travel opportunities are terrific.

Uh hallo. Its not 1950. She can be a pediatric doctor if she wants to.

Nursing is a different career from doctor. Not a lessor one, a different one. It's not an insult to suggest nursing as a career option.

Sadly its a vastly lesser career in terms of how she would be treated, how far she could be promoted, how involved in clinical work she could become and ultimately how much she would earn. I know, my grandmother who SHOULD have trained as a doctor but spent her life as a nurse (trained in the 1940s). Much as I applaud ALL nursing personnel, telling them they are as important or as "good" as the doctors is just blowing smoke up their asses.

You don't understand nursing at all. We are not lesser versions of doctors. They are different, but related fields. Nursing involves much more generalist care, patient teaching, and case management. Doctors are specialists with deeper s p specialty knowledge. Doctors diagnose and prescribe. Nurses assess and treat.

+1 My sister is a nurse and had wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. As a top student in HS she was constantly pressured to be a dr. because why should such a smart girl "just" be a nurse. She finally caved to the pressure and did a couple semesters pre-med before finally reasserting her own desires and switched back to nursing, which she still loves after working in the field for 25+ years. She has a master's degree and makes a good salary as a clinical nurse specialist and a teacher.

For someone interested a field where you are working directly with children, plus making a good salary, not needing to go into massive amount of debt to pay for school, and having a variety of flexible options for work hours, pediatric nursing is an excellent suggestion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any kind of engineering. They make good money right off the bat with only a bachelors.

Something that interests me is computer forensics. Pulling data off computers for use in criminal investigations. Like the recent FBI fight with Apple over the the mass shooters' phones.

Engineer here. 60 hour weeks are the norm. Outsourcing and age discrimination is huge. She better really like engineering b/c most people do it b/c they are engineering & science nerds, and most are from lower to middle income families who don't really know which fields make good money nor have the means to pay for Med or law school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's got great test scores.

She has high grades, mostly As and a B or two, but mostly because she works hard and studies and not because of a particular talent in a subject area.

She likes working with young kids. She babysits and volunteers with infants and toddlers.

She's creative.

She likes to problem solve and is good with a routine.


Her guidance counselor is no help- just told her to take a general studies degree.

We don't have a ton of money, she will have to take out some loans, so it would be good if she could graduate with a career and not have to go to grad school right away to make money.

Pediatric nursing

Pay is decent with a bachelors. Pay is terrific if you obtain graduate level education. If she wants to have kids and SAHM for a bit, the field is very flexible with that and it won't harm her at all. Travel opportunities are terrific.

Uh hallo. Its not 1950. She can be a pediatric doctor if she wants to.

Nursing is a different career from doctor. Not a lessor one, a different one. It's not an insult to suggest nursing as a career option.

Sadly its a vastly lesser career in terms of how she would be treated, how far she could be promoted, how involved in clinical work she could become and ultimately how much she would earn. I know, my grandmother who SHOULD have trained as a doctor but spent her life as a nurse (trained in the 1940s). Much as I applaud ALL nursing personnel, telling them they are as important or as "good" as the doctors is just blowing smoke up their asses.

You don't understand nursing at all. We are not lesser versions of doctors. They are different, but related fields. Nursing involves much more generalist care, patient teaching, and case management. Doctors are specialists with deeper s p specialty knowledge. Doctors diagnose and prescribe. Nurses assess and treat.

+1 My sister is a nurse and had wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. As a top student in HS she was constantly pressured to be a dr. because why should such a smart girl "just" be a nurse. She finally caved to the pressure and did a couple semesters pre-med before finally reasserting her own desires and switched back to nursing, which she still loves after working in the field for 25+ years. She has a master's degree and makes a good salary as a clinical nurse specialist and a teacher.

For someone interested a field where you are working directly with children, plus making a good salary, not needing to go into massive amount of debt to pay for school, and having a variety of flexible options for work hours, pediatric nursing is an excellent suggestion.

Ok, maybe a dumb question, but what exactly does a pediatric nurse do? Are these nurses that work in a pediatrician's office, a school clinic, or a children's cancer wing in a hospital? The phrase pediatric nursing seems too general. Is this really a specialty in and of itself?

Also I would think that having an interest in medicine would outweigh being interested in children in a field like this. Would you recommend this as a field for someone who wants to work with children, but has never shown a particular interest in medicine? (I'm thinking of my own daughter here.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's got great test scores.

She has high grades, mostly As and a B or two, but mostly because she works hard and studies and not because of a particular talent in a subject area.

She likes working with young kids. She babysits and volunteers with infants and toddlers.

She's creative.

She likes to problem solve and is good with a routine.


Her guidance counselor is no help- just told her to take a general studies degree.

