I need some help deciding...

emy4cats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
849
Purraise
1
Location
WA
Well I am ready to go back to school and get a degree. I will be doing online classes online to save the cost of child care. The question is...
What in the world should I get my degree in


Here is what I have been thinking....

Psychology - because with a BS I could teach pre-school, but I REALLY am not sure if I want to work with kids for the rest of my life.
I love kids and have done child care in the past. No 2 days are the same, there is always something exciting going on, and I love children. But I just don't see me doing this.

Interior design - I have done some decorating in the past and really just have a ball letting the creative side of me take over. I did most of my parents house, but their opinion is pretty biest


Fashion - I LOVE fashion!!
I am just not skinny enough to work in Fashion tho.


Business - Not sure what part I like marketing/advertising, finance, management (NOT accounting....well maybe I just don't want to do audit.)

And here is the really nerdy part


Biology - I LOVE science and ever sense I was a little girl I wanted to be a marine biologist.

and last but not least,

Mathematics - It is more of a general degree that I could do pretty much anything with. I love playing with number and math was always my strong subject in school.

Any ideas?
 

sneakymom

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
910
Purraise
21
Congrats on the 1st step!

I have been in school (it seems that way anyhow) FOREVER to get an RN degree.

I have a BS in Psychology. It was neat, but I really couldn't find a whole lot of jobs out there. I didn't really look very hard. But with the RN degree (which I will need to do an RN-BSN bridge since I'm only going to have a diploma and I won't be able to advance very far with just that) AND the Psych degree- I think that will make me more marketable.

Biology's neat too, because you can always teach etc......

Cheryl
 

sillyitiliangrl

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
1,905
Purraise
28
Location
In the Land of Llamas!
Originally Posted by Emy4cats

Biology - I LOVE science and ever sense I was a little girl I wanted to be a marine biologist.
Originally Posted by Sneakymom

Congrats on the 1st step!

I have been in school (it seems that way anyhow) FOREVER to get an RN degree.

I have a BS in Psychology. It was neat, but I really couldn't find a whole lot of jobs out there. I didn't really look very hard. But with the RN degree (which I will need to do an RN-BSN bridge since I'm only going to have a diploma and I won't be able to advance very far with just that) AND the Psych degree- I think that will make me more marketable.

Biology's neat too, because you can always teach etc......

Cheryl
Well, I guess I'm biased, as I'm just finishing my Masters Degree to be a Biology teacher, lol. However, my BS is in Psychology, with a minor in Biology.

Congrats on going to school!
 

tierre0

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Messages
7,256
Purraise
1
Location
on the shores of Georgian Bay
Congrats on your decision and my advice would be to choose the one that interests you the most. It will make everything just a bit easier if you have a passion for what you have choosen...

Good luck
 

fwan

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
13,279
Purraise
2
Location
Australia
oh my! here i am just got the internet and i was about to post the same thread!
I am only doing an online course though because of work.
I have a whole list to choose from, right now I am leaning on psychology, it will come in very handy at the clinic I work in too.
I am in no rush to start though, our school year begins in Feb next year and I can save a little bit before I take a plunge and dive into something that costs so much!

Have fun choosing
 

sammyp

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
99
Purraise
11
Definetly go with the science degree! Just the foundations of it will give you a lot more options to branch into later if you so choose
 

carolina

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Ok, I have a different opinion on this one...
I have gone through two universities, for two vary different majors... BS in Chemistry, and later, a 4yr Degree in Computer Graphics and Graphic Design.
When I first went into University, for Chemistry, I was only 17, and chose it as I was great in Sciences, and both my father and grandfather are chemists. I though this was the right path, since I liked chemistry, and having my dad and grandpa, and many family friends in the university would open quite a few doors, such as research possibilities for example.
It was great for a while, but by the end I wanted to die! I am a people's person, and Chemistry is anything but a social kind of profession - not research on my field, anyways. By the third year, I was wishing I had chosen a different path, medicine, or psychology, anthropology...
As you can see, my second major is COMPLETELY different from the first!

