Psychology majors?
 

Hey there,

I still have months to go till I enter college, but I was wondering...am I really digging myself a huge hole by wanting to become a psych major? My parents warn me that majoring in psych will be a long journey where I will make virtually nothing till I get my Ph.D (which I intend to get). Actually, my parents are threatening to not let me major in psych...which is not a good thing, b/c I don't enjoy anything except Psych and Soc (which they also disapprove of).

I already stated on my college applications that I plan to major in psych, but my parents already want me to change once I enter college...they're intent on me becoming an Accounting/Business/Econ/Comp Sci major... (hand me a barf bag, please)

Just wanted to get advice from the seasoned psych majors out there! :) BTW I plan to focus on developmental or social psych...well, that's what I'm thinking now, anyhow.

Not a psych major but--

You MUST study what drives you, not your parents. I understand they will be paying for college--but you will do better, make better grades in the major that you are passionate about. Studying something because its what your parents want--well, I cannot stress how wrong that is.

College is about discovering who you are and what you want. Its about becoming an adult. About making your own choices. You may start out psych and find yourself gravitating towards business as you learn and grow--but your parents need to give you the opportunity to find out what it is YOU love to do, it is YOUR life-- Lots of money in a job you hate is not worth it-- BELIEVE ME, I've been there. Less money in a job you love--well, loving how you spend your days is so important to your quality of life.

On a side note, my brother is planning to transfer to SC as a psych major in the fall!

Hi Newbie!!!:D

I just graduated in Decemeber with a BA in Psychology. I don't regret it at all. Like you, I've wanted to major in Psychology since at least my senior year in high school, possibly since the eighth grade. It is true that there is no money in it until you receive your PhD, but if that's where your heart is then that is what you should study. Also, there are several options you can take advantage of, such as double majoring in Psychology and Business, or simply majoring in Psychology then receiving your Master's in Industrial Organizational Psychology. This area of psychology can/will bring you the bucks. It's bringing together Psychology and Business. You could major in Business, minor in Psychology. There are ways to follow your heart and secure your future.

Good Luck!!!:)

ps...I know the struggle of wanting to follow your heart and please your parents. Hang in there...

Hey newbie!
I'm a third year Psych major. I started out an International Relations major but realized it wasn't what made me happy...psychology was. I switched and am so much happier.

It's true that it's a long road. But so is pre-med, and I'm sure your parents would have no problem if that was your intended major! People somethimes think psychology is a fluff subject, but it's not. My focus is neuropsychology, which requires a lot of bio and chem classes on brain function and behavior. It's not just Freud anymore!

Some schools (like mine) offer a five-year program tht lets you graduate with a Masters as well as a B.A. This can be really beneficial if you double-major, say Sociology and Psych. And when your grades are high and your GPA is stellar, grad schools will be banging on your door! And grad school, while difficult, can be done whie you are gainfully employed, working on research projects within the community, in an internship, or a paid position. Some companies will even pay for you to go to grad school while you work for them, especially the government. Keep this in mind.

You don't have to go all the way to a Ph.D to be succesful, either. There are 3 levels- Ph.D, Psy.D, and MSW. Social workers and public service employees most often have an MSW. It doesn't require as much schooling and lets you get directly involved with the public. A Psy.D. may be worth looking into ifyou are most interested in research or higher-level social work. If clinical psychology- seeing patients in a private practice, etc- is your thing, a Ph.D. is in order. There are many options, and you don't need to limit yourself now.

My parents weren't thrilled about my changing majors. My father wanted me to go with something more secure, as yours does. If you can't make them feel more comfotable by simply talking to them, seek out a guidance counselor, or local therapy practioner. Ask them how they got started, what they studied in school, tc. Write to the psychology department heads of the schools you applied to (emails and snilmail addresses should be on their websites) and explain that you are having a hard time convincing your parents. They should get back to you with ways to talk to them, and some may even offer to contact them. Basically, show them you are adult enough and serious enough to make this decision. Do the research, present it calmly and efficiently, and hopefully they will understand!

