Best college major?

BenRea · Post by **BenRea** » 17 Mar 2008 06:11

For those of you who are in college or have graduated from it...what is the best major to have?

based on the amount of work given and the places it can lead you.

Psilocybe · Post by **Psilocybe** » 17 Mar 2008 07:29

Electrical Engineering! I graduate in may. I got a job offer my first interview, but mostly because I know openGL, not because I know how transistors work. The pay is nice. Its more of a software engineering job, but thats fine because I've been a coder since I picked up a ti83. Most electrical engineers can work with hardware or software, so you're bound to get hired somewhere. I love working with graphics, so I think this will suit me and days should go pretty fast.

So if you like math, computers, programming, and hardware, go for it.

(finally its time to move out of this stinkin' apartment and get a cat!)

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 17 Mar 2008 10:11

Hahaha there is no 'best' major. It's all about what kind of person you are and what skills you have.

Electrical Engineer makes sense for Psilocybe, but that shit is like, the most impossible stuff for my brain. I have a degree in Mechanical Engineering, it wasn't easy either but I know it will open alot of doors I want to go through.
(Basically every thing that has ever been designed or made requires a mech eng)

So what are you good at Ben?

Also, it's worth differentiating colleges from universities. I know that they use the term 'college' for both in the states, but there is a BIG difference!

A college is generally a place where you learn trades like plumbing and marketing and stuff, whereas a university is for stuff like sciences and arts (college has arts too) and theology and philosophy.

In general, a university gets you a degree (and diploma) and a college gets you a certificate. But that is totally in general.

I don't think it is worth your time to look at the whole sitch and boil it down to which is the best end result for the least amount of work. Post-secondary education takes work! Just accept that and pick a topic that fits you and go for it.

Moxie · Post by **Moxie** » 17 Mar 2008 10:30

mosher wrote:there is no 'best' major.

Wrong, because the best major is Anthropology. After I've talked with many people over the last few years, it seems like a lot of their favorite classes in college were anthropology, even if they weren't anthropology majors. It gives you an opportunity to travel to different places in the world or country. You can study remote villages or large cities, study a people's dying language, be out in the field digging up ancient remains, freelance in forensic anthropology (neat stuff) and travel to just about any part of the world or country for work. Even if you don't want to travel and â€œbecome an anthropologist,â€

Bringerofpie · Post by **Bringerofpie** » 17 Mar 2008 11:51

You should go to the university of hard knocks and major in kicking ass and taking names.

BenRea · Post by **BenRea** » 17 Mar 2008 12:53

Moxie wrote:
mosher wrote:there is no 'best' major.

Wrong, because the best major is Anthropology. After I've talked with many people over the last few years, it seems like a lot of their favorite classes in college were anthropology, even if they weren't anthropology majors. It gives you an opportunity to travel to different places in the world or country. You can study remote villages or large cities, study a people's dying language, be out in the field digging up ancient remains, freelance in forensic anthropology (neat stuff) and travel to just about any part of the world or country for work. Even if you don't want to travel and â€œbecome an anthropologist,â€

mikep · Post by **mikep** » 17 Mar 2008 13:24

I think if you are an engineer at heart you know it pretty early (I did). I believe it would be a tough major to go through if you are not naturally into math & stuff.

If that is not your thing, I wouldn't put too much pressure on yourself to choose wisely at this point. Very few of my (non-engineer)friends actually graduated in the field that they initially went for, anyway.

And don't worry about the social aspect! I am not outgoing at all, but it is almost impossible to not fall in with people who will become life-long friends. Starting college is a new experience for everybody.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 17 Mar 2008 13:50

I don't know how it works in the US, but I'm doing a double degree, which means I get two majors (zoology and geography).

I would say that geography is better than anthropology because it not only involves everything you would do in anthropology, but also combines that with geology, biology, environmental management and about a million other things.

Blue_turnip · Post by **Blue_turnip** » 17 Mar 2008 14:15

Computer Science is the correct degree.

Moxie wrote:
mosher wrote:there is no 'best' major.

Wrong, because the best major is Anthropology. After I've talked with many people over the last few years, it seems like a lot of their favorite classes in college were anthropology, even if they weren't anthropology majors. It gives you an opportunity to travel to different places in the world or country. You can study remote villages or large cities, study a people's dying language, be out in the field digging up ancient remains, freelance in forensic anthropology (neat stuff) and travel to just about any part of the world or country for work. Even if you don't want to travel and â€œbecome an anthropologist,â€

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 17 Mar 2008 14:30

Regarding engineering; I think the lawyers sum it up pretty well (I played a game of football last year for the law society against the engineering society).

"They build the roads, and then we drive our Mercedes on them"

PoisonTaffy · Post by **PoisonTaffy** » 17 Mar 2008 14:31

Don't you have to do a whole bunch of gen-ed classes in the states anyways? That means that you can get into college and postpone the major decision (yeah, double meaning there) for about a year, while earning gen-ed credits and finding out first hand what you like best.

