Choosing a major

[Bulerias]

And so I'm back to where I started...

I need help choosing a major in college, guys.

Way back when, I was pretty confident I was gonna go with Comp Sci and go into game development. Suffice to say, I was quickly disenchanted with the insane hours game designers work. That, and I'm not that big of a gamer anymore, so... a few years ago, I was sure I was instead going to go for a degree in music -- Guitar performance.

...Not anymore. After getting a taste of what music education in college is like, I definitely don't think it's what I want to go through for 4 years... at least not in Minnesota. Besides... what the hell is a music degree going to give me? It's a piece of paper... not in any way indicative of my level of playing. Just look at some of the greats in my field -- Paco de Lucia, for instance. Did he finish a music conservatory? Hell no... he couldn't even read sheet music until relatively recently.

So anyway. A few months ago I switched again to Comp Sci, this time deciding I would go into Artificial Intelligence. But now I'm thinking that I REALLY don't want to do all that math and coding. I like math and physics, but only to a point... and as for coding, ugh. I can't stand programming.

So I compiled a list of potential things I'd be interested in majoring in:

Political Science
Psychology
Music Therapy (maybe a dual major w/ psychology)
English

The 1st and 2nd are probably the best, financially... the 3rd is OK in that regard, while the 4th probably guarantees me a job at McDonalds, sadly. So yeah... what do I do? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edit -- Economics would be cool too, I guess... I dunno anymore.

 

[Bulerias]

Oh, and I also seem to have an argument against every major I listed. Hehe.

Political science...would mean getting involved in politics. Being an adviser or politician in general would be cool, but it goes against who I am. I mean... they lie all the time. And they're waaay too uptight.

Psychology...means a lot of BS in college. Lots and lots of BS. I can already imagine the countless sleepless nights I'd stay up writing about useless and convoluted concepts.

Music therapy...though cool, is not financially viable. I'm not deciding my major based on pay, but y'know, 25K a year on average is not very good...

English...yeah. An English professor? Maybe... but what are the chances? Most likely, like I said in the OP, I'd be setting myself up for failure later in life.

Economics...eh, I can't really find a fault with this. Oh, wait. Math. Yeah. Lots of it, I presume...

 

[Jeremy]

As someone heavily in politics, I know you wouldn't exactly want to go for a Poli Sci major... that's what they say at least. And the 4th would mean you'd be a teacher eventually =p But you're home schooled, so that would be strange working in a public school.

What about Journalism? =o

 

[Khengi]

Do what I did! Go for the Foreign Language Major.

It's not that hard, and you're almost fully guaranteed high paying jobs as a Translator or linguist. For example, a Translating job at AT&T pays by the word for Japanese affairs, which just so happens to be my main second language. (I've had a talk with their 'people', and told me that I could soon work for them if I keep everything 'up and up').

I skipped 101 and 102 and was slammed right into 201 because of my Japanese proficiency, just by practicing on my own for less than a year! Dude, Foreign Language = WIN.

And if you have any sort of Engineering background, your amount of money as well as job offers is more than tripled, easily. I may be being biased about this because foreign languages is kinda my thing (I speak Spanish, speak and read Japanese, read Korean, and am decently worded in French and Mandarin), but it's where the money is at.

All from the comfort of your home. You just need a phone

 

[Bulerias]

As someone heavily in politics, I know you wouldn't exactly want to go for a Poli Sci major... that's what they say at least. And the 4th would mean you'd be a teacher eventually =p But you're home schooled, so that would be strange working in a public school.

What about Journalism? =o

Why not?

I wouldn't necessarily have to work in a public school... you know, I could be a college professor. Which would be pretty awesome, now that I think about it, haha...

That'd be cool too, but I don't know how financially viable it is...

 

[dragonflamez]

I'm sorry I can't help.
For me it was always clear- Illustration.

 

[Dragorium15]

Polit Sci is fairly interesting, as long as you don't mind politics and take an active interest in political goings-on.

 

[Katon]

I'm so glad you found that Music Education wasn't a great option for you before you decided to try it officially. I envy you, as I had to go through a full year of it to find it out myself. Finding a major can be a very tough decision, and I still don't really have one yet, though I'm really leaning towards Digital Media Design. I have a desire to create things, things people will see and enjoy, be it in my music, short little 'cartoons' I've made, audio plays, etc., so I guess it works for me.

I don't think you should settle for something that isn't your passion. I think in order to live a truly prosperous and happy life, you should do what you love and not what you have to. I also feel that someone who works in something they don't want to do in a job that pays more will make less money than someone who works in something they're passionate about yet pays less because the latter will be doing it all of the time, all they can. But I'm really just rambling.

Just ponder the broad subjects you care about, and narrow it down. Music is obviously something for you, so would something akin to Sound Design or Music Production be in your alley?

 

[Micah]

Either music therapy or english.

My cousin's majoring in music therapy and she loves it.

 

[TwilightKing]

To be honest, you've always been an excellent writer, and an excellent critic when it comes to others writing. In all the years that I've known you, you're writing and knowledge in the English language has been outstanding. The help you've given, the pieces of literature I've read from you, and your helping and understanding attitude towards the subject leads me to believe you would be an excellent English professor or something in that field. Of course It's all up to you, depending if you enjoy this subject area and the such, but in my honest opinion, you excel greatly in English.

 

[Flummoxer]

Major in accounting or finance.

Maybe Biology like me if that's what you're in to.

Don't do chemistry or physics they are too uptight and nerdy.

Good luck.