This letter writer wants to know what to study at college to make their parents proud. Our elders admit they don’t have a crystal ball, but they do have some suggestions.
Dear EWC
I appreciate you for taking time out to read my letter. I am really confused on what I should pursue after high school. I am graduating high school in a month and the pressure of choosing a major for college is real. I really want to go into criminology or law because of my interest in true crime but the problem is that if i get a law degree from my country, it will not be applicable in other countries as every country has its different law so if I decided to move to a different country to get a job, it would be next to impossible. My mind is wandering among so many different majors and degrees like journalism, communications, English literature, psychology, business, foreign languages and what not. I am really confused and I just wish to choose the right major as it’s going to decide the rest of my future. Any advice on what major could get me rich and famous and successful in life so that I could make my parents proud? Thanks again for reading it.
Beacons-of-Light reply
We are a group of seniors living in a retirement community, and we are glad you wrote to Elder Wisdom Circle. Firstly, we would like to say congratulations on your soon-to-be graduation! This is a wonderful accomplishment, and you should be proud!
Moving from there, we did have a little chuckle at your last note in your letter. If we knew what major would make us rich and famous, we may have made very different choices in life, but there is not just one way to be successful! What is rich and famous here is not necessarily the same as other places. Success comes in many forms, and if you are working hard, and doing something that you are passionate about, that in and of itself is a huge success, and we are sure your parents will be proud. Of course, they want what is best for you, but what is “best” for one person isn’t necessarily what is “best” for someone else.
All that said, as far as picking a major, we did have a variety of thoughts we wanted to share, to help get you thinking… In college, are you able to have a major and a minor, two majors? etc. Can you change a major? That may extend your time in college, but if you find you really do not like the major you are in, we would think it’d be better to change before you completed the degree and then had to start from scratch. Can you go to college without “declaring” a major right away? Some schools even prefer that you wait to declare a major until your 2nd year, or so. This would offer you the chance to take a wider variety of classes and give you a chance to get a better “feel” for different fields. Also, in the summer or “off” time, you could volunteer or shadow in different fields to get a feel for what you are more drawn to pursuing. Along those lines, if you took a gap year, you could try different things (or even half a gap year – it would change your line up of classes, but would be a way to get new experiences).
What works for one, may not work for another. That said, in our experience business is a good major that could be applied to a variety of applications. Also, based on what you wrote in your letter, we would think that if you are thinking you may be likely to move out of the country, majoring in something that is limited to one location may not be wise or give the most chance for success. So, with that in mind – if you are planning to stay in your country, becoming a lawyer is a strong option, but if you think you may move out to another country, that would be an impractical career path. So. Just some things to keep in mind. As much as we may wish otherwise, there is no crystal ball! But we know whatever you choose to do, you will pursue with drive and charisma, and with that, we know you will be sure to find success.
We wish you the best of luck, now and always!
Article #: 494498
Category: Career