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I'll let you in on a little secret...nobody is 100% happy with their work.
Some people feel they don't earn enough, get enough respect, or have a good schedule. Some people feel bored by their jobs and want to follow their passion.
Basically choose the things that are the most important to you. If you are a free spirit, business might be a terrible option.
I regret not making more money. My husband and I started out with similar salaries, but his kept growing and mine stagnated. He was working 9-5 and I was working 6:30-5:30 with a twenty minute lunch. Now, I loved my job and really enjoyed teaching and helping children. It just got to the point where it made more sense to focus on my own family.
This is so true. If you can be 75% happy with your job, you've made it.
It might be a good time to come to the realization that it isn't college studies that get you the job, but developing skills that employers need. Work on that and your job hunting will be easier!
Science is very broad. Even "Business" can be broad. Narrow down some choices in the science field. Do some salary research. Go on job boards and search jobs. See how many there are in certain areas and see what they ask for. Some sciences aren't in demand while others are highly desired. I graduated with a BS in Meteorology. I absolutely love it. There's nothing else I rather do but it's been hard finding a job. Geology, however, is sometimes in demand with oil companies. GIS is needed and the pay is decent. But I dabbled in it and found it too tedious on the computer. Find what interests you and look at the job prospects. Many are math intense. Hopefully you have an aptitude for high level math. You could even major in it. Or minor in it. That could potentially help. Go into some programming. Take a class or two or steadily work on your own. Again, look at job boards and see what languages are in demand like Java or PHP. If you go into more a scientific computational side of things, learn something like Python. It's free and often a top choice for scientists. I learned Matlab because the school paid for the license.
As for business, well I don't know quite as much. I knew a lot of people in the business school where I went (Texas A&M). I don't think there was just a general business degree or management degree. Most people I knew were in something like Accounting, MIS or Finance. At A&M the accountants in the professional program are spoiled. The big 4 and mid size companies actively recruit. They had networking dinners and activities. Interviews. Offered an internship for a semester and get their masters and bachelors in 5 years. 2 of my friends that are the same age interned in the spring, still have a year left but already have job offers with Pricewaterhouse Coopers. They still have to pass their CPA exams but they'll do fine. Look into schools that offer something like that.
Choosing a major is only part of the battle. Like others have said, intern somewhere! Tons of people will be graduating with the same degree as you. Work experience will be a huge difference maker. And interning will help with networking. During the school year get involved on campus. Leadership positions for clubs look good. Being a student worker with a job related to your major looks good. If you even think you might want to do research following school, do undergraduate research. I know many people who were undergrad researchers that are now in grad school. You have to be able to set yourself apart and that's something I wish I had done a better job with the last 4 years. Grades were fine but it's more than that.
Personally I know someone that majored in that and now works at a craft store. Not saying it is a bad major but the amount of work is pretty hard to find unless you can get some major projects in. When the housing bubble was growing yes I can see it but frankly it isn't right now.
Yip, architecture or landscape architecture don't pay well. My advice is to marry well.
There are science majors that have great career paths... materials science, for example. Think about gorilla glass.. developed by materials scientists.
What a random question that has nothing to do with anything? Lol what are you OP's dad?
How one pays for college has everything to do with what major to pick, and more importantly whether one should go to college in the first place. It's not actual rocket surgery, finances matter, sadly most people are completely oblivious to the financial implications.
As far as the sciences are concerned, be aware that tenure-track teaching and research positions in academia are basically nonexistent (though better in STEM fields than in the humanities, or so I've heard). Honestly, rather than going with a broad social or even physical science degree, I would go for something specific -- journalism or public relations as opposed to communication, mental health tech or substance abuse counseling as opposed to psychology, etc. -- it's better to be qualified for a specific position you don't necessarily want, while also having the freedom to try and shop your degree around for less conventional types of positions, than to have a broad academic credential that's useless in terms of qualifying you for anything specific.
Even with business, I'd say zero in on something a little more specific -- maybe organizational leadership, human resource development, hospitality management or something like that.
OP, consider applying as undeclared (undeclared major) to colleges that offer strong programs in both fields. Then you can take lower level classes in both programs, figure out which one you really want to do, and declare your major by the end of your first year or perhaps your second year. There's no shame in doing that. There's no need to rush to declare a major.
FWIW, a lot of people go in undeclared or change their majors while in college. It's no big deal. Going to college, taking classes, and exposing yourself to new ideas and new fields you never even knew existed can expand your horizons, broaden your opportunities, and help you figure out what you really want to study.
It's a tough choice, to be sure. There are a few things I would consider:
1. Money won't make you happy if you aren't already happy with your life; earning a high income can feel a lot like a trap because after you have a high income it's very tough to go back to a low one... Speaking from experience there.
2. Do you have ANY interest in business? Do you watch the markets? Do you care about new regulations/laws at all?
3. Does money really matter to you? Or do you just want to feel accomplished (which you can do in many ways that have nothing to do with money)?
4. Do you tend to gravitate toward the finer things (aka, do you have expensive tastes)? Will you feel deprived if you don't have money?
5. Do you think you'll be satisfied if you can only pursue your creative interests outside of work?
Based on what you wrote above, you sound similar to me. I'm a creator at heart and I'm most fulfilled when I'm making something. I went into finance because I figured that is where the money is. I haven't been disappointed in my earnings and do very well in that respect. I'm bored though, and my job isn't fulfilling in any way except for the bank account. I spend all of my time away from work creating.
Some days I am so frustrated with corporate America that I want to jump out a window. Other days, eh, I don't love it, but it's fine. I'm in more of a "I'll just do this until I'm vested in my pension" mode lately, and don't hate my job as much as I did previously. If I could do anything in the world, this is not what I would do; if I won the lottery I'd never return. But, considering how much I am paid, how little I am stressed, and the overall balance of my life, this isn't such a bad way to go.
Wow, I'm sorry to hear that. I see what you mean, though. It's just that a lot of the tings I want to do involve a lot of money. That of which I don't have and don't want a low-paying job that'll keep me strapped for cash.
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