I’m in an undergrad currently studying psychology and historically a “social science/humanities” person (though I know this is a myth). But I’m in college to learn and I want to be interdisciplinary, so I’m looking to supplement my psychology degree with a STEM degree.

I’m deeply interested in teaching (specifically middle school, maybe high school) and my natural inclination would be to teach English, but I’m aware English teachers are oversaturated in the field. With that in mind, I have thought about teaching math. I love the idea of making a notoriously “tough” concept easy for people to learn (especially young girls in math!). I would lean math for this purpose.

I am also interested in parts of psych research which is why I might lean data science. I’ve also heard data science is much more “marketable” and can get you a high-paying job out of college. I’m planning on going to grad school at the moment, but I’m also not opposed to the idea of working and saving for a few years in a job I may not LOVE but one I am interested in. Then again, I hear the entry-level data science market is extremely hard due to AI.

What fields of study can you suggest for me?

Other jobs I’m interested in:
- psychologist, therapist, or social work

Being a woman in STEM I hang out with a lot of people who are more introverted and not as social, and I'm worried that my own social skills will decline lol. Wondering what majors seem to be popular with the more extroverted sorority type these days so I know where I need to hang out to branch out

I'm planning to start college soon, but I'm struggling to choose a major because I don't have a clear passion or career goal. I feel like I can learn to do things when given instructions, but I don't know what kind of work I'd actually want to do long-term.

I know people can change majors or careers later in life, and that's completely fine. However, I personally want to minimize wasted time and money, finish my education, and start building financial stability as soon as reasonably possible.

Just a bit of my background, My family and I immigrated to California this year's February so there are too many things I don't know about the US and its education and jobs.

Ideally, I'd like to eventually earn $100K+ a year with a bachelor's degree, without necessarily needing graduate school. This is just for preference and I'm ready for your "reality hits"

Some things I might enjoy include, but not limited to:

• Building, repairing, or improving physical things
• Working with nature, animals, or the environment
• Technology, designing systems, and solving practical problems
• A mix of hands-on work, teamwork, and technical problem-solving rather than sitting at a desk all day

Environmental engineering is one possibility I've considered, but I'm not committed to it. I'm open to completely different fields, too. My biggest problem is that I lack real-world experience, so I don't know whether these interests reflect what I'd actually enjoy doing. I don't even know if i'll be able to survive STEM, but i know for a fact i have more interest for STEM than for Liberal Arts.

For those who have been in a similar position:

1. How would you approach choosing a major if you had no clear passion?
2. How do you balance personal interest with salary, job security, and career prospects?
3. What less-obvious career paths offer a realistic route to $100K+ with a bachelor's degree?
4. How can I test whether I'd enjoy a career before committing years to studying it?

I'd especially appreciate advice from people with firsthand experience: what your work is actually like, how you entered the field, how your income developed, and whether you'd choose the same path again.

I'm not expecting someone to decide my future for me. I just want to make a well-informed decision rather than choosing a major based on assumptions and regretting it later. Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone,

I’m an 18-year-old girl from a small village in Myanmar. I just completed my GED and am currently preparing for further university application requirements.

I want to be practical: my main goal is to choose a major in IT or Business that will allow me to earn a high income and support my family back home. However, I want to find a path that fits my personality.

Here is a quick snapshot of who I am:

• Academic & Competitive: I am someone who puts 100% effort into studying. I thrive on competition and love active classrooms where I can ask questions and engage.
• Creative Roots: As a child, I was deeply into drawing, painting, and creative DIY projects. I focus strictly on academics now, but I still have that creative drive.
• Socializing: I used to avoid socializing, but I now realize it’s an essential skill. I want to improve at it, though I am still working on it.

Someone recommended that I look into UI/UX Design, Digital Marketing / Brand Strategy, or Business/Data Analytics because these fields combine creative/analytical thinking with high-paying tech or business tracks.

