Help my below average son chose a college major

[Anonymous]

OP, I'll throw engineering technology into the mix. It's a bachelors degree, but it requires much less calculus than engineering. It's a fantastic compromise between a more rigorous program and trade school.

- engineering technology grad

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would consider business with concentration in management and then an accounting adjacent career path in Accounts Payable, Billing , etc. Google Billing Analyst, Accounts Payable Analyst positions. Very minimal basic math and very basic accounting skills required but there is a career progression to supervisor, manager, director roles that pay pretty well. Procurement is another accounting adjacent field with a similar career progression path. Look up procurement analyst roles. Plenty of options for him in Corporate support roles. Another option is a concentration in HR with careers in payroll processing or HR, including benefits, recruiting, training, etc.

Accounting requires some stats classes. Also, not everyone is cut out for accounting. It takes a certain personality. I worked with accountants most of my career.

NP here, could you elaborate on the personality traits that would help a future accountant? My son is second year college student in accounting.

Btw, OP, your son sounds like a great kid and just reading this thread shows how many paths can lead to success. Good luck to him!

[Anonymous]

Hi OP! Thanks for posting so I could read all of the responses. Like you, I have kid that's a senior with terrible grades and a SAT score in the 900s. As a person, super sweet, pleasant, easy going. I feel like we are all alone when reading the questions about college typically in this forum. I am just hoping my kid can get in somewhere and then I'm hoping they can actually be successful there. I haven't been thinking too much about a major, but maybe I should be!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There’s a kid in my neighbourhood who had a middling hs GPA, really nice guy and good with people. He went to Community college and got his training as Electrician. Now at age 24 he makes almost as much money as I do and has work booked out for months and months. He has written his own ticket and it’s just doing so great. Someone may have mentioned this earlier in this thread but I would definitely take a look at the trades. There’s so much work there and the pay is great, can offer both job stability and independence.

+1 Definitely look closer at trades or 2-year career options at community colleges. https://www.nvcc.edu/academics/programs/index.html?DegreeTypes=Career&page=4#

For the 4-yr majors, I agree with the Geography suggestion - GIS or urban planning are potential career paths from that which might interest him.
Here's an example of the courses at GMU https://catalog.gmu.edu/colleges-schools/science/geography-geoinformation-science/geography-ba/#requirementstext

Some of the recommended business majors that don't seem to need much math (e.g. marketing) could be challenging if he's really anti math because business majors all need to take calculus and statistics. The calculus thing is kind of stupid IMO (as a former business major). It's just a gatekeeper to the major and I never used it again after that. But statistics is important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How about sales or something else in business?

This. Is he charismatic? If so, sales could be great. Can he take the SAT again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is he good with people? Can he sell ice to eskimos? Walk up to a foyine girl and talk to her like he's known her forever? If so, he should consider a non-math business major, something like marketing. He'll crush it and end up making more money than most of his "academic" classmates.

This- minus the foyine thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Criminal justice
Occupational therapy

Family member is an OT. 4 year bachelor degree & required calculus. Not a math person by any means but managed to squeak out a passing grade.

[Anonymous]

Commercial real estate

[Anonymous]

Tl;dr

If he gets almost any 4-year college degree, except maybe art or music, and he has a clean criminal record, then he can probably get into the military as an officer, which is a much less uncomfortable situation than being military enlisted.

He must be stronger at some subject than at math. College will be easier, and graduation more likely, if he picks a major where his strength lies.

[Anonymous]

Do you need a lot of math for Health Sciences, Public Health, or Health Administration?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sociology, English, Marketing, Media Studies, Communications

I'd also consider that a college with 8 week terms might be better for him than the traditional 16 weeks. Then he will be focused on 2 classes at a time (including summer session, he can still graduate in four years).

No to the bolded. All of them require hustle to be successful. OP’s kid is the kind that needs to be told what to do.

OP, I’d look at allied health professions if he can manage basic science. I know someone who just graduated and does radiation therapy - sets and manages the equipment. The starting salary was just over $100K with good benefits and 40 hrs work week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sociology, English, Marketing, Media Studies, Communications

I'd also consider that a college with 8 week terms might be better for him than the traditional 16 weeks. Then he will be focused on 2 classes at a time (including summer session, he can still graduate in four years).

No to the bolded. All of them require hustle to be successful. OP’s kid is the kind that needs to be told what to do.

OP, I’d look at allied health professions if he can manage basic science. I know someone who just graduated and does radiation therapy - sets and manages the equipment. The starting salary was just over $100K with good benefits and 40 hrs work week.

PP. meant to bold sociology as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t sign up your kid to become cannon fodder for a wannabe dictator.

Jesus Christ.

Religion major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP! Thanks for posting so I could read all of the responses. Like you, I have kid that's a senior with terrible grades and a SAT score in the 900s. As a person, super sweet, pleasant, easy going. I feel like we are all alone when reading the questions about college typically in this forum. I am just hoping my kid can get in somewhere and then I'm hoping they can actually be successful there. I haven't been thinking too much about a major, but maybe I should be!

OP here. Thank you to all, I am writing down all of the majors mentioned to run it by him. Also will reassure him and myself that there is no rush. I just want to say thank you to this poster because yes, it feels very alone. My son is so sweet and a good kid but he just doesn’t seem like the kids on here and that scared me a bit. My son has many positives. Looking back, I see how my post mentioned only his weaknesses. He is respectful, he plays sports for fun, he likes to work out, he likes to keep his room in order/clean, plays video games, good with his much younger siblings and likes science the most. I honestly could see him being a health or PE teacher!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP! Thanks for posting so I could read all of the responses. Like you, I have kid that's a senior with terrible grades and a SAT score in the 900s. As a person, super sweet, pleasant, easy going. I feel like we are all alone when reading the questions about college typically in this forum. I am just hoping my kid can get in somewhere and then I'm hoping they can actually be successful there. I haven't been thinking too much about a major, but maybe I should be!

OP here. Thank you to all, I am writing down all of the majors mentioned to run it by him. Also will reassure him and myself that there is no rush. I just want to say thank you to this poster because yes, it feels very alone. My son is so sweet and a good kid but he just doesn’t seem like the kids on here and that scared me a bit. My son has many positives. Looking back, I see how my post mentioned only his weaknesses. He is respectful, he plays sports for fun, he likes to work out, he likes to keep his room in order/clean, plays video games, good with his much younger siblings and likes science the most. I honestly could see him being a health or PE teacher!

A) OP, it sounds like you have a terrific kid.
B) The lead PE teacher at our ES is one of the most respected people in the whole school. It sounds like a great idea for your DC. My undergrad school had a major in exercise science that would really probably be better described as "health and fitness."
C) Good things for your DS to try and see if he likes it would include working as a camp counselor or volunteer youth coach. So many organizations could really use a kid like him!