Choosing a Major in College

You know you can go to university later rather than right after your senior year, right? There's not a time bomb ticking where you've got to cut the right wire before 00:00. But I will say a 5 on AP calculus sounds pretty impressive. Given you're capable of that, I'd say a math degree is more versatile than a history degree, and is regarded (probably for good reason) as a more high IQ degree.

 

Go for STEM so you can make money, look to land intenships during college so you can actually find a job once you graduate. STEM field is getting oversaturated and you need to have internships to stand out now. Any other degree is useless unless you have a good plan. Don’t even waste your money if you’re not doing a STEM degree or know what you’re getting into.

 

Go for some sort of science, engineering, or medical degree

 

My advice is don't go into tech. The newspapers constantly publish complaints about the supposed lack of engineers but the opposite is true, most engineering fields are oversaturated. That's not to say you can't make nice money, you definitely can, but you have to stand out. Also, job security is low because engineering is very unstable, it depends on politics and the economy. You might get laid off at any time.

If I were you I'd go for medicine. No matter what happens, doctors are always needed and there's never enough of them. Given the rapid aging of the human population, there will be even more demand in the future. Medicine is probably the only guaranteed path to a big paycheck and social prestige. Everybody respects doctors, women want to marry doctors.

 

Hey @Restored Rebooter! I am going into my second year at my university this fall. Here's my big takeaways so far:

1. Your choice of major is not your choice of career for the rest of your life.
Many of my friends are majoring in fields that are interesting to them, but may have trouble with job security or income levels in the future. Choosing a major does not mean that you have to stay with it. I know a few people who have switched majors after their first year and are still on track to graduate within 4 years because their credits for their general classes all carried over. If you make your choice but decide that something isn't working out, your world will not end.

2. Prior experience in a field is usually not a big deal for STEM majors and some other majors.
It is important to include things that you have done on your application or like to do that pertain to your chosen major, but the vast majority of engineering students (for example) don't have formal 'engineering' experience before college. For majors like art, architecture, and other creative types, a portfolio of previous work is usually required, but most majors are more flexible with what they are looking for.

3. Consider career paths that could result from your major.
Even though your major may not lead you to a career, there is a large likelihood that you will go into a field relating to your major. It is important to know what options your major could open for you. My current major could be used for education, research, lab work, or engineering/computer science careers. I haven't decided where I want to take my career yet, but I have options that sound appealing to me.

4. Do something you enjoy instead of something you have to sacrifice all your joy for.
You will have to make some sacrifices, but in general you should aim for something that you will enjoy learning about. Some people choose majors just because of the high paying career outcomes, but get burnt out from underestimating how much work they have to put in to get their degree. You mentioned that you are pretty well rounded when it comes to academics, which is a good thing that colleges will appreciate seeing. That does make it hard on you though when it comes to deciding what you want to pursue.

5. Don't compare your choice of major to other people's choices.
Some people feel like they have to choose a harder major even if it is something that they do not want. I personally like challenging myself so I chose a difficult major where I can work hard and feel the sense of accomplishment. Other people aren't as focused on challenge and opt to go for something that is less stress and works for them. Whatever you choose, it is your choice and not someone else's.

I know that I didn't mention any majors specifically. I will second the other comments that engineering is a highly saturated field, but there is opportunity there if you are willing to make yourself stand out. Sciences in general can be rewarding in many ways if you work for them. If you haven't already, go to a college's website and scroll through the list of majors. Click on some that sound interesting and click on others that you have heard good things about from people. Try to find career paths or at least the general topics that are covered in the major. If anything spikes your interest, check out more majors similar to that one.

Don't hesitate to surprise yourself by checking out something that you never would have considered before. I didn't figure out what major I wanted to apply to until near the beginning of my senior year. I originally was thinking of something pretty different from it, but I did some research, navigated some college websites and looked at the options that were available.

A note on applying to / choosing colleges:
Your choice of college will not prevent you from doing your best. Pick a college that has a decent program for your interest, a good social life, and that you feel you could enjoy spending time and learning at. There is no need to go to a top notch school, especially for undergrad unless if you want the experience.

Let me know if you have any questions or want to talk about applications/college life/college anything. I hope that at least some of this helps!

 

STEM all the way bro.

If you are interested in the humanities, going to the library and reading the classics on your own will give you a genuinely superior education than what a college will give you and for a lot less money. The liberal arts majors have largely become a kind of scam, at least in western colleges.