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Ok, So A Little Bit Of Advice For A High School Senior Please?

This Question From Air Force LPN Programs | 6 Answers


QUESTION:

OK, well i’m 17 and at the point in my life when I have to figure out what I want to do with my life. I’m technically a senior high school, but I’m dual-enrolling full time at the community college (been homeschooled since Kindergarten, dual-enrolled since the 10th grade). I’m working on my 2 year A.A. General Transfer degree. After I get that here, I want to transfer to a 4 year university to get my Bachelors in something. The thing is, i don’t know what to get it in. I like math, so I was thinking accounting, but my dad says “you don’t want a desk job, too boring, doesn’t pay much” (he majored in accounting). i’m taking intro to Psychology now and I’m at the top of my class, it’s interesting and I like it, but dad says “you would have to get your Masters in it and then get a teaching job, not many other choices for that, but it would make a good minor”. he thinks i should go to a tech school (like my older brother and sister who are now in tech schools becoming a fire fighter/EMT – bro and LPN – sis), or go into a profession like Physical Therapy (pays great) or something media related (many job openings). also going into the Air Force is something he’s wanted all 3 of his kids to do.
i mean what do i do? the only thing i really want to be in life is a wife and mother (which is when he mentioned Southeastern University “bridal college”. we personally know over 20 people who have gone there and came home with a wife/husband).
so i’m kinda at a loss here. i want some kind of degree but don’t really know why or how I’ll use it. and i don’t want to go to college just to get married.
other people have told me “you’ve got time to figure it out”, my parents tell me “they aren’t the ones paying for your education you need to figure it out and soon”
HELP!!!!

6 Comments so far

  1. Lacy on February 27, 2010 1:54 am

    First of all – you need to do this FOR YOU!!!!!!!! Not for what your dad wants you to do. Trust me, first hand experience. I went to school to do what my dad wanted me to do – and I hated every minute of it…I didn’t care if I skipped a class because NONE of it was appealing to me. You have got to make this decision for you – you don’t want a job the rest of your life that you despise & can’t stand. You want to be happy & actually like your job. I went back to school and got my degeree in accounting. I’m now a CPA and I make good money. & they best part of it is that im respected, and i like what i do. Stick with your guy instincts.

  2. Fire Violin on February 27, 2010 2:32 am

    well, what else do you like to do? you should find that out, and maybe persue a career in that. try taking a career survey online – they are very helpful:http://www.edonline.com/collegecompass/c…http://www.unk.edu/offices/careerserv/st…
    Happy hunting!

  3. drip on February 27, 2010 2:50 am

    A friend of mine is an accountant at NASCAR. Not all accounting jobs are boring or don’t pay well. Look into becoming an actuary. It is a very big “in” job right now. Mostly employed by insurance companies, many more companies are now using actuaries. Many families need both parents working now just to make ends meet.

  4. Diana on February 27, 2010 3:43 am

    You need to do something that will make you happy. If you like math, there are a ton of careers that you can do with that:
    Teaching- you could teach anywhere from K-12
    Actuarial Science – takes math and statistics and applies them to finance and insurance
    Computer Science – using math to make computer programs
    Operations Research – uses mathematical methods to arrive at optimal decisions to problems in maximizing or minimizing things like costs or profits
    Biomathematics – models natural and biological processes using mathematical techniques and tools
    Cryptography – the practice and study of hiding information
    Finance – a field that studies and addresses the ways in which individuals, businesses, and organizations raise, allocate, and use monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed in their projects
    Just because your dad isn’t happy at a desk job doesn’t mean you won’t be. I’m not sure about the other careers, but people in computer science make great money. Also, you need to do something that you’re going to like, not your parents. Most adults change their careers 3 times in their adult life, so if you don’t like what you start in, you can always get out of it. And chances are that you’ll have to go to grad school, but most jobs now pay for grad school…
    I know your parents are breathing down your neck, but remind them that college is a time to be trained in your career and you have a little bit of time before you need to carve out your future in stone – especially if you’re going to get your AA degree first (which are mostly core classes). Take a few more courses in Psychology (you could also be at therapist, a forensic psychologist, etc) and a few more courses in math. Once you get into your major, you will have an advisor who is trained to help you take the courses that you need to take to be best trained for your career. They can offer a lot of advice about career paths for your chosen major.

  5. aDrEnAlinE OvErDoZe on February 27, 2010 4:28 am

    It sounds like you’re on the right track with your early studies.
    What’s important in getting a degree is that you become more independent and more well-rounded, which is good security for if/when something goes wrong.
    I would continue community college. It’s cheap and the credits are legit. That should buy you some time to come up with a Plan A and a Plan B.
    You’re right in saying that going to college to come back married is a bad idea. That’s a very expensive price to find a date, at the least.
    Whatever you end up doing, try to make it practical (like accounting). Even if you do get married, a degree can only help you. If marriage comes later than sooner, you’ll be able to build a career in the meantime. Plus, work is a good place to meet other people.
    Hope that helps.

  6. Mom3Boys on February 27, 2010 4:29 am

    Pick classes you like and a major you can finish. I graduated in psych but had two classes in computer programming and worked as a computer programmer and tech writer for 15 years before I found Mr. Right and I am now a stay at home mom. Do what you love, and do it well. DO NOT get into high debt to pay for an education you may not make much money at… or in a tough economy even find a job in. Consider teaching, speech therapy (any medical field). Your dad’s advice is good, you should listen to him and thank him but this is your life, your decision and whatever you do it does not have to be forever!