We don't have a ton of money, she will have to take out some loans, so it would be good if she could graduate with a career and not have to go to grad school right away to make money.

Pediatric nursing

Pay is decent with a bachelors. Pay is terrific if you obtain graduate level education. If she wants to have kids and SAHM for a bit, the field is very flexible with that and it won't harm her at all. Travel opportunities are terrific.

Uh hallo. Its not 1950. She can be a pediatric doctor if she wants to.

Nursing is a different career from doctor. Not a lessor one, a different one. It's not an insult to suggest nursing as a career option.

Sadly its a vastly lesser career in terms of how she would be treated, how far she could be promoted, how involved in clinical work she could become and ultimately how much she would earn. I know, my grandmother who SHOULD have trained as a doctor but spent her life as a nurse (trained in the 1940s). Much as I applaud ALL nursing personnel, telling them they are as important or as "good" as the doctors is just blowing smoke up their asses.

You don't understand nursing at all. We are not lesser versions of doctors. They are different, but related fields. Nursing involves much more generalist care, patient teaching, and case management. Doctors are specialists with deeper s p specialty knowledge. Doctors diagnose and prescribe. Nurses assess and treat.

+1 My sister is a nurse and had wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. As a top student in HS she was constantly pressured to be a dr. because why should such a smart girl "just" be a nurse. She finally caved to the pressure and did a couple semesters pre-med before finally reasserting her own desires and switched back to nursing, which she still loves after working in the field for 25+ years. She has a master's degree and makes a good salary as a clinical nurse specialist and a teacher.

For someone interested a field where you are working directly with children, plus making a good salary, not needing to go into massive amount of debt to pay for school, and having a variety of flexible options for work hours, pediatric nursing is an excellent suggestion.

Ok, maybe a dumb question, but what exactly does a pediatric nurse do? Are these nurses that work in a pediatrician's office, a school clinic, or a children's cancer wing in a hospital? The phrase pediatric nursing seems too general. Is this really a specialty in and of itself?

Also I would think that having an interest in medicine would outweigh being interested in children in a field like this. Would you recommend this as a field for someone who wants to work with children, but has never shown a particular interest in medicine? (I'm thinking of my own daughter here.)

You definitely should have an interest in medicine. There will be a lot of science classes. But, yes, nurses, like doctors, pursue a specialty (I'm the PP who mentioned my sister above -- her specialty is critical care and she has additional certifications in that area). My cousin is a pediatric nurse. She's worked in the pediatrics area of a hospital and later had a long-term position as a 1-on-1 nurse to a severely disabled child. I also know nurses with specialties in surgery, obstetrics, and geriatric care.

For someone who wants to work with kids, I'd think it's a field at least worth investigating unless she really dislikes or does poorly in her science classes. People often suggest teaching to people who like to work with kids without first considering if that person has any interest in developing curriculum or being "on stage" all day. For an introvert, nursing or something in counseling where you work more 1-on-1 with kids may be more appealing than teaching.

[Anonymous]

OP I want to chime in that many great teachers are introverts. If your daughter goes the teaching route, I agree with PP that she should go for a subject degree in undergrad and a masters in education.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps family therapy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's got great test scores.

She has high grades, mostly As and a B or two, but mostly because she works hard and studies and not because of a particular talent in a subject area.

She likes working with young kids. She babysits and volunteers with infants and toddlers.

She's creative.

She likes to problem solve and is good with a routine.


Her guidance counselor is no help- just told her to take a general studies degree.

We don't have a ton of money, she will have to take out some loans, so it would be good if she could graduate with a career and not have to go to grad school right away to make money.

Pediatric nursing

Pay is decent with a bachelors. Pay is terrific if you obtain graduate level education. If she wants to have kids and SAHM for a bit, the field is very flexible with that and it won't harm her at all. Travel opportunities are terrific.

Uh hallo. Its not 1950. She can be a pediatric doctor if she wants to.

Nursing is a different career from doctor. Not a lessor one, a different one. It's not an insult to suggest nursing as a career option.

Sadly its a vastly lesser career in terms of how she would be treated, how far she could be promoted, how involved in clinical work she could become and ultimately how much she would earn. I know, my grandmother who SHOULD have trained as a doctor but spent her life as a nurse (trained in the 1940s). Much as I applaud ALL nursing personnel, telling them they are as important or as "good" as the doctors is just blowing smoke up their asses.

You don't understand nursing at all. We are not lesser versions of doctors. They are different, but related fields. Nursing involves much more generalist care, patient teaching, and case management. Doctors are specialists with deeper s p specialty knowledge. Doctors diagnose and prescribe. Nurses assess and treat.