Here is what I advise: Do not choose a major right away - go to College and take as many general classes you can, meanwhile talk to as many people as you can about their experiences... Take different classes, or speak with the department directors about the field, and the options for different professions you can go after you graduate... After a couple of years inside of college/university you will make a truly informed decision...
You can schedule a meeting with a counselor at the college you pretend to attend, and discuss this possibility...
No matter what you do, if you need to choose now, choose what you TRULY love, and not what a certain profession could give you in the future. The bottom line is, you will only be happy doing what you love. And if you do it well, you will be compensated accordingly.
Look deep inside of your heart, and ask what would be your dream job - then go from there...
Good luck!
 

trouts mom

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 4, 2006
Messages
23,949
Purraise
16
Location
Snowy Santa Land
I always wanted to be a marine biologist too when I was little. I am going to look into recognizing that dream when my DH is done school.

It seems so interesting! I would at least look into it!
 

snake_lady

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
7,218
Purraise
13
Location
ON./Canada
Hmmmmmm. In this day and age it's a tough call.

I know I'd like to be a professional student as I love to learn different things.

If I'm allowed to go back to school again, I will be looking at something that holds a little interest, but ALOT of job possibilities.

I will look around in newspapers, online, etc. and see which field seems to have the most oppurtunity and go with that.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, having that dream job is not always a possibility
Making money usually is the first priority. UNLESS you don't have to work, and if thats the case, take what your heart desires strongly, and with any luck you'll be able to get a job in that field.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

emy4cats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
849
Purraise
1
Location
WA
Well less and less people are getting math degrees. So that is a pretty good possibility. Eric is pushing me towards Interior Design because I could still be at home with Jaiden. Witch my dream job is to be a stay at home mom. It just seams more like a hobby then a job to me so thats one marked off the list.


I love Biology, but besides teaching what can you do with that degree? My friend has a masters in Biology and he is stuck doing data entry.

After thinking about it all day I got down to business and math. I can't really decided what part of business I like.
 

yam102284

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
1,392
Purraise
2
Location
New Hampshire
Originally Posted by Emy4cats

After thinking about it all day I got down to business and math. I can't really decided what part of business I like.
That's the problem I'm in now. I have a Bachelor's in Business Management, and have no idea what to do with it. The company I work for now is going to start paying for you to get your Master's so I'm definitely going back to school. I have it narrowed down to Human Resources or Marketing. But even before I decided to go back to get my Master's, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my degree. To me, I wish I had gotten a degree in something else. Something that wasn't so generalized. But it's good, because you can get a 4 year degree in business and can go so many places with it.
 

mrblanche

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
OK, I'm going to give you the Dutch uncle talk, and pass on some of my own experiences.

I think what you might want to consider is a degree in Nursing. Why? Because it will use your science expertise and facility, and the nursing shortage is only going to get worse.

Now, my problem is that I got a degree in English and French. I wish someone in my Freshman year had taken me aside and said, "Mike, what do you want to do with this when you graduate? How do you plan on making a living?" Because that's what it comes down to, isn't it? How can you use skills you gain in the education system to make it possible to live your life the way you want to?

In fact, probably the best advice I ever got in my life was from the husband of one of my mother's cousins. "Mike," he said, "a man who knows how to work on automatic transmissions will always have a job." Had I done that, I would have owned my own shop, maybe a chain, and made good money. Instead, I didn't consider that "intellectual" enough.

If I had it to do over again, I would do a double major in English and Auto Mechanics. That would have used both of my interests and skills.

I started in Nursing School, some years back. The local college (Hot Springs, AR) had a 2-year RN program. I quickly remembered why I turned down an offer to go to medical schoool: I suck at science. Oh, I mean, I can get top grades, but it's just misery for me to study that hard.

By the way, I have said for years that if I could figure out a way of making a living there, I would already live in Hawaii. As a nurse, I could have done that easily.
 

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Originally Posted by Emy4cats

Well I am ready to go back to school and get a degree. I will be doing online classes online to save the cost of child care. The question is...
What in the world should I get my degree in


Here is what I have been thinking....

