How did you choose your major?

[melindawarren]

Originally Posted by *winter*

I would say the school does help with this process. The school I graduated from (ironically with a science degree) has a HUGE and nationally-known performing arts program- everything from dance to theatre to stage and arts management. Being in that environment, you are working with and meeting those valuable "networking" people simply because of your educational environment. In the dance program, recruiters come to the school to find new talent because the school is so well-known for its program and its high standards. As a result of the excellence in the performing arts, grads can have an automatic connection to people in the industry because there are so many who are alumnus from this school. It also has name recognition. It certainly helps with internships, too.

Off topic...sorry MelindaWarren

Actually, not off-topic at all! Networking is huge. Sometimes, in certain fields (not the ones DTD Alum-by the way, FIGHT ON!-mentioned, but certain fields), networking is "it." Multiple people have said to me, "I wouldn't be any more or less inclined to hire based on what academic qualification was on the person's resume-I want the person who's best for the job." You're more likely to be in that room and up for the job in the first place if you have the connections, regardless of whether or not you majored in Biomechanical Engineering or Basketweaving.

But thank you all for your answers! I'm not really in that much of a rush-I have until the end of sophomore year (fall 2012, thanks to AP credits)- but my school has this really weird policy that, if you major in something in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, all but about 24 units have to be CLAS units (this may not be a weird policy; I have no basis for comparison). I've already taken 8 (given that I was a major in a professional school)+3.3 from my summer class. This leaves me very little room for outside experimentation, should I decide to pursue something in liberal arts (which, in all honesty, is probably the case for me).

Either way, hearing your stories gave me some perspective (given that every other relative of mine, save for one, came in as a major in [poli sci, history, etc.] and saw that major through).