Given that I am starting with a GED and living in rural Myanmar, which specific majors or career paths would you recommend for me? What skills should I focus on right now?

Thank you for your advice!

help. I just went on reddit to see everyone saying the ui/ux job market is destroyed.

I am a senior in highschool, and I decided I wanted to major in something like cogsci/infosci/data sci that keeps options open for careers. i was increasingly leaning towards ui/ux design or research for my future but now i am scared. i like design/psychology a lot but i also wanted a major that doesn’t disregard quantitative rigor (perhaps data sci/cogsci double major?) the goal is a job that will provide stability & money & not disappoint my parents.

will i be jobless even if I attend a decent university? for example programs/degrees like cornell infosci, upenn VIC, yale cogsci

I'm 18 year-old student from Myanmar who just graduated GED . Now I'm researching University majors and preparing for IElTS. I wanna choose IT Business major. But I'm worry that my preparation isn't enough to pursue those subjects. I feel unprepared academically because I'm just a GED graduate. I just comprehensively know GED four subjects. I reached Grade 12 in my traditional government school but not completed. I've never joined any external class related to IT or business major.

So, Any of you can suggest if I'm right to chose IT Business major eventhough I'm new to this field. Or, do i need to joined classes related to those subjects? Thanks.

Current sophomore, and able to declare next year. I was thinking of doing business management with a minor in AI in business since any professional I’ve talked to has said how important it is. I was just wondering what’s your guys thoughts on the advantage to this minor?

I recently switched schools due to hostility and cost. I feel much better at my current school. I decided that I wanted to become a nurse (mainly psych) but I am also interested in the mind in every way imaginable ( the biological constructs , behavior ,etc) and also research. I wanted to ask how do I not feel so insecure about being a late bloomer. I will be 28/29 by the time I graduate with my degree.

I'm 21 years old, and I genuinely have no idea what I'm doing with my life anymore. I feel like everyone around me is graduating college, starting their careers, and moving forward, while I'm sitting here with only about 30% of my degree completed and still questioning what I even want to do.

I originally started college studying Applied Health Sciences, but eventually switched over to business. Right now, I'm double majoring in Finance and Global Supply Chain Management, but I've also been considering switching to Finance and Information Systems.

The funny thing is, I thought switching to business school would make my life easier. I kept seeing videos and people online talking about how easy business majors have it compared to other majors. Well, that has NOT been my experience. 😭 Business school is actually hard, at least for me, and I'm starting to question whether this is even something I genuinely want to pursue.

I'm honestly considering going back to community college because I don't see the point in spending thousands of dollars on a degree I'm not even sure I want. I've also thought about taking a year off from school and just working.

Luckily, I got my CNA certification back in high school, so I could always go back to working as a CNA for a year while I figure things out. I've also been looking into LPN programs because nursing offers decent job security and income, but I'm scared that LPN school is going to be just as difficult, if not harder, than what I'm currently doing.

And if I'm being completely honest, I have absolutely ZERO motivation for school anymore. I don't know what happened to me.

In high school, I was so locked in. I cared about my grades, I was motivated, and I actually had goals. Even during my freshman year of college, I was doing pretty well.

Then things took a turn.

I experienced cannabis-induced psychosis after I started smoking marijuana, which completely disrupted my education and my life. Unfortunately, I ended up experiencing psychosis a second time after using marijuana again. I've since stopped smoking and have been clean for a while now.

I'm not mentioning this for sympathy, but just to provide some context as to why my college journey has been so complicated and why I'm only about 30% finished with my degree at 21.

I feel like I lost the motivated version of myself somewhere along the way, and I don't know how to get her back.

I've also considered social work because I genuinely enjoy helping people, but from what I've researched, the earning potential isn't that great unless you pursue a master's degree and become licensed. And the thought of committing to even more years of school when I'm already struggling with motivation is overwhelming.

