College son doesn't know what to study yet

Hezogdad wrote:

This is reasonable thinking. He doesn't really need to decide on a major for a few years unless he goes to a gigantic state school and plans to be done in four years.

Yes, he DOES need to decide by sophomore year and it's a complete waste of time to take more than 4 years.

Skip college. All they teach is lefty liberal commie pinko America hatred.

Join the Army or Marines and go kill those ISIS mofoz.

MAGA

Interboogieology

Make him take college study courses at a community college?

Your kid is going to be studying the inside of brown paper bags, chicks thighs and rolling blunts my man.

Mommas, hide your girl babies. Booyeah, college HERE I CUM!

I think you missed "prestigious" and "good GPA." It's one thing to study a stupid major at some trash-tier local college where vocational education would be better.

It's another thing to have the opportunity to go to an elite school on academic scholarship, maintain a high 3.x GPA, and have varsity althletics to boot. That opens doors.

Also, the college debt crisis can't be blamed on the individual decision making of millions of individuals. It's a systemic problem that Americans uniquely face. If college cost $1500/yr like the rest of the civilized world, you wouldn't be deriding "this kind of thinking."

Dave Ramsey wrote:

Atavist wrote:

I'm studying math and philosophy for my undergrad right now. My thought process is that I might as well enrich myself while I'm there. It doesn't really matter what you study for undergrad so long as you have a good GPA and go to a prestigious school.

Americans now have over a trillion dollars in student loan debt thanks to this kind of thinking.

My prestigious school unfortunately didn't teach me how to quote LRC comments properly. Refer to the above.

Atavist wrote:

Dave Ramsey wrote:

Americans now have over a trillion dollars in student loan debt thanks to this kind of thinking.

My prestigious school unfortunately didn't teach me how to quote LRC comments properly. Refer to the above.

This is exactly why he should pick a school that offers a degree in letsrun theory, that's what I did and now I make 250,000 a year and run a 13:58

...and you forgot to mention that you are banging a smoking hot ten, who rubs your feet and provides happy endings after all of your meals, at the table. It's the LRC way.

darunningguyguy wrote:

Atavist wrote:

My prestigious school unfortunately didn't teach me how to quote LRC comments properly. Refer to the above.

This is exactly why he should pick a school that offers a degree in letsrun theory, that's what I did and now I make 250,000 a year and run a 13:58

CS.

Math is a fantastic choice. Anything STEM really. Reality and the universe are governed by complex, yet comprehensible laws and principles. When you study STEM you learn all about a subset of these laws. It's difficult but because you have access to knowledge that is necessary but only few people know, you are in demand career wise. Social science and humanities on the other hand learn fantasy and made up nonsense where truth and reality are subjective. But when it comes to designing things (computers, planes cars etc etc) it's not subjective.

Math is a great springboard into nearly any field from finance, economics to engineering and medicine. twelfth highest paying major according to CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/19/the-50-highest-paying-college-majors.html

Anonymous coward wrote:

Math is a fantastic choice. Anything STEM really. Reality and the universe are governed by complex, yet comprehensible laws and principles. When you study STEM you learn all about a subset of these laws. It's difficult but because you have access to knowledge that is necessary but only few people know, you are in demand career wise. Social science and humanities on the other hand learn fantasy and made up nonsense where truth and reality are subjective. But when it comes to designing things (computers, planes cars etc etc) it's not subjective.

Math is a great springboard into nearly any field from finance, economics to engineering and medicine. twelfth highest paying major according to CNBC.

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/19/the-50-highest-paying-college-majors.html

I should add, when it comes to designing things, the physical constraints reality places on you are not subjective. Of course there could be multiple solutions to a given problem, but you must understand the objective constraints to engineer and design your way around these problems.

If he like Philosophy and Math, why not Physics? Both are pretty important to the study, and physics majors do pretty well for themselves. Although,he can't go wrong with a Math degree either.

Northeast Dad wrote:

My son is a high school senior and currently has a 4.1 GPA. However, he does not yet know what he wants to study. He's considering a math major and philosophy minor with the thought that he would be prepared for most any future career or graduate school. Would like to hear other opinions.

Why does he have to decide now?

Have him check out landscape architecture (www.asla.org has a bunch of great info). It is a misunderstood profession, but there are a wide variety of ways a landscape architect can work that relates to the design, planning and management of the built and natural environment. Although the field is relatively small, it is expected to grow in the coming decade. Also, most of the places you love likely had, at some point, the hand of a landscape architect--including a lot of places people have know idea were designed.

Landscape Architect wrote:

Have him check out landscape architecture (www.asla.org has a bunch of great info). It is a misunderstood profession, but there are a wide variety of ways a landscape architect can work that relates to the design, planning and management of the built and natural environment. Although the field is relatively small, it is expected to grow in the coming decade. Also, most of the places you love likely had, at some point, the hand of a landscape architect--including a lot of places people have know idea were designed.

*no idea

without strong opinions one way or the other, go for the $.

Let him take a year off to work, travel, and explore what he likes. It is a fact that students who have taken time off and return to university are more likely to succeed. They are more mature and more focused which leads to better work habits. I have heard that in Germany you are not allowed to go straight from high school to university. You must take a year off to work (must have a sponsor that guarantees employment), get a one year travel visa, or join the military.

Seems good to me.

Po-po wrote:

There is not much to think about here. A math major is a fantastic choice. Tell him to go for it!

+1

Math and Physics majors are valued heavily now in all kinds of jobs, especially finance and tech. Even in silicon valley, a Physics or Math major is valued equally or more than a CS major because it provides a different outlook on innovation.