By the way, 18 is so young. Unless you really have nothing to do with your life at the moment, I don't see what's the rush.

Muffinman · Post by **Muffinman** » 17 Mar 2008 15:02

Moxie wrote:You can study remote villages or large cities, study a people's dying language

I just had to comment on this. My girlfriend's mom is a linguist, and she was telling me about this North-American aboriginal dying language of which only two people in the entire world remain speaking... and that these two people are mad at each other, so they aren't speaking

Since I'm posting anyway, I'll counter what was said about being young and it not being a big deal by saying that it makes life so much easier to plan ahead and know exactly what you want to do before you start something else and regret it halfway through. If I could do it again, I would have been planning my life more in grade 10 or 11. I went into my degree because it was something that I liked to do, but after graduating, I found that I don't really want to spend my life doing what my degree kind of opens me up to.

I want to go back to school, but now I am conflicted like you because I don't know what I want to take, and I don't want to waste another 4 years (and money -- although on this note, my province has implemented this wicked program where after university graduation, the government reimburses you 60% (or is it 90%???) of your tuition!!! WHAT???? I may have JUST missed this new legislation with my graduation by a year

).

So that's my perspective.
I agree that it's completely dependent on the person and what he/she is into and what his/her values are, and all of that. I want to see a career counselor. Maybe you should try that out too.

Jeremy · Post by **Jeremy** » 17 Mar 2008 15:52

I don't know about planning your life out in year 10 or 11. I've enrolled in 5 different universities and had a 6 year break before going back, and I only went back when I'd decided what I wanted to do. I think being clear on what you want to do is definitely good, but give yourself some time to make that decision. The other thing that I did, was think about what I wanted to be, not what I wanted to study. Sounds similar, but I guess because I'm strongly motivated towards a goal, and pretty disciplined, I find it a lot easier to pay attention and study, even though some of the subjects are not things I have any interest in. I wrote two pages of notes the other day in geography "learning" about things I've know for years, like what the difference between latitude and longitude is.

dyalander · Post by **dyalander** » 17 Mar 2008 16:33

based on the amount of work given and the places it can lead you.

This will vary a lot depending on where you are - in Australia there are lots of well paid jobs in certain areas of engineering as we're going through a mining boom, this won't necessarily be the case in other countries. In Singapore there is a current demand in some finance sectors because there setting up a new exchange there. Again this is region and time specific.

I'd recommend going through the employment section of your local papers - or of the papers in cities you'd like to live and work in to get a general idea of what's out there. Often there will be writers and editors for those papers who will have a contact e-mail and will field questions for their column - it might be an idea to write into one and see what they'd recommend.

Krafty · Post by **Krafty** » 17 Mar 2008 18:22

There is no such thing as the best major. Don't listen to anyone who says there is.

Pick whatever you enjoy studying and you will naturally do well in it.

Don't pick a major because people tell you it's easy or interesting; that's a dumb thing to do. Everyone has a different view on what's interesting. Pick something that you truly have an interest in and want to devote 4 years (or more) studying.

Grade Zero · Post by **Grade Zero** » 17 Mar 2008 19:34

Bringerofpie wrote:You should go to the university of hard knocks and major in kicking ass and taking names.

Noted.

slapdash21 · Post by **slapdash21** » 18 Mar 2008 10:28

dont go to college. learn a valuable trade instead. there are SO many trades that people dont even consider as an option because you just dont even think of them. if you get training for a specific trade instead of going to college not knowing what you want to do, you'll save money on education loans, you dont have to take a bunch of bullshit classes that you arent interested in, and most importantly, you dont have to live/hang out with lame-ass college kids for the next 4+ years of your life

Bringerofpie · Post by **Bringerofpie** » 18 Mar 2008 11:53

Yeah, but then you're stuck with a single career. Plus, you don't get to hang out with college kids for the next 4+ years of your life. But what do I know? I'm in 11th grade.

Krafty · Post by **Krafty** » 18 Mar 2008 12:03

Yup, Joe has a good point about college. You'll get to experience a variety of classes through Gen Eds and you're not screwed if you decide what you're currently studying is not for you. So, in my opinion, the Gen Ed classes you have to take are actually pretty enjoyable and more often than not, an easy A.

Also, your college experience will be what you make of it. If you continually make bad decisions and do things that you really don't want to, you're naturally going to hate it. Personally, my college experience so far (I'm a sophomore) has been amazing. I'm having the greatest time of my life.

PoisonTaffy · Post by **PoisonTaffy** » 18 Mar 2008 13:00

Krafty wrote:Yup, Joe has a good point about college.

Hey, it's ROY, not Joe

read the sig!

Just not to get off topic, even if it feels distant from you, looking where a degree can take you academically is a consideration. For example, if you end up picking something interesting but potentially job risky like anthropology, look into what would it take for you to get an M.A in something "safer" like Business admin or law with your degree. Sometimes it takes as little as several extra courses, and you'd be able to get on the fast lane for an applicable advanced degree in case anthropology jobs fail to interest you.