Another option I've been exploring is getting into supply chain without finishing my degree. I've heard that you don't necessarily need a bachelor's degree to break into logistics or supply chain, so I've been applying to a TON of entry-level positions. Unfortunately, I haven't heard back from any of them.

I've also considered joining the Air Force. However, I spoke to someone currently serving who advised me against joining if my main priority is completing my education. They explained that school isn't necessarily prioritized while you're serving, although the GI Bill can be beneficial afterward. So now I'm second-guessing that option too.

And here's another thing I regret.

I used to work at Target, and they offered a program that would pay for my college education online as long as I continued working there. That honestly could have been such a good opportunity for me. But around that time, I experienced psychosis and ended up completely ghosting my job.

Looking back, I wish I had reached out and explained what happened, but I didn't. It's been a long time, and I honestly doubt they'd ever hire me again.

I just feel like I've made so many mistakes, missed so many opportunities, and wasted so much time.

The hardest part is that I genuinely WANT to be successful. I want a stable career, financial independence, and a comfortable life. Ideally, I'd love to eventually make at least $70k–$100k, but I don't even know what career I want anymore.

I'm not afraid of working hard at a job. I actually enjoy learning through hands-on experience. It's the constant studying, exams, homework, and pressure of school that I feel completely burnt out from.

I keep going back and forth between finishing my business degree, switching majors again, going to LPN school, returning to community college, taking a gap year, or just entering the workforce.

And meanwhile, time keeps passing.

I know 21 isn't old, but when you're watching people your age graduate and start their lives while you still feel like you're at square one, it's really hard not to compare yourself.

I feel like such a disappointment to myself, and sometimes I worry that I'm disappointing my family too.

I guess I'm posting this because I genuinely need advice, especially from people who have been in similar situations.

Has anyone else completely lost their motivation for college after previously being a good student? Did you take a break, switch careers, pursue a trade, or eventually push through and finish your degree?

If you were in my position, would you stay in college, go back to community college, take a year off to work, or pursue something like an LPN program?

I just want to find something that gives me stability and a decent income without spending the rest of my twenties switching between degrees I don't even know if I want.

I feel so lost, and I really don't know what my next step should be.

Idk what I want to major in or work, but these are the programs I always come back to. I'm interested in law, wall street, quant and grad school

Any insight on how good of a path law is? I'd be going into either english, humanities, or something else that would lead to law. How is it though? I know people say lawyers get paid a lot but I know that's not the entire truth, and I'm not going into it just for the money. I'm based in Michigan if that matters. 

Idk what I want to major in. But these are the programs I always come back to. I'm interested in law, quant, wall street, grad school.

A new article by the New York Times took a look at which schools and majors paid off the most with some interesting results. Obviously you have big name schools like Harvard, MIT, Duke, and Princeton doing well, but it mostly showed that your major is the driving factor in earnings. Here are the highest average earning programs in the country 4 years after graduating, with more detail in the full NYT tool.

I’ve just finished my first year of Environmental Science, majoring in wildlife conservation. All my life, I’ve only ever thought about doing zoology, marine biology, wildlife conservation, etc. But now that I’ve completed my first year, I am having some doubts. When deciding on my degree, my options included:

1. Environmental science
2. Marine biology
3. Journalism
4. Politics
5. History

I got into my first preference, and so far this year has been alright. However, I have discovered that I also really enjoy other areas. For my electives, I took a unit on Indigenous culture and another in sociology, and I did really well in both. I have also been emailed about the potential of becoming a mentor for next year's students taking the Indigenous-based class. However, I don't want to give up on my course just yet.

 We learnt how certain cultures live with the environment and how Western practices caused destruction within communities, which I found really interesting. 

So, as you can see, I’m kind of stuck at the moment. I am only 18; however, this sudden change in interest is eating me alive, especially as one year of tuition has already passed.