Good luck... and if you have any quetions, feel free to PM me :)

AlphaChiS2k, thank you so much for your post - it really helped to reassure me! I'm so afraid that my parents will force me to change majors...since they will be paying all four years of my college education (if I go to a University of California, it will probably be five years), I'm afraid that I might not have any say? My sister was a "very good" daughter and ended up with both Accounting and Business degrees! :eek: They ask me how come I can't be more like her. :rolleyes: But what they don't understand, no matter how many times I tell them, is that I love psychology and think I would be very good at it. Actually, I was talking with my counselor one day at school, and she volunteered to call my parents to tell them how much I would excel as a psychologist, that I have a talent for it, etc. etc. They still haven't quite warmed up to it, though. But sometimes, my parents do say, "So little psychologist, what do you think of this?" :) But I do wonder if that's just a joke...they are not being serious about it since I am not yet a full psych major.

You made such a brilliant point about the pre-med thing...gosh, my parents would fall to the ground with delirious happiness if I were to say, "Mom, Dad, I've decided that I wanna become a doctor!" Not happening, though ;). Like you pointed out, they still do not believe that becoming a psychologist is such a respected position. I have to remind them that psychology is fast becoming a science, not just a social science. (In fact, that part bugs me - I cannot stand biology, to be honest. In my AP Psych class, I struggle with the chapters on the brain. Though I manage to get good grades on those chapters still, I'm afraid that I won't be able to succeed in college as a psych major if I loathe biology.)

If I were to focus on developmental or social psych, would I have to study a lot of things on the brain? Probably, huh? Also, I'm afraid that the colleges that I'm interested in do not have the five-year plans :(. But, the fact that some companies will pay you to attend grad school is very cool; my sister was also paid by her company to get her MBA. She hasn't yet, though.

I think that I would probably go for a Ph.D., but I'm not sure because I think I would like to do research, but I would also like to hold a private office where patients could visit me. But I don't think people would go to a social/developmental psychologist for therapy!!

Sorry for such a long post, AlphaChiS2k, and thanks again! :)

Thanks Christina!! :D You're such a sweetie. I didn't know that you majored in Psych! :) I've been wanting to major in Psych ever since I was a sophomore in HS, and I really can't see myself as any other major (except maybe Soc). My cousin majored in Industrial Psych, but I think that's boring (no offense to the Industrial Psych majors out there :)). I have a real interest especially in developmental (b/c I think it's interesting to study how the mind develops over the years) psych and social psych (b/c it's sorta like sociology, to me, at least!). My parents come from a very traditional background, where it's "be rich, or else." They love the financial analysts, the investment bankers, the engineers, the doctors, etc. etc. My dad also loves foreign relations/policy and loves the idea of me being an ambassador or diplomat. Unfortunatley, I just don't see myself taking any of those routes!! :(

Amy, I'll email you at your yahoo address!

A couple of points from a parent.

Our son who is a senior in high school (National Merit Semi-Finalist and VP of his student body) wants to major in Musical Theatre and Psychology. Neither of those are straight shots to financial success unless you're one of the very few who make it big. You've discussed the PhD thing, and there are 58,000 out of work actors in New York City.

I would feel much better if he majored in Business or Engineering or something. He was perfect in math on both the ACT and SAT. He has a 33 ACT Composite and a 1530 SAT. He has a 3.9 unweighted GPA and a 4.25 weighted GPA. He can pretty much get accepted anywhere for pretty much anything.

However, he will major in whatever he wants to. We won't force him. Let him follow his dream -- at least to begin with. Maybe he will be one of the fortunate few. Who knows?

However.

In talking to admissions officers at his "short list" schools, all said the same thing which was a little bit of a shock to me -- at least from a numbers standpoint. Depending on the school, anywhere from 40 to 60% of students will change their major before they graduate. Many go to a different school within the same college (within the university), and quite a few change universities.

In fact, our oldest daughter did just that -- changed majors and universities between her sophomore and junior years. She still managed to graduate in four years Magna Cum Laude -- but most don't and that can become a financial problem for some parents.

Maybe sanity prevails at age 20 or something. Stay tuned.

Do whatever makes you happy. I think that it is more important to enjoy your major than to study something that is of no interest to you. The reason you go to college is so that you can study something that sparks your interest and if it's psychology than go for it!
Many of my sisters graduated with a psych major. Yes, it is a long road. They still have a few years of school left before they receive their PhD. But, if you are really interested in that field, than it will be worth all the work that you will have to do.
Don't go into a major you don't enjoy. Plenty of people I know majored in subjects such as Finance or Electrical Engineering just because they were gauranteed a job upon graduating. They were miserable and did not do well in their classes.
Major in something you will enjoy and that you can do well in. Many employers don't care so much as to what you majored but how well you did in your classes. It's better to be a Psychology major with all A's than a Finance major with all C's.

