if you can turn back the clock...would you change your college major?

[Dancing Fire]

 

[Shoopy]

I did...three times

 

[monarch64]

I changed my major once when I was in college, from Radio/TV/Film to Textiles/Apparel/Merchandising. I''m glad I did, because the former just wasn''t my passion. I chose my first major because *everyone else* thought that it would be a good fit for me. Never a good idea to go by what others think is best for you.

 

[purselover]

Yes! Fashion merchandising was a dumb major, I probably would''ve done art history instead, I also wish I took more psych classes.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/16/2009 11:19:53 AM
Author: purselover
Yes! Fashion merchandising was a dumb major, I probably would've done art history instead, I also wish I took more psych classes.

Thanks.

I'll grant you that it is not rocket science and I probably won't change the world with my fashion knowledge, but I don't think it was a "dumb major" and I certainly think that no major in higher education is "dumb."

 

[trillionaire]

I would have done public policy, maybe International Relations, and minored in Neighborhood Planning.

It would have been good to do something more practical than American Studies and Sociology.

If I ever had kids, I would encourage them to major in one thing they like/love, and one practical field, like business, accounting, finance, public policy, marketing, journalism, math/science/engineering, statistics, or an applied art... anything applied, really, but something that gives you a clearer skill set than generic liberal arts and social sciences.

However, my major was really interesting and I enjoyed it!

 

[lucyandroger]

Yes, I majored in Political Science because I thought you had to in order to get into law school.

If I could go back I would major in anthropology or linguistics...College students don''t know how good they have it..........

 

[TravelingGal]

I have a B.A. in B.S. (English)

It was the best major in the world for me. It''s such a subjective major that it is all about reading the professor and figuring out what he wants to hear. So go figure, I ended up in sales! Ha.

Seriously though, communication is key to so many things. I still think English majors are one of the most underrated out there. People asked me all the time, what are you going to do with an English major? Duh...open up an English store, of course!

 

[RubyCharm]

Date: 6/16/2009 11:25:30 AM
Author: trillionaire
I would have done public policy, maybe International Relations, and minored in Neighborhood Planning.


It would have been good to do something more practical than American Studies and Sociology.


If I ever had kids, I would encourage them to major in one thing they like/love, and one practical field, like business, accounting, finance, public policy, marketing, journalism, math/science/engineering, statistics, or an applied art... anything applied, really, but something that gives you a clearer skill set than generic liberal arts and social sciences.


However, my major was really interesting and I enjoyed it!

I totally agree with this. I think it's important to major in something that you love and is practical, not just something that you love because, while your preferences might change later on in life, your practical skills will always be there. I changed my major while still in college, and I wouldn't change it again.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Yes, my major in accounting was a complete waste of money. My mom's money. She insisted I study in that field even though that wasn't the direction I wanted to take. . .didn't turn out so good. After nine months at my first "real" job, I quit!

ETA - Later, I went back and studied anthropology, archaeology, and pottery making. Took quite a few classes in each. . .never did get another certificate of any sort!

 

[purselover]

Date: 6/16/2009 11:24:59 AM
Author: monarch64

Date: 6/16/2009 11:19:53 AM
Author: purselover
Yes! Fashion merchandising was a dumb major, I probably would''ve done art history instead, I also wish I took more psych classes.

Thanks.

I''ll grant you that it is not rocket science and I probably won''t change the world with my fashion knowledge, but I don''t think it was a ''dumb major'' and I certainly think that no major in higher education is ''dumb.''

Sorry if you''re offended but for me personally it was a bad move

 

[misskitty]

I think I would have settled on a major instead of changing so often! I switched majors eleven times (four times back to the same -- Economics), and I think it might have been an easier time for me if I had settled on just one instead of being so indecisive.

Then again, it took me until grad school to figure out what I actually am happiest doing, so maybe all of the switching was just to rule out things I didn''t like!

 

[chrono]

I don’t think I’d change my major; if I did, it would still be science related though.

 

[Clio]

No change for me. I majored in history which is, after English, the one people seem to view as most useless. For me, however, it''s been great. I got to study what I love, and I''ve turned it into a fantastic career. I''ll never be rich, but I make a good living, and I love what I do.

 

[SapphireLover]

I originally applied for med school (you do this at age 17 in England), but didn''t get in and ended up studying pharmacology. I realised I would go mad stuck in a lab and switched after my first year for nursing. I am glad I switched. I have a good career (doing very well by nursing standards). Parents nagged me to go back to uni after nursing and study medicine, but I didn''t want to do it. I couldn''t stand the thought of being in uni for another 4 years. I don''t regret the decision, but do sometimes look with jealousy at the kids that come to the hospital as med students. I would quite like the money of being a doctor, although at my point in my nursing career I earn the same as what doctors do after being qualified for the same lenght of time as I have. Its just in 20 years I think the gap might be much bigger!

 

[geckodani]

Honestly, if I could do it again - I''d go to trade school. I have 2 BAs, on in English the other in Music. And I''m an office monkey for a living, while we have a shortage of electricians, plumbers and other skilled labor.

 

[luckystar112]

I'm majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies which basically means that I'm majoring in nothing.

I have no idea if that is going to look good or bad once I get out in the "real world". Basically I'm allowed to take whatever classes I want as long as I don't go over 27 hours in one particular subject. It's like doing your core classes all over again except you get more say in what you choose. I've been taking a lot of criminal justice, sociology, humanities, literature, and history.
The only things that are required in my major are some sort of ethics class and a creative writing.

