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

[Anonymous]

I would have gone for accounting instead of nursing.

[Anonymous]

I didn't do a major as I went from high school to an accelerated MD program. I would rather do a psychology major with minors in English literature and theater.

[Anonymous]

YES! I majored in biology (BS) but I wish I had majored in business and marketing instead.

[Anonymous]

Yep! I majored in information systems (loved studying it, hated working in the tech consulting field), and got a masters in math education, mostly to get out of tech. I LOVE what I do now, but if I could go back to 18 year old me, I'd tell myself to major in occupational therapy. All the benefits of teaching (helping people learn skills, creative problem solving) but with way more flexibility.

[Anonymous]

I majored in psychology, thinking I’d get my PhD in EdPsych or similar.

My career has nothing to do with psychology.

I would have majored in history and accounting or econ. I would have learned the classic languages and would have taken more interesting classes.

In fact I graduated early to save $$$ and cut out some meaty, arty electives. In hindsight I should have enjoyed a relaxed last semester.

[Anonymous]

Chemistry major. Which I liked studying, but isn't useful without an advanced degree of some kind. Should have done urban planning.

[Anonymous]

molecular/cell biology to medical school to radiology....have a pretty nice career

got involved in practice's business side and found i've got a natural talent for and love of dealing with, surprisingly, tax issues!

doing it all over, accounting/cpa and/or jd, then tax.

[Anonymous]

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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.

Well everyone has their own values, for sure. You value money over personal misery. And that's fine! Money brings you security and happiness. Some of us value our contentedness with daily life and work over earning high dollars. And that is also fine.

--someone who earns enough in the arts to live just fine and is happy my parents did not force me into any field.

The only people I know who say this either have wealthy parents or married well.

Nope. I know plenty of friends who are happy in the Arts or with their humanities degrees. I also know plenty of STEM people who are happy because they wanted to major in STEM (not Mommy and daddy choice)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I majored in Chemistry and should have done ChemE instead. Significantly more useful.

Guided my kid towards that as well. Told them unless you wanted a job in a lab (and grunt work job at that until you get a MS/PHD because those are the facts of that type of degree 95%+ of the time) take a look at ChemE as well. They did and are very happy with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chemistry major. Which I liked studying, but isn't useful without an advanced degree of some kind. Should have done urban planning.

Same, but Biology. I didn't want to continue to an advanced degree and didn't want to work in a lab. It wasn't a good use of money.

[Anonymous]

I was an English and Spanish major, and doing what I want (working in publishing). No regrets about my choices, but I wish it hadn't taken me so long to mature emotionally/gain confidence. I could have done more in my career earlier on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Well everyone has their own values, for sure. You value money over personal misery. And that's fine! Money brings you security and happiness. Some of us value our contentedness with daily life and work over earning high dollars. And that is also fine.

--someone who earns enough in the arts to live just fine and is happy my parents did not force me into any field.

The only people I know who say this either have wealthy parents or married well.

Then meet me instead! We both come from a MC background and we're both in the arts/humanities and happy in our careers. We will encourage and support our kids to follow their bliss to college and beyond. We want them to work hard at what they commit to, develop a sense of service to others, and be happy in how they make a living. That's good enough for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Well everyone has their own values, for sure. You value money over personal misery. And that's fine! Money brings you security and happiness. Some of us value our contentedness with daily life and work over earning high dollars. And that is also fine.

--someone who earns enough in the arts to live just fine and is happy my parents did not force me into any field.

The only people I know who say this either have wealthy parents or married well.

I said this and my parents paid nothing for my college because they had no money. Literally had no savings until their late 50s. (They had pensions that allowed them to retire.). Both DH and I are public servants. We share the same values and being wealthy is not among our main goals even though we do fine if not DCUM fine. DH also did not come from money. His parents were feds.

I’m sorry your circle of friends and acquaintances is so limited but there are many people out there for whom becoming part of the 1% is not the main point of life. Maybe get to know some teachers, librarians, non-profit and social workers?

[Anonymous]

Yes I majored in Computer Science and hate being in the Tech industry as a female. I’d love to go back and do anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:English and History, no. Loved them both, and the skills I developed have served me well. If anything, I wish I had packed in more classes.

maybe 20 years ago you could get by this would be a major waste of money now adays