Angel,

It may be even more basic than that. As a hiring manager I have never been particularly interested in GPA's. For entry level jobs, I was always much more interested in how a person presents him/herself and whether I perceived that there was a real interest and, perhaps most important, a strong work ethic.

When it came to more advanced jobs, experience is much more important than major or GPA.

I would also be very interested in how many graduates actually go to work initially in the field they studied anyway. I'll bet it would be surprizing.

First, let me qualify this by saying if you are HAPPY in your job, success will usually follow. Looking back on things though I wish I had given more thought to the future and ALL that implies...

GO FOR THE BUCKS! If you are going to spend X number of years
seeking an education, you may want to consider how "bright" that future really is. It's wonderful to work and find "fulfillment"
in what you do, but when the kids come and the financial responsibilities kick in you may not feel very "fulfilled" when your paycheck doesn't reflect the amount of education you have received and others are able to have less economic stress in their lives. I am fortunate in that Hubby is in a great professon and I can work with him, but if I had been divorced or widowed, I would be struggling to make ends meet and give my children the education they need to achieve their own success. As a woman Newbie, you need to be prepared for the possibility of being on your own and perhaps raising children. This is something I have drummed into my daughter's head since she was tiny. Just a thought to share.

Thanks everyone for the replies, I'm sorry that I didn't reply earlier! Unfortunately, a part in my monitor burned and I had to replace it. Luckily, my computer is okay. *Warning*: super long post ahead - where I reply to everyone that I didn't post to earlier!

Justamom, thank you for posting :). It is nice to hear from another parent's perspective (just like DeltAlum). I think my parents worry about the same thing - their child's well-being. Yeah, I guess I should think more realistically...I've always imagined my future with a loving husband and two wonderful children...I should take into account the possibility that my future might not always be so rosy and perfect. Things, after all, do happen! Luckily, I do have time to decide what I should do, major-wise!

Valkyrie - hi!! That is so cool that you majored in psych - I didn't know! It's funny, just last night at dinner the 'rents again started on the major discussion.

They were like, "Psychology, eh?" And then they both laughed evilly. :mad: My parents were like, "That's real nice that you like psych. But, what are you gonna do to put food on the table? How're you gonna live off of that? It doesn't matter if you like the major or not, look what happened to Sarah (my parents' friend's daughter), Tim (my cousin), and these other ppl who majored in psychology! Where are they now? Sarah is working in public health now...nothing to do with psychology! What about Tim? Ha! He's working at some internet company. Nobody who majored in psychology ended up in the field! How ridiculous is that? Those who majored in their field will get an edge. How will you get an advantage being a psych major if you end up finding a job in another industry?" :mad: :rolleyes:

So apparently they don't have faith in their daughter to make it to grad school :(. I told them firmly that I am willing, and wanting, actually, to go through those years of schooling to get a Ph.D., but they just roll their eyes. I understand that they are just worried about me, but it's getting really frustrating because they keep on pushing the medical fields to me, along with the accounting/business/foreign policy/computer science stuff. My dad was like, "Doesn't matter that you don't like science or math. Who cares? You're gonna get a great living if you major in those great fields. Those four years of your life majoring in accounting/business/foreign policy/comp sci will be so little compared to how rich you'll be in the end!" :rolleyes:

Then I tried to explain my love for psych and how I just cannot succeed in a field which I absolutely hate. Heck, I'm suffering/laboring through my math and science classes right now! And that's high school, for goodness sakes. I told them that I will definitely get horrible grades if I major in something that I despise. They should understand that now, because my lowest grades in all of high school have always been math and science - the classes that I don't like. They just ignore that completely, and go on and on about how I will be so poor (at least for the first few years after graduation) if I take my own route.

Oh, stats. I have never taken a stats class before. A math teacher that I liked asked me to go to her AP Stats class, but I was like, "no way, no thanks!" Though I did well in her class, I didn't want to be stuck in an AP class where I generally suck in the subject.

As for the jobs that you worked, my parents tell me how difficult my job would be to work with "problem children." I understand that it will be very frustrating and difficult at times, but I am a mentor right now, and at first the children I mentor were very difficult. They basically took "the wrong path" so to speak, greatly involved in their gang and such, and of course all the drugs they took. I am glad that my mentoring helped to "reform" them; they are no longer in a gang, they no longer cut school, they have good grades...the list goes on. :) But I do know that a job would be difficult. My AP Psych teacher's first job was working at a center where the children all had mental disorders. He said it was really difficult to work there; he was so tempted to quit his job. But he said it was rewarding in the end!