 

[hoofbeats95]

I was a math major all through school. However I initially was going to get a certificate in secondary education. I put a halt to that in my sophomore year picked up computer science as a minor. If I had to go back and do it over I wish I would have went a different way. Jewelry has always been a passion of mine and I wish I had focused on that route instead. Another option would be chiropractor school so I could do equine chiropractic. I''d love to do anything that doesn''t have me sitting at a desk in front of a computer all day long.

 

[Sabine]

I was an English and Education major, and it was definitely the wrong decision for me. I don''t want to teach English anymore. I have no idea what else to do with an English major.

If I was starting over now, I would either switch to a business major, or possibly psych. Or I might even scrap college all together and go to a trade school to learn to do something that I enjoy.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 6/16/2009 12:34:53 PM
Author: Sabine
I was an English and Education major, and it was definitely the wrong decision for me. I don''t want to teach English anymore. I have no idea what else to do with an English major.

If I was starting over now, I would either switch to a business major, or possibly psych. Or I might even scrap college all together and go to a trade school to learn to do something that I enjoy.

Sales
Marketing
Copywriting
Trainer


If you look at job postings for any big company, there are lots of things you can do with an English major

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 6/16/2009 11:54:30 AM
Author: purselover

Date: 6/16/2009 11:24:59 AM
Author: monarch64

Date: 6/16/2009 11:19:53 AM
Author: purselover
Yes! Fashion merchandising was a dumb major, I probably would''ve done art history instead, I also wish I took more psych classes.

Thanks.

I''ll grant you that it is not rocket science and I probably won''t change the world with my fashion knowledge, but I don''t think it was a ''dumb major'' and I certainly think that no major in higher education is ''dumb.''

Sorry if you''re offended but for me personally it was a bad move

I''m with you monarch. I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology thirty years ago when I majored in Buying and Merchandising and minored in Liberal Arts. I worked for two decades as a buyer, merchandiser and director of a NY buying office before I was forced to stop working for health reasons, but I know that I can take everything I learned plus all of my work experience and could apply it to the merchandising of virtually any product in the world. Part of our tech courses were demographics, statistical analysis, sociology, advertising etc. It was a very well rounded business cirriculum. We even took business math. That was before computers, Excel, Quicken etc. when everything was done on spread sheets.

My favorite liberal arts course which I absolutely aced was psychology and I remain interested in it today. I would have become a Psychologist if I knew then what I know now. People, how they think, their tendencies, the things they do fascinate the daylights out of me!

 

[mrssalvo]

yes, my degree is in education but I wish I would have done nursing.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/16/2009 12:47:55 PM
Author: gemgirl

Date: 6/16/2009 11:54:30 AM
Author: purselover

Date: 6/16/2009 11:24:59 AM
Author: monarch64

Date: 6/16/2009 11:19:53 AM
Author: purselover
Yes! Fashion merchandising was a dumb major, I probably would''ve done art history instead, I also wish I took more psych classes.

Thanks.

I''ll grant you that it is not rocket science and I probably won''t change the world with my fashion knowledge, but I don''t think it was a ''dumb major'' and I certainly think that no major in higher education is ''dumb.''

Sorry if you''re offended but for me personally it was a bad move

I''m with you monarch. I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology thirty years ago when I majored in Buying and Merchandising and minored in Liberal Arts. I worked for two decades as a buyer, merchandiser and director of a NY buying office before I was forced to stop working for health reasons, but I know that I can take everything I learned plus all of my work experience and could apply it to the merchandising of virtually any product in the world. Part of our tech courses were demographics, statistical analysis, sociology, advertising etc. It was a very well rounded business cirriculum. We even took business math. That was before computers, Excel, Quicken etc. when everything was done on spread sheets.

My favorite liberal arts course which I absolutely aced was psychology and I remain interested in it today. I would have become a Psychologist if I knew then what I know now. People, how they think, their tendencies, the things they do fascinate the daylights out of me!

Gemgirl, I appreciate your insight. Purselover, you don''t offend me personally, but it''s nice of you to clarify your response.

 

[GoingCrazy29]

I have always loved working with kids- so I thought "hey, I''ll just be a teacher". I wish so badly I had taken my parents advice and looked into other majors dealing with children. I taught for a semester and hated it. Since then I''ve worked with sales and training in the educational technology field, which is a MUCH better fit for me. However I really wish I had looked into child counseling. I''m still considering going back to get a master''s degree in either educational technology since its the field I''m already in, or get it in school counseling.

 

[rainwood]

No. I was a business major which was both useful and practical, and I was able to satisfy other interests with elective courses. College is a time for personal exploration, but you still need to come out with some way to make a living.

 

[that_someone_special]

Yeah, to trophey wife/ housewife

I guess I wouldn''t really.. but I would know what I need to focus MORE ON.. like web design, not just design.

 

[VRBeauty]

If I could turn back the clock I would have taken some time off between high school and college, which might have resulted in my taking a different major or a more rigorous major. Having said that, I''ve enjoyed what I''ve done with my major and where it''s taken me.

 

[mrscushion]

I majored in economics, history and politics in an interdisciplinary major. I definitely got a good education and it''s served me well thus far. But, knowing now where my strengths and professional interests lie, I could also see myself doing something much more quantitative like applied math, for example.

 

[Gypsy]

No. Never. I was an English Lit major and I loved it.

 

[sunnyd]

For sure! I majored in Cinema Studies, but mostly because I was running out of time before I''d have to choose or be in school for a few more quarters!

I started out wanting journalism, then communications, dabbled in english, psych, poli sci for about 5 minutes...

I now work in an office doing IT for freight moving systems, really putting that major to work!

I still don''t know what I wanna be when I grow up.