Psychology - because with a BS I could teach pre-school, but I REALLY am not sure if I want to work with kids for the rest of my life.
I love kids and have done child care in the past. No 2 days are the same, there is always something exciting going on, and I love children. But I just don't see me doing this.

Interior design - I have done some decorating in the past and really just have a ball letting the creative side of me take over. I did most of my parents house, but their opinion is pretty biest


Fashion - I LOVE fashion!!
I am just not skinny enough to work in Fashion tho.


Business - Not sure what part I like marketing/advertising, finance, management (NOT accounting....well maybe I just don't want to do audit.)

And here is the really nerdy part


Biology - I LOVE science and ever sense I was a little girl I wanted to be a marine biologist.

and last but not least,

Mathematics - It is more of a general degree that I could do pretty much anything with. I love playing with number and math was always my strong subject in school.

Any ideas?
My advice is to pick something that will actually allow you to make a living doing that job, and that there are jobs readily available to be had.

No sense spending time taking courses only to find out that there are no jobs in your area and you have to go work at Pizza Hut or something to earn a living.

Several of the listed careers that you have picked are unrealistic for being able to make a comfortable living, especially right out of school.

Fashion Design for example. Where exactly do you plan on getting a job doing something like that? Here most people who have something like that end up working in sewing factories doing piece work to get paid. Unless you live in a fashion hub such as London, New York or Paris and know someone who knows someone who knows someone, the chances of you getting a job actually designing fashions are pretty slim. Granted you could do it on your own as a home based business, but seriously how much money could you expect to be making as a single person sewing out of their own home? Not very much.

Interior Design. Nice idea, but again, limited jobs and the ability to make a living doing it is not very realistic right now. Who can afford to redesign their homes in this day and age?

Mathematics. What kind of job can you get with a math degree? I know you can get jobs as an accountant by taking a CGA course, but a general math degree? I've never heard of anyone actually getting a math related job other than jobs to teach math.

Biology is a good choice. However, instead of trying to get a degree in it, take biology courses and other science related courses and put it to a degree in something medical. There are always jobs available in the medical field and they are growing. Not to mention the ability to find a job is pretty good if you are willing to locate if there are no jobs in your area. Depending on what medical field you get into, you may even be able to work overseas.

It's nice to dream about fancy jobs, but it's more important to be realistic and actually put some thought behind whether you can actually put your educational skills to work for you and actually have them earn you an income once you are finished school.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

emy4cats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
849
Purraise
1
Location
WA
Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

My advice is to pick something that will actually allow you to make a living doing that job, and that there are jobs readily available to be had.

No sense spending time taking courses only to find out that there are no jobs in your area and you have to go work at Pizza Hut or something to earn a living.

Several of the listed careers that you have picked are unrealistic for being able to make a comfortable living, especially right out of school.

Fashion Design for example. Where exactly do you plan on getting a job doing something like that? Here most people who have something like that end up working in sewing factories doing piece work to get paid. Unless you live in a fashion hub such as London, New York or Paris and know someone who knows someone who knows someone, the chances of you getting a job actually designing fashions are pretty slim. Granted you could do it on your own as a home based business, but seriously how much money could you expect to be making as a single person sewing out of their own home? Not very much.

Interior Design. Nice idea, but again, limited jobs and the ability to make a living doing it is not very realistic right now. Who can afford to redesign their homes in this day and age?

Mathematics. What kind of job can you get with a math degree? I know you can get jobs as an accountant by taking a CGA course, but a general math degree? I've never heard of anyone actually getting a math related job other than jobs to teach math.

Biology is a good choice. However, instead of trying to get a degree in it, take biology courses and other science related courses and put it to a degree in something medical. There are always jobs available in the medical field and they are growing. Not to mention the ability to find a job is pretty good if you are willing to locate if there are no jobs in your area. Depending on what medical field you get into, you may even be able to work overseas.