Oh my gosh, Valkyrie, I'm so sorry I've been going on and on!! I've probably given you a headache! Sorry! And, thanks! :)

ZTAngel, thanks for your post :). I do intend to major in psychology, and hopefully the thing with my parents will work out in the end! If not, yikes, it'll be a long road ahead...

DeltAlum, wow, your son is SMART. You must be so proud of him! Where is he looking to attend for college? DeltAlum, I just wanted to say that you're being a great dad, and your wife is being a great mom. I'm sure your son is SO grateful that his parents are supporting his decision to major in Musical Theatre and Psych. Yeah, I know so many people have changed majors. I might be one of them; things might change in a few years, but for now I hope I can enter (and stay) a Psych major.

Sorry everyone for how lengthy this post is! I hope I didn't tire your eyes with all this writing! BTW, I have to study really hard until after finals are done, so unfortunately I won't go on GC until after Jan. 15th!

"Those who majored in their field will get an edge. How will you get an advantage being a psych major if you end up finding a job in another industry?"

Wrong Wrong Wrong.

Seriously. I don't know anyone who is doing what they studied. (well, I am, but I didn't for a long long time)

When you get out of school, all entry level jobs are an even playing field. And when you get out of undergrad, that is what you get-- an entry level job for probably about 22-25K per year. Psych or business, it will be the same.

And let's say you get a BS in Psych- and don't want to go to grad school. Psych is actually a GOOD major to go into other fields with. You learn about human behavior and are better prepared to deal with workplace politics.

Computer Sci-- yeah, there I would think you'd have a major advantage being in that job having also majored in that subject-- if that was what you wanted to do-- but its not.

And I agree with what Delt Alum said about sanity (I called it fear of starvation and homelessness when I swtiched away from being an art major) hitting at 20. If If If Psych is not your calling, you will know it before your junior year, in plenty of time to declare a new major.

I also sucked at math and science in high school--and hated hated hated it in college...

Hang in there and keep plugging away at your parents!
Amy

Okay...I got a LITTLE of this...I was able to shrug it off and do what I want to do. I always get little talks (maybe once every six months or so) about how I should take more engineering or computer science classes, more economics, and how I should go to grad school RIGHT AFTER undergrad--contrary to what people IN MY fields I've talked to say is best for my majors. :rolleyes: Even though sometimes it doesn't seem like it, there are more important things than that almighty dollar bill--like, your happiness and sanity. I'd rather be middle-class and happy with what I do than extremely wealthy and stressed to the point of premature heartattacks and strokes (this has happened to a lot of friends' fathers who took that high road--not all, but a lot).

I just take comfort in the fact that I actually know people who have just or are about to graduate--and I can hear the REAL STORY from them. I have a lot of friends who are business/econ majors, had great internships, the whole package---but couldn't get a job in the financial industry this year if their lives depended on it. Same with computer science people--a lot of my friends had their lucrative job offers REVOKED after the dot-bomb. So, I will just remain an urban planning/architecture major--since all of my friends in THOSE fields have jobs! ;)

Best of luck, Carrie! Let me know how your college trek goes!

Hey guys, I have to agree with justamom on this one. We've been there! Done that! I could name you so many people who were going to set the world on fire with their careers who one day saw the light--usually as soon as the kids started coming and an anthropology degree was not putting food on the table.

Unusual majors (anthropology) and certain hard core people-related majors like criminal justice may sound great, especially when you hear about others who made a difference in many lives.However, when you hit 30 or so, you are not going to be thinking about the warm fuzzies you might get from reforming a criminal or digging up ruins. You will be thinking about how you can get money to pay for your child's braces or how you feel too old to be digging in the sun or how dangerous working in a jail is. My Pi Phi roommate had grand plans about her future in social work until she was sitting at her desk one day and a client walked in and shot her officemate. She works with computers now.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't follow your dream or what you're good at. Just talk to a lot of career counselors and professors and combine all their advice with your hopes! For instance, our oldest wanted to be a Spanish major and we agreed but insisted that she add either a second major or a strong minor like business, health administration, or recreation. Something that would bring in the bucks if she ever ended up in a location where Spanish wasn't needed or if she got sick of Spanish or if she lost her husband and was suddenly the sole support of a family. Adding a strong minor or second major is always, I repeat always, a great idea! There have been some good ideas on this thread for combining psychology with other fields.

