Undecided major for college!

[sandooch]

My oldest daughter will be graduating high school this June and has applied to 5 different colleges (she has yet to hear back from any of them). Last night she confided to me that she knows she needs to go to college to have a good career, but her desire is not there. Not only that, but she has no clue what her major will be. She has always loved drawing (anime) and writing stories, so she has been saying for the last several years that she'd love to become an author and an illustrator, but lately she has doubts about this.

I never went to college, so I don't know what to say to her. Has anyone been in this situation, either yourself or your child?

[taz69]

Tell her to try it for a year, she can the basics-english, math, etc that all degrees require, and maybe try an art and/or art/computer class? Once she gets the feel of the campus, and checks into the many options, she can decide then what to major in. Better for her to do that, than to declare a major, and then 2 years in have to change it-many do that and have to basically start over! Good luck-the college experience is wonderful-so much different from high school. If she is still leery-maybe try a community college close by?

[Kelsey1224]

I have often said that college is wasted on the young because who knows at 18...19...what you want to be when you grow up. Not many.

But, I would tell her to go to school to pursue her passion. There are many schools with great art programs. Cal Arts in Valencia, California (near where I live) is a great one.

She really doesn't have to declare a major immediately. The first two years of school are general education classes anyway. And...she can take those classes at a local community college which is typically much cheaper. That will give her time to take a variety of classes in a variety of disciplines to determine if she has any other interests.

I wanted to be a children's author and even wrote a couple of books. (They were rejected by publishers...lol...but at least I tried.) I took several classes and went to numerous seminars regarding this topic. One thing that was a consistent message throughout...If she wants to be a writer...then she must WRITE...everyday. Even if she is just writing her thoughts in a freeform style. She must get into the discipline of writing.

Tell her good luck!

[sandooch]

Thank you both for your replies. And, Kelsey, I totally agree with you that college is wasted on the young. :)

I also agree that she should go to a community college to get her general ed out of the way, but her counselors discourage this, telling her that she is "too smart" to attend a community college. She has a 4.33 GPA and is one of the top 3 honor students in her class of 199. Her teachers and counselors make her feel that she should choose a private college because of this. I think she is just feeling too much pressure from them. I don't want her to feel pressured, but at the same time, I don't want her to regret the opportunity of what a college education can do for her future.

But I do agree with you both that she doesn't have to pick a major right away. I believe that there are many college students who didn't know what they wanted to major in when they started college and decided later.

Thanks again.

[atprm]

In a similar situation with my 17 year old.


We have talked about it for the last year or so... I have introduced her to many different fields.

Our discussion has been based on many factors, and she, too, is a natural born artist.

but she loves children...

so we combined the two, and have come up with: Pediatric Nursing & Arts

(in children's hospitals across the country, they have a section of the nursing dept dedicated to the arts -- so... she would do Peds nursing for the love of children AND the $$$...and arts (drawing, painting, etc) to occupy the littlest ones who are sick and extended stay.)


She has given thought though to many different fields, including graphic arts -- but we decided that 1) people will always be sick 2) the medical field (anything in it) is wide open and will be for awhile 3) she can combine her love of art and her love of children 4) and get paid a good salary ...plus be DIVERSE/FLEXIBLE

[tarasdream]

my daughter graduated with a 4.35 gpa and she was bullied into going to a regular college, she hated it. there was over 400 students in one class! i told her to do what was best for her so she dropped out and went to a community college and it was so much better for her! the classes are smaller and the teachers can spend more time with them.

[tsquared]

Starting out at a community college and taking some drawing classes or something she is interested in would be a good start. If this is not what she wants then she can use those classes as electives for her degree. There are several online colleges now too that are worth the time and money. However not all kids need or want college at all no matter how old they are.

[cathych]

kids often change their minds about what they want to major in. There are a lot of requirements in college; languages, english and math, and sometimes pe. Don't worry about a major yet.

[lassss]

A community college is perfect to start out as it is much cheaper for the same courses she would be taking at a private college. Just make sure the credits can be transferred to the college of her choice. My SD is doing this, she is going to a community college for 2 years and then going for a teaching degree with business as a minor



Thank you both for your replies. And, Kelsey, I totally agree with you that college is wasted on the young. :)

I also agree that she should go to a community college to get her general ed out of the way, but her counselors discourage this, telling her that she is "too smart" to attend a community college. She has a 4.33 GPA and is one of the top 3 honor students in her class of 199. Her teachers and counselors make her feel that she should choose a private college because of this. I think she is just feeling too much pressure from them. I don't want her to feel pressured, but at the same time, I don't want her to regret the opportunity of what a college education can do for her future.

But I do agree with you both that she doesn't have to pick a major right away. I believe that there are many college students who didn't know what they wanted to major in when they started college and decided later.

Thanks again.

[sandooch]

Thanks everyone. It's good to know that she is in the majority of kids not wanting to know what they want to be when they grow up. I think I will have her read this thread when she gets home from school to help her feel better and maybe give her some ideas.

[SLance68]

I would have to agree that community college is the way to go. Also in Florida if you graduate from a state community college you will be automatically accepted into any state university in Florida. Even kids that know what they want to major in before they begin college change their minds so tell her don't sweat the major until she is ready for her 3rd year and then she will have to declare a major. Don't let a counselor bully her into going somewhere that she doesn't want to go - it is HER choice not the counselor's.

[cathych]

If she has a grade average that high, getting a scholarship should be no problem, in fact, colleges should be knocking at your door. Community college is a good money saver, but I think that kids that go to community college do not get that "college experience" as you stated. College is about much more than schooling, it is developing independence also. And you cant really get that if you continue to live at home.

[cathych]

On another note, a lot of private colleges are much smaller than the huge universites that you see. Both of my kids went to private colleges, and both of them had scholarships.

[diana_circe]

You know, this is the second time I've gone to college and I sitll don't know what I want to major in. I think I'd be good at business management, but I can't say I'm 100% sure that's what I want to do for the rest of my working life. I want to teach, but I feel like I'm too old and have little patience with younger kids any more.

Is there a community college near you guys? Tell her to go there and take a career assessment. Its not a lock in that you have to go there, they don't have to know she's planning to go away for school. But seeing what her knowledge and skills are saying she's got an aptitude for may help her decide what she wants to be when she grows up.

[jedmatters]

Full time is 12 to 15 hours... 4 to 5 classes, maybe a lab here or there...

I suggest that she take 3 basic CORE classes, and 2 experiment classes: art, dance, photography, culinary, etc.
Then she will find what she wants after a few semester. The experiment classes will count as electives, and she will be well-rounded and ready to make a decision at the end of her 2nd year.

We have several universities here, within 45 minutes, and they have freshman dorm rules: where all incoming freshman must live in the dorm for the first year. It is a great idea, as they have the safety net of parents close by... but they get the ability to be more independent as well.

My son went 2500 miles away.