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Intelligence analyst positions usually require that the candidate already has experience in the field. Even if it's not a "requirement," plenty of the other candidates will have that experience (and many of these positions will have a lot of applicants). If he's interested in intel, his best bet is to go into the military; few other places will take someone who has never done it before and train them from the ground up. Even better if he can also gain computer skills and at least one other language. There's a reason a friend in federal law enforcement once remarked to me that most intel analysts they'd met were former military; it's not just the veteran's preference thing.
How did we go from the topic of a student's choice of major to overbearing parents? Nowhere did my post mention that.
You can get experience working in DoD, FBI, State, or other agency or contractor with related needs. I have several close friends in the field. They need education and experience in foreign languages. Language skills is paramount since they're exposed to more intel.
They are no longer history teachers they are indoctrination trainers
HA! What a laugh! The history textbooks approved for public schools have always been very conservative, and still are. Which is indoctrination of another stripe.
You can get experience working in DoD, FBI, State, or other agency or contractor with related needs. I have several close friends in the field. They need education and experience in foreign languages. Language skills is paramount since they're exposed to more intel.
Languages and "area studies", which involves history of the region the student chooses (Latin America, Russia & E Europe, Asia, Africa). The student could go to a university that excels in International Studies, and has strong programs in those areas, or he could go to the Defense Language Institute, in Monterey, CA.
HA! What a laugh! The history textbooks approved for public schools have always been very conservative, and still are. Which is indoctrination of another stripe.
That's changed. The last US History book I used spent almost as much time on the Japanese Internment as it did the rest of WW II.
You can get experience working in DoD, FBI, State, or other agency or contractor with related needs. I have several close friends in the field. They need education and experience in foreign languages. Language skills is paramount since they're exposed to more intel.
I have a friend who's been wanting to get into intel and pretty much gave up because all job listings they looked at expected existing experience.
OP here. I am a history lover myself. Won't claim to be a history buff but I read history wiki pages and watch history YouTube videos excessively.
However, history to me is a hobby, an entertainment. It is someone story telling and that is enjoyable. If I have to find a job with it today, though, I would be very concerned; as I have never seen any job post listing history major as the requirement (maybe I am not looking at the right place?)
I am one of those "more engaging" parents when it comes to the kids' career. I asked him this question in junior high school and he gave the same answer; hence I feel he's not kidding about liking history. I have no issue if my son wants to major in history in college; I just will a) help him understand the career outlook when he comes out with a history degree, and b) try to help him succeed in this direction that he chooses.
I myself PURELY followed my interest and went into Physics. I enjoyed feeling smarter than others. Only near graduation did I discovered the work environment of physics-related jobs can be very boring (I had a chance to compare to my friends prospective jobs). It took me a lot of effort to switch into and establish in finance without a finance degree. Hence I resolve to make sure my kids think about career opportunities when they choose a college major.
So, it sounds like history major ideally should be paired with something else in graduate study? If the kid will indeed apply to undergraduate study history, say, at Yale or Harvard, what kind of credential should he try to have besides good high school grades?
For science the kid can try to compete for the Westinghouse award; for technology they have things like robot fighting match; for math there are loads and loads of competitions at state and national levels. What is there for would-be history applicant?
Or can I ask this way: what does a "very good" history major applicant look like?
I wish some of our elected officials had a better understanding of history, all of us would be much better off. Your son sounds very bright. It's better for him to go into something he has a true passion for early in his life, rather than go into a field to please other people or go into a field that sounds "practical," but that he has no real passion for- will save both of you from a lot of headaches and heartaches in the future.
I'm sorry I can't speak specifically for his college application, but I'm sure there are enough careers that he will be able to choose from as a history major- government, politics and law has all ready been noted just to name a few. Perhaps he can double major as well, many programs to choose from.
Good luck!
I wish everyone had a better understanding of history, but yes, especially elected officials all around the world. Better future decisions would be made if the powers-that-be better understood the ramifications of the decisions of the past.
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Originally Posted by steiconi
Maybe he could be a politician. Those who do not study the past are doomed to repeat it.
Exactly!
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Originally Posted by ss20ts
It's his life. Let him live it! history may be what's interesting to him in high school and that is fine. It's not setting up his entire life. Even if it does, so what? It's his life! There are many career paths that have history degrees. When he gets to college - if he goes, he will be taking classes on subjects that weren't available in high school. A whole new world will open up to him. Let him grow and follow his heart. It's his life not yours.
I would have been delighted if my child was passionate about history. The OP's son will not only be learning to think critically but will also have to develop good writing and analytical skills if he is to do well. He will be better equipped to handle a good career than graduates in some other majors.
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Originally Posted by Texamichiforniasota
There are plenty lawyers, MBA's, physicians, dentists, pharmacists, accountants, and many other fields that were history majors in undergrad. I was double major, one of which was history, and I do think I learned some valuable research and writing skills studying history.
Exactly!
As someone else posted upthread, when you have a job involving your passion, you never work a day in your life! My job involved my passion (not history, though I love it now) and every weekday for nearly 40 years I woke up excited about what would unfold that day. No Mondayitis for me!
OP - let your son follow his passion and be grateful that he has one.
OP, as others said History majors learn some valuable writing, research, and thinking skills that are not necessarily broadened in STEM degrees. Is he likely to get a PH.D in history? Probably not. He's probably not going to end up with a career that involves the use of his history knowledge but will use the skills he has. Could he pair this degree with something else?
When our daughter thought she would major in English and Spanish, she looked into a business minor offered at her university for Social Science/Liberal Arts majors. The summer before she began college, her cardiologist tried to convince her to take courses needed for medical school admissions. He said that far too many doctors don't have communication skills. He thought English or History majors, along with the requisite science classes, would make a perfect future doctor.
There are plenty lawyers, MBA's, physicians, dentists, pharmacists, accountants, and many other fields that were history majors in undergrad. I was double major, one of which was history, and I do think I learned some valuable research and writing skills studying history.
Yeah, but what was your other major, and which one are you "running" on today? I know a great little gal, Ukrainian immigrant, who had dual majors in Physics and Philosophy, yeah, like John Galt. She is now primarily a project manager, which does not really draw on either degree, but she is quite successful.
As to the OP, the first response - law school - provided the kid has the aptitude and the brute mental horsepower necessary to be competitive - might very well be a good answer. But, don't kid yourself about the brute mental horsepower level necessary to go this route. An SAT right up there in the high 90th percentiles is going to be necessary, but not sufficient.
Getting into med school with a history major BA is a stunt I have never seen pulled off. You would need a 4.0 GPA, and a lot of other added "plus factors". Biology, Chemistry, or a straight dedicated pre-med path are much more common.
History majors can do well in business.
I am retired now - sales and marketing - and I have worked for several history majors.
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