Did anyone else notice that the older people on GC are the ones who have brought this up? We're not trying to rain on anyone's parade but when you're our age, folks, you want to stop others from making the same dumb mistakes that you or your friends made. Dream! Plan! But be practical too.:)

Another suggestion
 

I don't know if anybody had brought this up...but maybe you could combine your love of psych with education. Just think about it... major in secondary education(makes your parents happy) and then take your psych courses(makes you happy) and then in the end you would be certified to teach psych on the secondary level.

DeltAlum is right - sanity hits and you just find your way. Here's my story:

All my life, I wanted to go to Tulane. So, I got there, and decided "Computer Science is hot right now, I'm good with comptuers, I'll be a CS major!" I hated it. It brought me to tears more times than I'd like to remember. Tulane did the same for me. When I transferred to LSU, I knew it was time to redo my major.

I'm embarassed to admit this, but the way I picked my new major was thus: all the stuff I'd already taken was accepted in this new major. I had NO IDEA what "Information Systems and Decision Sciences" was, and the catalogue description was totally vague. All I knew was that it had some computer stuff, some business stuff and that the graduates placed in good jobs. I was lucky in that I found a good major, but (right around my 20th birthday) I decided I didn't want to do it forever.

Both of my parents are lawyers and I'd off and on tossed around the idea of becoming an attorney. But in my soph year, it clicked - I wanted to do Internet/Intellectual Property law. I'd be using my undergrad degree to an extent, but I'd be following something I loved.

Newbie, you're obviously a smart girl and you'll do just fine! Best of luck to you!

Sorry, long post ahead
 

I was raised by a single mother who majored in Math in college. She managed/es to make a very good living first by starting her own computer software company and now by working as a recruiter of technical consultants. I've spent a lot of time talking to her about these issues and her opinion, which I share, is that if you have a head on your shoulders and analytical ability you will make it in any career regardless of your major.

I really don't think undergraduate majors matter anymore. Anyone know what the current statistic is for people with BA's getting graduate degrees? Out of my pledge class of 40 women, only 5 women haven't started or gone to grad school. IMO, what that means is, major in what you want as long as you fill any prerequisites for the grad or professional school you want to attend. I majored in Geography and Environmental Studies. After law school I worked for the district attorney's office and now I practice securities law. The only correlation b/w my undergraduate education and what I do today is that it taught me to use my brain, do research, write fast and work my butt off.

Good point Laura. Of my group of friends, there's only 3 of us who haven't gone to grad school. And I am applying to grad school. :) The other 2 are deleriously (sp) happy being stay-at-home moms right now, but one of them does plan to get her MBA when her son starts school. So of a group of about 15 women, only 1 has not attended/has no plans to go to grad school.

Two of my attortney friends undergrad majors were anthropology and art, respectively.

Undergrad majors don't have a huge influence on what you do with your life. You can step out of your cap and gown and into virtually any entry level position in any field. :) Or...go to grad school and specialize yourself.

Undergrad is, as lauradav said, a place where you learn to use your brain, do research, write fast and work your butt off. But also where you learn to live your own life separate from your parents, make friends you will have for the rest of your life, and discover who you truly are.

LOL! I have to respectfully disagree. I am 31 (heh, somewhat older), and I am planning a pretty radical career change because I want to work with criminals and change the world, realizing that I won't make much money doing it. I *am* on fire with the desire to do something good for the world, and I have found that as I get older, that desire grows even stronger. I have a friend who, when he was in his 30s, while married with children, left his high paying commercial real estate job to become a teacher and then a social worker. He is now in his 40s, has an MSW and is counseling people with mental illness and substance abuse problems. He has never been happier, but wishes he hadn't wasted his youth doing something that he hated.

As a side note, I don't think that someone with an advanced degree in psychology is going to be in the poor house. I can't imagine that whatever career you would have with that degree would not provide you with a decent, stable financial life. If you end up married with kids, hopefully your husband would also have a decent, stable job, and together with your decent, stable job, you would have all that you need. You don't need tons of money to have a good, secure life.

DO NOT do something that you hate just to make money. I can't stress that enough. I can't tell you how many attorneys I know who are MISERABLE in their jobs that they took because they pay a lot of money. It's better to have some money and a lot of happiness than a lot of money and some or little happiness.

