How do you know when to change majors?

DreamingOfSpeed · #1 10-30-2005, 08:12 PM

Ok you guys have never given me bad advice about my Subaru lets see how you handle questions about life.

I think i need to change majors, but hell if i know what to or when. I am a freshmen engineering student (mechanical engineering is/was my speciality) I dont think engineering is the way to go. I attend a tech school (taking a year off before i go off to a big college) i dont have to worry so much as to what i pay for tuition if i need different classes (i paid more for my new tranny than i did my first semester)

I think i want to be a photography major. yes big leap, egr a nice high paying career to photography liberal arts and not so lucrative.

So has anyone here changed majors? If so when why and how did you know you needed to or what to? I have no idea where to go from here. I love my camera so photography seems like a natural leap and i havent got a clue what to do else where.

So what do you do? Do you enjoy it? Do you feel like the money is worth the effort you put into getting your education and what you do in the job?

I have to sign up for classes for next semester this week. hell if i know what to do or where to go from here. any advice offered would be greatly appreciated.

Electrophil · #2 10-30-2005, 08:38 PM

In my opinion, I say stick with engineering.

But if you have to change, and I am assuming you are at a state run University, I would go with construction management. BIG money in construction management. And the math? You go from needing 400 level complex analysis to maybe having to take one 200 level math class.

From what I've seen in my life, a degree in Photography is not needed. What's needed is a contact to break into the industry. Otherwise, you are doing weddings. My wife is deep into the photography scene including National Geographics, etc., and she doesn't know even 1 professional photographer with an actual 4 year degree.

ensteele · #3 10-30-2005, 08:48 PM

The first thing I would ask is - If you could have any job there is, what would it be? Then I would ask - why don't you do it. The other things I ususally ask students is what hobbies they have and what they like to do. If you do what you like to do, you are more apt to do a better job at it and put more energy into it. I would not look at how much money you can make doing it. I have students come to me with high paying jobs and want to do something that they like to do or something they love to do instead of making lots of money. Yes, they make big pay cuts sometimes just to do something that they really believe in or love to do. Think about what you may really like to do and then look for the job and then how to get there. Good luck with the journey.

DreamingOfSpeed · #4 10-30-2005, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ensteele

The first thing I would ask is - If you could have any job there is, what would it be? Then I would ask - why don't you do it. The other things I ususally ask students is what hobbies they have and what they like to do. If you do what you like to do, you are more apt to do a better job at it and put more energy into it. I would not look at how much money you can make doing it. I have students come to me with high paying jobs and want to do something that they like to do or something they love to do instead of making lots of money. Yes, they make big pay cuts sometimes just to do something that they really believe in or love to do. Think about what you may really like to do and then look for the job and then how to get there. Good luck with the journey.

photographer.

it runs in my blood. my grandfather, great grandfather, and aunt are/were all professions and my father and other grandfather are both photo bugs.

I never leave my camera at home if i can help it. i have a digital camera witha 1000 pic card i fill everyother week. I love to take photos. if took a whole series last week of the washing and waxing process on my car.

just for fun.

shelfy · #5 10-30-2005, 11:17 PM

i say do what makes you happy. i was a math/science geek and should have gone into engineering, but i come from an extremely poor family, but was fortunate enough to go to the least expensive state university away from home. my university didn't have a college of engineering, so i became a computer information systems major in the college of business. i'm showing my age here, but i was learning the programming language COBOL and truly hated it. i enjoyed my accounting classes so i changed my emphasis. now i am stuck in business and wished i would have found some way to go to engineering school.

Matthewmongan · #6 10-31-2005, 09:57 AM

yeah, money is not important. if you enjoy your job, you'll work harder and in the end you'll make just as much as you would half arsin in a job you hate.

SilverSpear · #7 10-31-2005, 10:09 AM

As for me, when I got into university, I wanted to do mechanical engineering. But the thing is that there was no real work in this domaine over here, so when i graduate, I would work as a mechanic, no more no less, unless i travel and work abroad. And mechanics, do not really get paid well, even at all.
My Gf just bought a 2001 Toyota Rav 4, I took it to my mechanic for checkup. He resurfaced the front rotors= $10 machining shop, change front brake pads (Bendix Metal King) = $25, changed spark plugs = $38, changed fuel filter =$15 , changed front wheel bearings = $36 + $10 machining shop. As for Labor... = $50 !!!

Is that what i wanted to earn after I get my degree? No SIR !!

So i took the other road, FINANCE

msvx95 · #8 10-31-2005, 11:15 AM

Engineering is the way to go, but not mechanical......I'm a Mech. Eng, but if you are looking for money, chemical engineering and biomedical engineering is the way to go. I'm a number cruncher and I like to know how things work.
Honestly do something you'll love...at times engineering is difficult, fast paced, customer driven....makes me think otherwise every now and then.

But if you want to keep your svx running well.......get a good paying job

Not sure if photography can do that for you......unless money is not an issue.

Electrophil · #9 10-31-2005, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msvx95

Engineering is the way to go, but not mechanical......I'm a Mech. Eng, but if you are looking for money, chemical engineering and biomedical engineering is the way to go. I'm a number cruncher and I like to know how things work.
Honestly do something you'll love...at times engineering is difficult, fast paced, customer driven....makes me think otherwise every now and then.

But if you want to keep your svx running well.......get a good paying job

Not sure if photography can do that for you......unless money is not an issue.

Biomedical engineers make bank! I agree money isn't important.... until you have to pay the light bill.