Some jobs that really appeal to me include:
-Museum educator 
-Future marine work
-Research focusing on society/sociology in relation to the environment 
-Working with communities in response to the environment 
-Preservation of cultures
-Legal/Governmental practices regarding the environment
-Helping women in disadvantaged communities
-Journalism highlighting inequality

I'm such an indecisive person, so this is really difficult. Especially as I still find myself getting small bursts of excitement and motivation when I think of wildlife, but also culture and justice :////

Hey everyone, I'm looking at different degree paths and I'm considering signing up for a bachelor's degree in Environmental Management, and continuing for a masters or higher if needed, but I was wondering if it's worth the time, effort, and money? For reference I'm 27 years old with only a basic A.A. degree, prior Army service, and currently work for Amtrak. I make around 66k with what I do now so I'd ideally like to make that or more once I achieve my degree. I was recently doing research on Wildlife Biologists and thought that or something similar might align with my interests. I was also looking at Environmental Engineering as a possibility too but I was under the impression that's a more math heavy degree and I'm honestly not great when it comes to that.

Any tips and input would be appreciated and if anyone has other suggestions on different degree paths or other possibilities for careers with a these different degrees that would be helpful, thanks!

Últimamente lo de escoger una carrera me tiene muy estresada y más que en mi país no tengo muchas opciones,por lo general soy una estudiante con un promedio alto (98.8) y si tengo que estudiar no me molesta,pero he de admitir que mi problema viene en que no soy la mejor en matemáticas,o sea no me va mal pero no es mi fuerte, sin embargo me apasiona mucho la física y estaba pensando en carreras como física pura ya que acá no se estudia ingeniería física y también estaba pensando en otras opciones de ingieneria, mi pregunta viene al hecho de que si mi dificultad por matemática podría condicionarme el desarrollo de la carrera.

Ojo:Nunca he suspendido un examen de matemáticas y tampoco he tenido baja nota en ellos ,simplemente no me ge dedicado mucho a entender las mates para ser sincera.

Les agradecería la opinión, lo leo ;)

I'm currently in school for biology. I initially went because I wanted to work in conservation. But after a lot of deliberation, I decided its not a good fit.

1.) I know its a difficult industry to get into

2.) Even if I got into it, I don't think I could mentally handle it. I don't want to spend 40 years fighting for changes I have no power to change making no money at all

So for the last semester, I've been sticking it out because I thought I'd get my batchlors in this and get a high paying job that ill probably hate, but it'll be fine for the money.

And then I realized a batchlors in bio doesnt make a lot of money. I don't like doing this and don't want finish it let alone go on to get a doctorate/phd/masters in it.

So, I decided I want to change my major. But I don't know what to do, luckily im at a community College thats covering everything right now, so I think its best to decide now rather than at uni.

I have a fair few connections within family in the buisness scene. I won't clarify specifically but I know higher ups in both a large cleaning/perfume company as well as a large toy company.

I'm pretty good in my science classes, I like them and have a lot of fun doing this, but I'm ok leaving it behind

Im bad at math. I have a learning disability that makes it more difficult. If I stay on track with bio im meant to take physics next semester and I dont want to do that. So probably nothing in engineering lol

And I'm way better in all my other subjects, despite this being sloppily written I got fives on all my AP English classes in high-school, 4's and 5's for other APs like psych and history, idk if that matters

I think I'm pretty charismatic, I like to work with people, I'm very creative and good at solving problems from odd angles, idk.

I want something pretty safe, where I can grow and make a decent living, along with be relatively happy with my work. Maybe have a bit of time to work on personal projects such as my writing and art :)).

TLDR: Im majoring in bio but hate it. Trying to figure out what's out there, maybe buisness? That feels very broad, and I wouldn't really know where to go.

Thank you so much!