Newbie~ I know how youre feeling....I too am gonna be a Phychology major and thats where my heart is....Im going into Child Psychology....and its not that my mom really wants me to do something else its just that she doesnt think i'll be able to hack the long ass time in schoool that Im gonna have to be in just to get somewhere in my profesion. But I think that if Psychology is where your heart is then by all means go for it!!! thats just my opinion but as someone in a similar situation thats what I think you should do!! :) If you ever wanna chat about stuff just PM me or send me an email :)


Nichole

Valkyrie--

Believe me, an advanced degree doesn't equal a stable, decent-paying career! I couldn't count all the discussions I've been in on about all the people with advanced degrees who are driving taxis or on unemployment or doing gross forms of manual labor because their field is full or the field's old-boy system is keeping them out or you name it....the last discussion I was in on involved all the professionals in marine biology who've been looking for jobs for 5-10 years.

Also, husbands' decent and stable jobs can evaporate in a matter of minutes. I don't even want to go into that. Wives' jobs too...my sister-in-law was assistant to the president of Enron and had no clue that there was trouble until the whole company was suddenly closed and they lost 15 years' worth of savings in the company's plan to send the kids to college.

I don't want anyone to ever abandon their dreams! I just hope that before they enter a field, they'll thoroughly research the job possibilities (including talking to people in that field) and if they seem dim, then take that second major or minor just in case.

And 31 is not old!!!

LOL! Don't worry -- I'm not saying that 31 is old, just *older* than a lot of the people here. I still feel like a kid playing grownup most of the time.

Of course an advanced degree is no guarantee of anything, but then, there never are guarantees. Someone could take a high paying job at what seems like a stable business (Enron, Wards, etc.) and then everything falls apart. I just really think that if you do what makes you happy, it is more likely that you will succeed one way or another.

I completely agree with what you said about researching -- that is probably the most important thing to do. A double major is a great idea, as long as the second major (or minor) is something that you also enjoy.

Dreams are great. So is food on the table.

Our oldest daughter started her college career in Musical Theatre (which is what our son wants to do). After two years, she was sick of the university, the faculty, the classes and the course of study. The bloom was definitely off the rose, so to speak. So, she changed university's and changed her major to Visual Communications -- something which has to do with video and audio and webpages and graphic design and photogaphy. Even after changing her major, she graduated (1999) in four years Magna Cum Laude. That certainly helped us financially. She won a bunch of departmental awards.

She is a very bright and talented woman.

She works in a print shop doing some graphic design, but mostly layout stuff for about $30K/year. Her job is OK, but not really what she had hoped for. She also appears in professional community theatre. She is married to a professional actor/director and they just make ends meet.

My wife has a degree in Theatre which she used for about five years while teaching high school. Then she became a stay at home mom. Now that our youngest is getting ready for college, she has started her own small business selling womens clothing. It loses enough money on paper to help us pay our taxes. She works her butt off.

My degree is in radio-TV production, and I was either a TV director or Production Manager for over twenty-five years. That's longer than most of you are old! I did a lot of neat national and international stuff -- more than I ever dreamed I would get to do. I won lots of awards. Then, about three years ago, my deprtment and job were eliminated. At age 53, it took a year to find a job at half the salary I made before -- and I'm no longer directly in broadcasting/cable. It was my background and experience that allowed me to get my present position, though.

We're a fairly typical family. It's amazing how many of our friends have faced the same situations.

So, what's the moral to this story? Beats the hell out of me, but I guess what it all comes down to is that life isn't always fair, to coin a phrase.

That's why the loving parent in me says, "follow your dream," but the slightly beaten down human being in me says take a really hard look at the way you hope your life will be -- both career wise, but also lifestyle wise -- and choose the most realistic path toward BOTH of those goals. It can be tough at times. In the long run, though, necessities of life win out over idealism and youthful zest almost every time.

It can take a real long time to realize that.

"Amen, amen to the last post," said the Pi Phi!

Hi Carnation,

We posted at almost the same time, so you might want to be specific about which post you agree with.

By the way, I've always loved Pi Phis.

DeltAlum,

Yea! I'm glad you love arrowgirls!

I said amen to both your posts in this thread but most especially the last one. Many say that I look and act much younger than I am but truth is, sometimes I feel so weary and old when I think about all that I've witnessed and learned about the realities of life.

Like almost every couple we know, Mr. Carnation and I have gone through unexpected job loss, job politics, shocking divorces of friends, sudden deaths of friends and family...I don't want to burst anyone's bubble at all, just advise them to prepare for what they can. Like job loss (make sure you're employable in several fields) and maybe divorces (pick your mate carefully). We don't want our own kids to be pessimists but rather optimists with a healthy dose of reality.