+1 My sister is a nurse and had wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. As a top student in HS she was constantly pressured to be a dr. because why should such a smart girl "just" be a nurse. She finally caved to the pressure and did a couple semesters pre-med before finally reasserting her own desires and switched back to nursing, which she still loves after working in the field for 25+ years. She has a master's degree and makes a good salary as a clinical nurse specialist and a teacher.

For someone interested a field where you are working directly with children, plus making a good salary, not needing to go into massive amount of debt to pay for school, and having a variety of flexible options for work hours, pediatric nursing is an excellent suggestion.

Ok, maybe a dumb question, but what exactly does a pediatric nurse do? Are these nurses that work in a pediatrician's office, a school clinic, or a children's cancer wing in a hospital? The phrase pediatric nursing seems too general. Is this really a specialty in and of itself?

Also I would think that having an interest in medicine would outweigh being interested in children in a field like this. Would you recommend this as a field for someone who wants to work with children, but has never shown a particular interest in medicine? (I'm thinking of my own daughter here.)

Pediatric nursing has a few major areas -- floor nursing in a children's hospital, school nursing, camp nursing, home health nursing, private duty nursing. You could work in a doctor's office or clinic, but the pay is lower for those positions.

You definitely need an interest in science -- if a kid has an interest in biology or chemistry, it would be a good match for her.

[Anonymous]

How about Pediatric Occupational Therapy or Speech Therapy. My son's in OT and it seems like a great career if you like working with kids. Growing too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's got great test scores.

She has high grades, mostly As and a B or two, but mostly because she works hard and studies and not because of a particular talent in a subject area.

She likes working with young kids. She babysits and volunteers with infants and toddlers.

She's creative.

She likes to problem solve and is good with a routine.


Her guidance counselor is no help- just told her to take a general studies degree.

We don't have a ton of money, she will have to take out some loans, so it would be good if she could graduate with a career and not have to go to grad school right away to make money.

Pediatric nursing

Pay is decent with a bachelors. Pay is terrific if you obtain graduate level education. If she wants to have kids and SAHM for a bit, the field is very flexible with that and it won't harm her at all. Travel opportunities are terrific.

Uh hallo. Its not 1950. She can be a pediatric doctor if she wants to.

Nursing is a different career from doctor. Not a lessor one, a different one. It's not an insult to suggest nursing as a career option.

Sadly its a vastly lesser career in terms of how she would be treated, how far she could be promoted, how involved in clinical work she could become and ultimately how much she would earn. I know, my grandmother who SHOULD have trained as a doctor but spent her life as a nurse (trained in the 1940s). Much as I applaud ALL nursing personnel, telling them they are as important or as "good" as the doctors is just blowing smoke up their asses.

You don't understand nursing at all. We are not lesser versions of doctors. They are different, but related fields. Nursing involves much more generalist care, patient teaching, and case management. Doctors are specialists with deeper s p specialty knowledge. Doctors diagnose and prescribe. Nurses assess and treat.

+1 My sister is a nurse and had wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. As a top student in HS she was constantly pressured to be a dr. because why should such a smart girl "just" be a nurse. She finally caved to the pressure and did a couple semesters pre-med before finally reasserting her own desires and switched back to nursing, which she still loves after working in the field for 25+ years. She has a master's degree and makes a good salary as a clinical nurse specialist and a teacher.

For someone interested a field where you are working directly with children, plus making a good salary, not needing to go into massive amount of debt to pay for school, and having a variety of flexible options for work hours, pediatric nursing is an excellent suggestion.

Ok, maybe a dumb question, but what exactly does a pediatric nurse do? Are these nurses that work in a pediatrician's office, a school clinic, or a children's cancer wing in a hospital? The phrase pediatric nursing seems too general. Is this really a specialty in and of itself?

Also I would think that having an interest in medicine would outweigh being interested in children in a field like this. Would you recommend this as a field for someone who wants to work with children, but has never shown a particular interest in medicine? (I'm thinking of my own daughter here.)

Pediatric nursing has a few major areas -- floor nursing in a children's hospital, school nursing, camp nursing, home health nursing, private duty nursing. You could work in a doctor's office or clinic, but the pay is lower for those positions.

You definitely need an interest in science -- if a kid has an interest in biology or chemistry, it would be a good match for her.

Nursing is a great career for flexibility and feeling like you're making an impact on people's lives.
However, it isn't lucrative (esp in a field like pediatrics). Nurses who work in peds' offices are lucky to make $40K. Most make less. Hospital nurses make $55K to start and inch their way up over time.
I have 20 years of experience and make $90K in a pretty cushy job but I didn't step into this position.
I love nursing and it has been a great fit for me but I survive in DC because I'm married to someone who makes more money. My coworkers all live way out in DC and Maryland because they can't afford to live elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She's got great test scores.

She has high grades, mostly As and a B or two, but mostly because she works hard and studies and not because of a particular talent in a subject area.

