Majors in College

[If-I-Die-Its-Lag]

Mine is business with Accounting minor and a concentration in finance.

After that, I'll head towards Law School.

I would say relax until you get into your junior year.

I would recommend that you take some community college courses during the summer once you hit sixteen. Helps me a lot to get a footing into college, as most people who I know was hit by a brick wall of unsatisfactory grades.

Take an AP or honors course per year. Do two if you can handle it, but not more since you might want to go into clubs and other highschool activities.

[EarthlingJohn]

Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

[Kor]

Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

lol, think smaller man.

[KarthXLR]

Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

That's zoology. Biology is more...microscopic.

[Vlambo]

I'm a Comp. Sci Major. I'm starting ot enjoy programming, but wrapping your head around concepts can be annoying at times.

[CaffeinePowered]

[quote author=EarthlingJohn link=topic=5526.msg200530#msg200530 date=1301018879]
Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

lol, think smaller man.
[/quote]

GATC

[Didzo]

Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

You contemplate becoming an hero before every exam.

But that might just be me.

[A. Crow]

You can get screwed either way.  If you're not going to be an excellent student, don't go with a friggin basket weaving degree (Liberal or Fine arts, or a soft science).  Research to make sure your chosen degree field doesn't require a masters or doctorate to be employable.  Or, if you think you're going to be a shitty student in general, go learn a trade(machinist, welder, surveyor, etc)- you'll contribute more to this planet, and probably make more money than if you half ass your way through college, rack up debt and end up in a shitty job.  

Also, you should consider the military.

[Bonesinger]

I actually just decided on my major(s). Music Education and Jazz Composition with a minor in German or Japanese; although I went undecided for two years of college.

Personally I think there's no rush to decide what your major is. If you're undecided by graduation head to a community college and take some classes there. They've usually got a wider range of subjects to choose from, most credits should transfer to uni and it only costs around 1k$ a term and generally you can get some kind of scholarship if you have a GPA above 3.5. A much better alternative than spending big bucks at a uni being unsure of your major.

Can't stress enough that there's no need to rush it; education is not a race. That's no excuse to be lazy though. Take AP classes in high school even if they don't count towards college credit, it'll prepare you more for the workload you'll have in college.

As for a music major you better really, really, really love playing, listening and talking about music. You also need a solid background in music theory and be able to play at least one instrument proficiently.

[EarthlingJohn]

Meh, a music major is not in my path. Love music, but the instrument I play is arguably the most boring one ever, Bass Clarinet.

I should've taken percussion.

[Eschatos]

Doesn't really matter what you pick right now.  Most people realize early on that the major they picked really isn't what they want to do for the rest of their life.  I'd say that at least a third of the people on my floor have switched majors this year.  Unless you're going for an engineering degree or you want to be a doctor you can afford to switch majors a couple times.  Just take a lot of interesting classes and find out what you really want to do.

[Ianki]

[quote author=EarthlingJohn link=topic=5526.msg200530#msg200530 date=1301018879]
Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

That's zoology. Biology is more...microscopic.
[/quote]

You... you have no idea what biology is at this point.  Biology is a very very broad field ranging from microbiotics to evolutionary theory (which is so macro it might as well be considered philosophy).

philosophy

I know that you're being sarcastic, but i have a double major in Philosophy and Psychology, and i don't think any other major would have given me as much intellectual satisfaction as either of these provided.  The job markets for both are crummy, but the job markets for almost any major is crummy unless you get an MBA or a fry cook B.A. from ITT tech.

Of course with my masters in cognitive science, over the last two years i have failed to get jobs as a sandwich artist at subway, a janitor cleaning up poop at several animal shelters, call centers designed to take money from the jobless and the homeless, much less positions in my field.

Really the only safe thing to be is a computer engineer and to graduate college during an economic boom.  The single greatest indicator of how much money you will make in you're life time is the year you were born, so let's hope you graduate college at the right time in history.

[Badgerman of DOOM]

[quote author=Kor link=topic=5526.msg200534#msg200534 date=1301021366]
[quote author=EarthlingJohn link=topic=5526.msg200530#msg200530 date=1301018879]
Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful  

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

lol, think smaller man.
[/quote]

GATC
[/quote]

except not really, that's genetics, and even still biology isn't all just microbio
Biology isn't so much as a field as it is a category. Myself, I was gonna go biochem, but I decided on PharmD because A) pharmacy is more or less both and B) pharmacists make good cash.
EDIT- Oh, and C) I had absolutely no clue what such a degree would qualify me for, even after some research.

[copulatingduck]

[quote author=Karth link=topic=5526.msg200535#msg200535 date=1301021410]
[quote author=EarthlingJohn link=topic=5526.msg200530#msg200530 date=1301018879]
Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

That's zoology. Biology is more...microscopic.
[/quote]

You... you have no idea what biology is at this point.  Biology is a very very broad field ranging from microbiotics to evolutionary theory (which is so macro it might as well be considered philosophy).

philosophy

I know that you're being sarcastic, but i have a double major in Philosophy and Psychology, and i don't think any other major would have given me as much intellectual satisfaction as either of these provided.  The job markets for both are crummy, but the job markets for almost any major is crummy unless you get an MBA or a fry cook B.A. from ITT tech.