Ya know...

Maybe what we need is a good psychologist! Not sure we can wait for Newbie, though.

Like almost every couple we know, Mr. Carnation and I have gone through unexpected job loss, job politics, shocking divorces of friends, sudden deaths of friends and family...I don't want to burst anyone's bubble at all, just advise them to prepare for what they can. Like job loss (make sure you're employable in several fields) and maybe divorces (pick your mate carefully). We don't want our own kids to be pessimists but rather optimists with a healthy dose of reality.

We have seen so MUCH of this-especially the unexpected deaths.

I hate to say this. My daughter is thinking Psychology as well. lol I was 4 hours shy in Psy of a double major.
Several have pointed out that often you don't end up working in the field of your degree-true,true.

Now for the #1 college oriented, parental cliche'-"You need to have something you can fall back on."
Motivational cliche' "The cream always rises."
Newbie, you seem to have drive and determination-I think you have a great start on any path you take, but keep an open mind.
***I DID IT! I DID IT! I MADE SOMETHING BLACK ON THE POST!!!
How did I do that....

So I found this blast from the past as I was moving threads...
 

Although I wasn't ever a psych major, I went to the college my parents wanted me to go to (it was the cheapest close one) and majored in what they wanted me to (mechanical engineering). Here it is, two years later, and I'm at another school (a closer but much more expensive one) majoring in econ and poli sci. I decided it was time to do what I love, and I think taking on all the extra student loans this requires proved to them it was worth it. You have to do what you want - not what your parents, high school boyfriend, or physics teacher want.

I was an Occupational Therapy major but loved working in psych and luckily that was the field I picked for 13 years. Unfortunately, the mental health system in Michigan is VERY sick and there are no longer jobs available in my field. But, I also worked on a Masters in Clinical Psych and worked with numerous psych professionals for a very long time. Here are some of the things I've seen:

PhD Psychologists and ACSW's (Accredited Clinical Social Workers) make about the same salary in a hospital even though an ACSW has a Master's degree and the Psychologist has a PhD. I would strongly recommend looking into social work. ACSW's do therapy and they can be involved in research too. They can also quickly move to school social work with a course or two. With a bachelor's in social work you can usually get a job as a case manager in a community mental health setting (pay isn't great) BUT they will usually pay a portion of grad school so you can put food on the table and do therapy.

As for working with kids.. I worked on inpatient adult psychiatric units for 3 years and on child and adolescent units for 10 years. Are the kids tough to work with? Yes! Is the most rewarding thing I ever did? YES!!!! I found child and adolescent psych to be far more rewarding as a therapist in an inpatient setting because.. most adults admitted to inpatient psych units have biological disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. They get on their meds, they do great. Some would stay out of the hospital after that, most would go off their meds and be back a few months later. With the kids, more of their problems stemmed from the situations they were dealing with in their homes/families/schools, etc. There was more therapy involved and less medicating. Some had biological disorders but they were more rare. They needed to learn coping skills, social skills, anger management skills, conflict resolution, etc. In my experience, most of them really did better as a result of treatment. The hardest part is earning their trust and getting them to believe in themselves.. when you do that, it's an unbelievable feeling!

As for sciences.. Neuropsychologists have to do the most studying of the brain although all psychologists have to have some knowledge of the brain and how it works, etc.

It can be a very rewarding field but you do have to go to school for a very long time. I would seriously consider Social Work or, as an earlier poster suggested, Educational Leadership/Counseling which would also only require a Masters.

Dee

So I've found this post extremely late, but I just wanted to say:

I'm a freshman, but I came in wanting to double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice. I eventually wanted to go into Criminal/Forensic Psychology, get my PhD, the whole nine yards. However, I'm paying for college myself through student loans in my name, and I realized that incurring even MORE debt after college was a bad idea. So I switched my second major to Business (with a Marketing concentration). The marketing aspect of the business major relates to psychology quite a bit (consumer behavior & the like), so while it's not what I'd like to do, ideally, it's the most practical option that still gets me some of what I want. As shopgirl said in a (very) previous post, it can't hurt to look for the business/psych connection.

Anyway, just my little somewhat related story :) Good luck!

I'm sorry ur parents are giving you such a hard time. There is quite a bit you can do w/ a degree in psych or sociology. You could get a master's in counseling, you could go to law school, medical school, social work, etc. You have so many options. Don't let them get you down. So many people enter fields they hate and end up very unhappy. Be strong.