It's nice to dream about fancy jobs, but it's more important to be realistic and actually put some thought behind whether you can actually put your educational skills to work for you and actually have them earn you an income once you are finished school.
I totally agree! I am looking more into the business area because I have no interest in medical work.

Like I said in an earlier post interior design is a lot of fun, but to me it is more of a hobby then a job.

http://finance.yahoo.com/college-edu...du-collegeprep is what gave me the idea for a math degree. I was not thinking Math in general, but one of the many math related degrees.

I know I do not want to do accounting. It is boring!!!
 

zorana_dragonky

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 13, 2008
Messages
1,581
Purraise
2
Location
Northern Indiana
Originally Posted by Emy4cats

I totally agree! I am looking more into the business area because I have no interest in medical work.

Like I said in an earlier post interior design is a lot of fun, but to me it is more of a hobby then a job.

http://finance.yahoo.com/college-edu...du-collegeprep is what gave me the idea for a math degree. I was not thinking Math in general, but one of the many math related degrees.

I know I do not want to do accounting. It is boring!!!
I think tax accounting, personal accounting, and small business accounting are boring, but FINANCE, i.e., corporate accounting, that can be pretty fascinating. It is a game of numbers and laws and checks and balances to make your annual financial report come out looking awesome. You might try taking a financial accounting course that gives you an overview of what corporate finance people do, and see what you think. I think it's really neat. It's not like tax/personal/small business accounting at all.


I do agree with everyone else that business related or medical jobs are the way to go, though.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

emy4cats

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Aug 30, 2008
Messages
849
Purraise
1
Location
WA
Originally Posted by zorana_dragonky

I think tax accounting, personal accounting, and small business accounting are boring, but FINANCE, i.e., corporate accounting, that can be pretty fascinating. It is a game of numbers and laws and checks and balances to make your annual financial report come out looking awesome. You might try taking a financial accounting course that gives you an overview of what corporate finance people do, and see what you think. I think it's really neat. It's not like tax/personal/small business accounting at all.


I do agree with everyone else that business related or medical jobs are the way to go, though.
Is there any medical related business that does not involve working with sick people? I know that is a dumb question


I was looking at Finance it seams interesting, but I really don't want to end up doing audit.

Maybe computer programing or something? I am going to see a student adviser this Sat. and he said he is going to help me figure out what I would like to do.
 

natalie_ca

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
21,136
Purraise
223
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Originally Posted by Emy4cats

Is there any medical related business that does not involve working with sick people?
Actually, yes there is


Lots of medical jobs out there have no actual patient contact.

Research for example. Also, Occupational Health Nurses and School Nurse. However, to get through nursing you have to look after sick people


There are also jobs that have minor short term contact with sick people...such as xray technologist, ekg technologist, lab technologists.

There are physiotherapists, both in the hospital and out. There are jobs at sports injury clinics where you are simply helping a person to heal and/or become better conditioned in order to gain back their strength.

Dieticians are also considered medical, and while they are consulted in hospitals, they simply pass along information and don't actually care for the patient at a bedside level.

And the people who actually run the hospitals have no medical training whatsoever: They have business management degrees, which explains the sorry state that many hospitals find themselves in where patient care is concerned. Most hospitals are so concerned with the bottom line that they cut corners and thus compromise both patient and employee health and safety at times.
 

zorana_dragonky

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
May 13, 2008
Messages
1,581
Purraise
2
Location
Northern Indiana
She has a good point. There are a lot of jobs in the medical field that aren't actually dealing with sick patients, but are still in a high demand. Maybe something like that would be a good fit for you.
 

jacksonwhite

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
2
Purraise
0
See, you should start degree you are interested in. Anybody elseâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s suggestions can't change your choice. Since all the mentioned degrees are totally different, itâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s you to decide in which you can score more and perform better. As far as job factor is concerned, jobs are available; you just need to be skilled grabbing the same.
 

catmom2wires

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
1,429
Purraise
212
Location
Texas
I'm thinking mortuary sciences will be seeing a HUGE increase in business with all the health care changes headed our way...

That's a medical type career that doesn't involve sick people!
 
Top