Of course with my masters in cognitive science, over the last two years i have failed to get jobs as a sandwich artist at subway, a janitor cleaning up poop at several animal shelters, call centers designed to take money from the jobless and the homeless, much less positions in my field.

Really the only safe thing to be is a computer engineer and to graduate college during an economic boom.  The single greatest indicator of how much money you will make in you're life time is the year you were born, so let's hope you graduate college at the right time in history.
[/quote]

u make me sad ianki


thanks for nothin

[kaese]

Doesn't really matter what you pick right now.  Most people realize early on that the major they picked really isn't what they want to do for the rest of their life.  I'd say that at least a third of the people on my floor have switched majors this year.  Unless you're going for an engineering degree or you want to be a doctor you can afford to switch majors a couple times.  Just take a lot of interesting classes and find out what you really want to do.

This is what I wanted to say too. Except, for pre-meds, you have the freedom to take a non-science major and still be a good candidate for medical school. You just have to make sure that you take all the required courses for medical school (gen chem, inorganic, organic, physics, bio, etc.).
Just choose a major that you are interested in, not a major that others want you to be interested in. I know too many people who complain about their majors/classes but don't/can't switch because of parents' expectations, etc.

[Eightball]

Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

Jumping into the conversation a bit late. With just a bachelor's in biology, your options are fairly limited. You could find work in laboratories working for biotech firms or government labs. Most of the work you do will probably involve microbial cultures and gene analysis; there's certainly more to biology than that but so much also revolves around it. I landed a job for this summer at a USDA lab cataloging wood-damaging fungi. You don't need much to work the machines and gather data (tRFLP or GC/MS is what I'll mainly be doing), but more or less everyone in the laboratory has a PhD. With that bachelor's, if research isn't for you, then medical or pharmacy school are options. But let me emphasize that medical school isn't the sort of thing you should decide on last-second. And hey, biology's a younger science than just about any other. Many of the greatest developments in the field occurred within one human lifespan before now. It's a rapidly growing field.

[Badgerman of DOOM]

[quote author=EarthlingJohn link=topic=5526.msg200530#msg200530 date=1301018879]
Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

Jumping into the conversation a bit late. With just a bachelor's in biology, your options are fairly limited. You could find work in laboratories working for biotech firms or government labs. Most of the work you do will probably involve microbial cultures and gene analysis; there's certainly more to biology than that but so much also revolves around it. I landed a job for this summer at a USDA lab cataloging wood-damaging fungi. You don't need much to work the machines and gather data (tRFLP or GC/MS is what I'll mainly be doing), but more or less everyone in the laboratory has a PhD. With that bachelor's, if research isn't for you, then medical or pharmacy school are options. But let me emphasize that medical school isn't the sort of thing you should decide on last-second. And hey, biology's a younger science than just about any other. Many of the greatest developments in the field occurred within one human lifespan before now. It's a rapidly growing field.
[/quote]

caveat about pharmd- it is a 6 year program

[Luinbariel]

I wish I'd decided what I was going to do much earlier. Or really at all. I'm kind of on the ocean with one paddle here, struggling along.

Tried to figure it out while in school and ended up getting a lot of loans with not much to show for it. I REALLY wish I'd gone sooner and tried harder towards a more specific goal.

[Dtrain323i]

I'm a Political Science major. However, I really want to open a hot dog stand.

[EarthlingJohn]

[quote author=Eightball link=topic=5526.msg200561#msg200561 date=1301035965]
[quote author=EarthlingJohn link=topic=5526.msg200530#msg200530 date=1301018879]
Thanks for the advice guys, its real helpful 

I do have one more question though. What do you do if you major in biology? Do you just sorta like... observe animals all day?

Jumping into the conversation a bit late. With just a bachelor's in biology, your options are fairly limited. You could find work in laboratories working for biotech firms or government labs. Most of the work you do will probably involve microbial cultures and gene analysis; there's certainly more to biology than that but so much also revolves around it. I landed a job for this summer at a USDA lab cataloging wood-damaging fungi. You don't need much to work the machines and gather data (tRFLP or GC/MS is what I'll mainly be doing), but more or less everyone in the laboratory has a PhD. With that bachelor's, if research isn't for you, then medical or pharmacy school are options. But let me emphasize that medical school isn't the sort of thing you should decide on last-second. And hey, biology's a younger science than just about any other. Many of the greatest developments in the field occurred within one human lifespan before now. It's a rapidly growing field.
[/quote]

caveat about pharmd- it is a 6 year program
[/quote]

Isn't that pretty much how long it takes to get a phd?