She likes working with young kids. She babysits and volunteers with infants and toddlers.

She's creative.

She likes to problem solve and is good with a routine.


Her guidance counselor is no help- just told her to take a general studies degree.

We don't have a ton of money, she will have to take out some loans, so it would be good if she could graduate with a career and not have to go to grad school right away to make money.

Pediatric nursing

Pay is decent with a bachelors. Pay is terrific if you obtain graduate level education. If she wants to have kids and SAHM for a bit, the field is very flexible with that and it won't harm her at all. Travel opportunities are terrific.

Uh hallo. Its not 1950. She can be a pediatric doctor if she wants to.

Nursing is a different career from doctor. Not a lessor one, a different one. It's not an insult to suggest nursing as a career option.

Sadly its a vastly lesser career in terms of how she would be treated, how far she could be promoted, how involved in clinical work she could become and ultimately how much she would earn. I know, my grandmother who SHOULD have trained as a doctor but spent her life as a nurse (trained in the 1940s). Much as I applaud ALL nursing personnel, telling them they are as important or as "good" as the doctors is just blowing smoke up their asses.

You don't understand nursing at all. We are not lesser versions of doctors. They are different, but related fields. Nursing involves much more generalist care, patient teaching, and case management. Doctors are specialists with deeper s p specialty knowledge. Doctors diagnose and prescribe. Nurses assess and treat.

+1 My sister is a nurse and had wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. As a top student in HS she was constantly pressured to be a dr. because why should such a smart girl "just" be a nurse. She finally caved to the pressure and did a couple semesters pre-med before finally reasserting her own desires and switched back to nursing, which she still loves after working in the field for 25+ years. She has a master's degree and makes a good salary as a clinical nurse specialist and a teacher.

For someone interested a field where you are working directly with children, plus making a good salary, not needing to go into massive amount of debt to pay for school, and having a variety of flexible options for work hours, pediatric nursing is an excellent suggestion.

Ok, maybe a dumb question, but what exactly does a pediatric nurse do? Are these nurses that work in a pediatrician's office, a school clinic, or a children's cancer wing in a hospital? The phrase pediatric nursing seems too general. Is this really a specialty in and of itself?

Also I would think that having an interest in medicine would outweigh being interested in children in a field like this. Would you recommend this as a field for someone who wants to work with children, but has never shown a particular interest in medicine? (I'm thinking of my own daughter here.)

Pediatric nursing has a few major areas -- floor nursing in a children's hospital, school nursing, camp nursing, home health nursing, private duty nursing. You could work in a doctor's office or clinic, but the pay is lower for those positions.

You definitely need an interest in science -- if a kid has an interest in biology or chemistry, it would be a good match for her.

Nursing is a great career for flexibility and feeling like you're making an impact on people's lives.
However, it isn't lucrative (esp in a field like pediatrics). Nurses who work in peds' offices are lucky to make $40K. Most make less. Hospital nurses make $55K to start and inch their way up over time.
I have 20 years of experience and make $90K in a pretty cushy job but I didn't step into this position.
I love nursing and it has been a great fit for me but I survive in DC because I'm married to someone who makes more money. My coworkers all live way out in DC and Maryland because they can't afford to live elsewhere.

oops, previous poster again.
That should have read: "My coworkers all live way out in Virginia and Maryland because they can't afford to live elsewhere"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are no good jobs working with children. Discourage that nonsense.

I agree. And people get burnt out. It just means that she should have a career and then be good at working with her own children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Perhaps steer was the wrong word to use, just give her some ideas and direction for somethings to look into.

As I mentioned, we don't have a lot of money and she'll have to take out loans so I'd like for her to be able to pay things off quickly upon graduation .

She's also a bit shy and introverted so I don't know if teaching would be a good match.

OP, I suggest you encourage and help her to do informational interviews. That's where you ask someone in a field you're interested in to talk to you about what they do, what they like and dislike about it and what you'd have to do if you wanted to go into that field. This will help her learn to be pro-active in figuring out what she wants to do and meeting people and networking. This kind of networking can help her find internship and job opportunities. Wherever she goes to school, they will likely have a career center. They may have alumni who are willing to talk to current students. You should encourage to start going there even in her sophomore year.

A lot of jobs aren't linked to specific majors. What will help her find employment is learning how to be actively engaged in the job search through informational interviewing long before she's actively looking for a job.

[Anonymous]

Occupational therapy? Good money, flexible and ability to work with kids or other demographics if she tires of the kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about Pediatric Occupational Therapy or Speech Therapy. My son's in OT and it seems like a great career if you like working with kids. Growing too.

+1 from mom of kid in ST and OT. This is absolutely a growing field with not enough people in it.