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Thread: I can't figure out what I want to study.

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    TheSexKitten
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    Last edited by TheSexKitten; 10-07-2008 at 11:02 PM.

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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    ^^ eee you quoted me.

    Start with what school you want to go to. UCSD, SDSU, or USD or others in or out of state. Look what is required for each major and look at what you've done so far. Do you have to chose right now?

    Law school is heavy. It eats up all your time. I had a neighbor who studied for hours and hours everyday. She had no job - her parents paid for all of it. 2 years later she graduated and could become any lawyer she wanted to. Theres lots of avenues after law school.

    If you have the time, I would talk to the teachers at your school who are in the subjects you are interested in studying. Maybe they can explain the type of work in depth and/or recommend people actually in those fields to talk to.
    you live like an ivy vine
    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
    -Kenpachi



  3. #3
    rooster470
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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    My recommendation is major in biology and minor in English. If you want to leave open the possibility of going to med school Biology is going to be really important. Getting a minor in English will allow you to take lots of classes on another subject that you like and give you the writing opportunities that you seem to be very interested in. If you decide you want to go to law school you can do that with any major. I was a psych major and i'm at a top 20 law school. I also know people who were art, drama, poly sci majors and are also in law school so no matter what you major in that's always an option.

    that's my 2 cents. hope it helps.

  4. #4
    stellaforstars
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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Does science come quite easily to you?

    If it doesn't, I wouldn't suggest majoring in it. I've seen several friends destroy themselves academically by majoring in Biology/Chemistry/Physics when they weren't wired for it.

    If you're damned good in the field, completely disregard what I just said.

    I do like the idea of making whatever you don't major in your minor. It definitely does leave doors open for you. You could also double major, if you really want to.

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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Quote Originally Posted by rooster470 View Post
    My recommendation is major in biology and minor in English. If you want to leave open the possibility of going to med school Biology is going to be really important. Getting a minor in English will allow you to take lots of classes on another subject that you like and give you the writing opportunities that you seem to be very interested in. If you decide you want to go to law school you can do that with any major. I was a psych major and i'm at a top 20 law school. I also know people who were art, drama, poly sci majors and are also in law school so no matter what you major in that's always an option.

    that's my 2 cents. hope it helps.
    or you could do the flip and major in english (what you love), minor in bio. You could fill in electives with some of the med school prereqs like 1 year gen chem, 1 year o chem etc. You would probably still need to devote an additional 2 semesters after graduation to complete med school prereqs and prepare for the mcats though if you went this route.


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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Hi SK,

    You have a lot of good advice already and I don't know if I can add to it--I am a writer and a professor, so I'm always glad to answer questions about the field specifically if you want to PM me. I can say that there is a tremendous power, a tremendous satisfaction in life in doing what you love: if you follow what you are most interested in doors will open for you that you never expected. Where I see students getting into trouble is when they have an "agenda"; they see others having a certain amount of success in the eyes of the world, and feel they should too--so they go off to law school and discover, halfway through a marriage and a number of years at a firm that it is not, truly, what they wanted...but now everyone thinks they are nuts to want to go and write. This is the kind of thing you want to avoid, and you're thinking about all of this at the perfect time. Listen to your instincts, more than what everyone else wants for you. Other advice in this case is only important if that Other REALLY knows you (for instance, I'd left college midway through to take a job as a journalist, and was pretty well convinced I didn't need to finish college. My father happened to see that a local college was offering a creative writing course and suggested maybe I would want to take it on the side. He knew how creative I was, and had a sense I would bite into it. I did. It led to a whole career in writing in teaching, rather than one in journalism.) What is most important, at this stage of your life, is listening to your heart.

    If you go the writing route, you might want to eventually consider the MFA rather than a PhD. I have found that the MFA casts a wide net--you might be an editor, journalist, or write advertisements, or teach--either writing or literature. There are many job possibilities with it.

    Good luck with this and please feel free to ask me questions if you feel I can help.
    JK Jim

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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Quote Originally Posted by TheSexKitten View Post
    ...The two that I am considering are:

    1. English (mainly writing, some literature)
    OR
    2. Biology/Physiology
    I'd tend to be very pragmatic - your degree you choose is going to affect you for the rest of your life, so I'd pick one that has good earning potential.

    That probably is biology/physiology.

    Very few people make a living out of writing.

    Were it me I'd go for the Biology/Physiology and maybe pencil in time to try writing a novel after I'd got my degree.

    Phil.

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    Veteran Member Ferret's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    So, you are a natural wordsmith, scribing a flow of ideas in words with ease. But my advice in this case is to go where your passions and obsessions dwell. The luckiest working people are the ones who love the work they do.