I am a junior Psychology and English major, Spanish minor. I was totally hooked my last year of high school. My dad still always asks me, "What the hell are you going to do with your life?". My dad the dentist thinks psychology is a lot of b.s., so I am determined to spend part of my career teaching medical students psychology in order to shape scientific minds more in favor of the field. Strangely, he thinks the English degree is more useful? Neither of my parents understand why Spanish is so imp't. to me. I am leaning toward law school with a joint degree in psych (M.A.) or the Ph.D. Many, many psychology majors actually end up deciding between the Ph.D. and law school-and you don't have to be a specific major to be a lawyer. You can even work as a mediator, make a lot of money, but not be a trial lawyer. I'm actually leaning more toward the Ph.D. right now. Getting your Ph.D. can be a hell out of a lot cheaper than getting a law or medicine degree, especially with the availability of TA or research financial packages, so though you're not making a ton, you won't have quite as astronomical loans to pay off, either.
I think perhaps the most imp't. experience I can share is when I was talking to our neighbor, who is a very successful lawyer. He had applied to both law schools and graduate schools in psychology. He was in his first semester of law school when he decided to transfer, until he got back his first semester grades and realized he was doing better than he thought, and yet he said that he wishes that he had taken that opportunity to pursue a psychology degree. He started out in family law, by the way. If I were in law, that is what I would choose, along with advocacy work. A background in psychology, especially developmental, would be particularly valuable in this field.
Also, the most popular major at Vanderbilt, Human and Organizational Development, integrates aspects of psychology. H&OD majors go on to careers in business and management in a variety of sectors, counseling, human resources, and other types of careers.
By the way, something repeatedly drilled into any psych major's mind is that psychology is a science. A lot of people seem to think it's just random theorizing like Freud, which I think has really contributed to the negative bias against it. Practically every psych prof I've had has spent the first week of class at least reviewing the scientific methods for psych and why psychology is a science. A good psychology department should, like a natural science one, teach you research skills and a scientific method. You learn to analyze research and apply it. Psychologists often work in hospitals with other health professionals like doctors, or in private practice with a medicine-prescribing psychiatrist while they control much of the counseling portion. They learn quite a bit more about talk therapies, and conducting and applying research as opposed to an emphasis on drug therapy like psychiatrists.
Consider the fact also that many high-earning jobs also have higher attrition rates. I had a high school teacher/counselor with three sons who left a law career. It's also not worth it to be in a job that stresses you out like crazy or keeps you constantly in the emergency or operating room so that your time with your family isn't quality time. This is something that's been drilled into me by my mom, who says that some of the best years of her and my dad's marriage were the first ones, even though she was working overtime constantly while my dad was in dental school. And think of what an understanding parent you'll be with your psych degree!
If all else fails, you can joke with them like I do with my dad about how you can always write a few books like Dr. Phil and make tons of royalties.
Here's a page to look at: http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/p...p?CareerID=130
Also, I'm assuming that the earnings average they provide includes other people with different psychology degrees, like school psychologists and marriage and family therapists, who tend to make less than a clinician.
Edited: Here are earnings stats straight from the APA itself.
http://research.apa.org/reports.html

Very nice synopsis of the field. :) Psychology as a science is drilled into my head!! :)
I thank God that I took Experimental Psychology (Research Methods in other schools). I've learned soo much in that one class, i.e. how to conduct research, how to write a good paper, etc.

I'm a double major with psych and govt--they're both useless as entry level fields. Not sure which one I'll master in.

Why do you think that? There has to be [I]something[I] you can do with an undergraduate degree in either field.

I really don't think there is THAT much you can do with a BA in psych... unless it's just one of those jobs that wants you to have A degree... then it could be useful... That's one of the reasons I decided to change my major from Psych because I did reasearch and decided I really don't want to have to go get a masters or PHD... although I have since decided to go to law school so...

There is since I live right outside of Washington DC--but on the whole, both fields are somewhat limited because there are only so many jobs (and in govt it's all about knowing the right people--not what your major is) yet both majors are pretty popular.

All of our Mental Health Assistants in inpatient had bachelor degrees in psych or social work. They were essentially the nurses aides of a psychiatric unit. They'd get in there, and get the hospital to pay for their masters/phd part time/evenings while they worked full time. Some jobs can be stepping stones to further goals.

Dee