So im highly debating getting a degree in biology and and then working in clinical research, but I’m also considering working in civil engineering and getting my degree in that personally I think that clinical research is a bit interesting but after doing a bit more research, it may not align with my lifestyle goals and I also think that a biology degree may not give other good career options while civil engineering has really good job security and I do think it would be interesting to do something that has real world impact and problem-solving the only issue is that I’m not the strongest math student as I’m a senior and still haven’t taken pre-calculus but I do think that I could get through it looking online I’ve heard some pretty bad things about the clinical research industry right now, but the two people I talk to in person haven’t really said much about it, but I still don’t know if that industry aligns with my goals for what I want my life to be like and this is something that I’ve been thinking about a lot and if anyone else has any good input, that would help me out a lot thank you. (Run on sentence because I used speech to text)

Genuinely dont know what to major in

highschool really did pass by in the blink of an eye. still dont know what i should major in. Im currently aiming to be an electrical eng and am currently studying for my physics/ math nat exams, but theyre kicking my ass.....

i have no passion for engineering other than for that fat check.

another major i have on my list is finance (Parent's pick)

so i can get a job at the Ministry of Finance? (direct translation from my native language) i do feel kinda iffy about becoming a goverment worker tho, since i hate my country (Southeast asia) barely barely narrows it down lmao.

My dream job is lazing around like a bum while still being financially stable...... doubt this exists unless i sell a fake course or something. but i have my morals.

honestly dont even know why i added this part.

I’m a current sophomore at UNCC who next year will be able to declare a major. I’ve always enjoyed the idea of business management whether it be at a movie theatre or ideally the corporate world. Though through taking accounting I kinda like it, and it sounds better for job market and pay. Idk from someone with no corporate experience, is management a viable option today?

for context I’m currently a junior at a college with a top ten business school and engineering school. I was undecided until i was a sophomore, when i switched to finance. at this time I felt scared of falling behind, so I decided to chose the major that most of the people I already knew were in. In my mind I was thinking that I know i’m pretty smart, and I’m capable of doing anything. but, i slowly realized that wasn’t the environment i saw myself spending the rest of my career in. Being good at school was always something i liked to pride myself on, and In highschool i surrounded myself with people like that, who had actual ambitions. long story short, I realized I hated that major. I’m a fall junior, and i just realized that I may want to change my major. electrical engineering is something that I could see highschool me doing if that makes sense. My family has high standards for me which is why i’m conflicted if I can should or if i even can change to ee. my parents are paying for my tuition and this would likely add atleast 2.5 years to my college graduation date. has anyone experienced something like that? or if anyone has been in college for longer than the expected amount? I’m scared of being out of place being the oldest in my classes. And i’m scared that this is a stupid thought/decision. Also, I have a 4.0 in finance I don’t think it challenges me. How far of a jump do you think that is to take? Will i look crazy or will i be able to realistically handle it

Hi all! I’m currently in the college application process, and I’m also in the running for a full scholarship to Vanderbilt. I was wondering, for students interested in entrepreneurship, law, and/or finance, would HOD or Economics be the better major? Also, how much support does Vanderbilt offer for students interested in these fields, particularly in terms of internships, networking, and career opportunities? I’d appreciate any insight!

Hi guys this is my last year of high school and after graduation im thinking about two majors ,Like i said in the title could experts recommend one and why ?"

I'm going to college next year and am probably going to attend a school with a really solid international relations program and good connections to DC. As a graduate, I want to work in anything ranging from international development to working on The Hill to government consulting, something in that domain, somewhat public policy focused and less technical of a job.

The school I'll probably be going to doesn't require students to declare a real Major until end of sophomore year, but I still wanted to think about this now; I'm curious if there's any point in planning on minoring in something that, as a standalone major, is seen as more lucrative. Would it actually increase my job or my pay ceiling options to major in International Relations but minor in something such as either statistics, data science, economics, or something of that nature, STEM oriented? I don't enjoy those very much as fields of study (econ's kinda cool actually), but I know that as a general Major those can make a lot more money. And, as I said before, I'm planning on working in a career that is a lot less 'numbers driven', but would having some of those baseline skills be something that could actually help me out? If it would be worth it, I could definitely suffer through it in college lol