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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ferret View Post
    So, you are a natural wordsmith, scribing a flow of ideas in words with ease. But my advice in this case is to go where your passions and obsessions dwell. The luckiest working people are the ones who love the work they do.
    Very true. Its very stressful to be in a job one does not like for the rest of their lives. Why can't you just write books on nutrition or biology? Gee that would be easy.
    you live like an ivy vine
    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
    -Kenpachi



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    God/dess Casual Observer's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    If I took English, I would want to go to grad school for sure. Most likely I'd want to get my Ph.D. eventually and become a professor at the university level and write short stories and articles on the side.
    I would reevaluate this option; not only is there an abundance of English PhDs every year with whom you have to compete for positions, but tenure is harder to obtain.

    Remember that most people do not actually use their degrees in their fields outside of academia, but if you go with a science background, you can steer yourself into that sector more easily if you so choose, or apply to science programs in graduate schools much more easily.
    Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive.

    William F. Buckley, Jr.

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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Thats how all those school science books and ones at the bookstore are there right? Because someone like maybe yourself wrote them. I would very much look into it if I were you.
    you live like an ivy vine
    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
    -Kenpachi



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    Featured Member flickad's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Law school, in my experience, is very worth it. As another poster said, it's incredibly heavy and doesn't leave you with any time to earn unless you do it part time. However, the material itself is fascinating (though you probably won't find every subject to your taste, you will likely find that your interests are wider than you think they are). It does require commitment and passion though. You have to be very sure it's what you want to do- otherwise you won't be inclined to keep up with the workload, and law isn't something you can afford to be slack with. Any night off is a liability.

    The job opportunities at the end obviously tend to be pretty great.

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    Veteran Member Sauske's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    I suggest if you really dont have a clue- take some time off. seriously. you're what. 20? 21? you have ALL the time in the world girlfriend. all the time in the world.

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    God/dess UtahMike's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Another career possibility, for either a combined major of both biology and English or a major/minor combo, is being a technical writer. I have a friend who is a Presbyterian minister who was once a technical writer. She told me that there are many, many engineers and scientists who know their area of expertise, are experts in their fields, but who cannot write worth a damn. So they hire a technical writer to take what they have to say and make it readable.

    One other comment. You said, "If i was disillusioned with law, I could always teach." Please do not teach unless teaching is what you WANT to do. Thinking that teaching is the safety net that you can do if everything else does not work out is a route to your becoming a not so very good teacher. Think of your teachers. Are the best ones teaching because law did not work out for them or because they have a passion for teaching that subject?

    Good luck with whatever you do!

  15. #15
    Picaresque
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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    If I were you I'd pick Bio/Physiology...I say that b/c I was in kind of the same position as you, and I don't think I made the best choice. I was stuck between majoring in vocal performance or physiology...and I chose to be a music major. Now I regret that, and I wish I would have done the physio major, just b/c it would have opened more doors for me. (But who knows, maybe that's not the best choice for you. Everyone's different; I'm just adding my 2 cents. )

    The thing about creative talent is that it's not going to disappear if you don't major in it. You'll still have plenty of opportunities to write. If I'd chosen to be a physio major, I still could have taken voice lessons, performed with local opera companies, taken music classes at the college, even minored in music if I really wanted it to be a part of my academic experience...AND had a useful physio major that could lead to a variety of in-demand, interesting and decent-paying careers. (No one cares what you majored in at most auditions anyway--all they care about is how good you sound.)

    If you decide to major in physio, you can still write on your own, take writing workshops, get involved with your school paper, minor in English, etc. Outlets for your creative talent will always be there whether you major in it or not.

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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    My opinion is biased but go for Biology. You can do sooo much with a biology degree because it's the basis for so many career plans that I can't even begin to list. Chances are you can find yourself a great career, and if you love writing and studying literature, do it in your spare time. Work on a novel in the south of France during your vacay. Ya know?

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    Default Re: I can't figure out what I want to study.

    Quote Originally Posted by UtahMike View Post
    Another career possibility, for either a combined major of both biology and English or a major/minor combo, is being a technical writer...there are many, many engineers and scientists who know their area of expertise, are experts in their fields, but who cannot write worth a damn. So they hire a technical writer to take what they have to say and make it readable.
    I'm a technical author at the moment, but that was a bit of a career change for me. (Previously I'd managed at varying levels in the manaufacturing industry).

    Only prob with being a technical writer is that'll you'll ever be an observer of events - unable to shape them.

    (I'm sort of morphing back into a manager at the moment, cos I can't stand seeing problems left to drift around unfixed).

    Phil.

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