So...college...

[rrfield]

Not always true by any means. Particularly if you have a degree in a business field, pure science, or engineering you may spend your entire career using that degree every day.

I'll give you the last 2, but with business you will learn more in the first 6 months on the job than 4 years of business school. That's what just about every business school grad has told me anyway, and drawing from my own experience I would have to agree (though I was a mere business minor, not a major). One told me that yesterday, actually.

Two studies have shown those [Liberal Arts and Sciences] graduates in the humanities and social sciences can fashion effective careers for themselves in Corporate America. An AT&T study found that, because of their interpersonal skills humanities and social science grads were superior in management skills to business majors, math majors, and science/engineering majors.

http://www.las.uiuc.edu/students/career/businesscareers.html

I know we've talked briefly on here about business schools and their relative value, but the original question involved Biology vs. History. Pretty different career tracks. But if one is motivated enough, a fulfilling career can be had with either major.

At most schools it's pretty easy to double major in those as they are often grouped together in something like "Liberal Arts and Sciences" with similar general ed requirements. Try them both, see which you like better. If you major in biology, you better like chemistry. If you major in histroy, you better like reading and writting. A lot.

 

[HomeLAN]

I'll give you the last 2, but with business you will learn more in the first 6 months on the job than 4 years of business school. That's what just about every business school grad has told me anyway, and drawing from my own experience I would have to agree (though I was a mere business minor, not a major). One told me that yesterday, actually.

In what discipline? I see that in "plain vanilla" stuff like Management and Marketing majors, but very rarely in Finance, Accounting, yadda yadda.

 

[Nixy]

Personally, I highly recommend leaving the school system after high school, and putting in a couple of years in a crappy ass job before going on to college. Very motivational.

I took care of that while I was in highschool...GO SUMMER FACTORY JOB!

 

[FluerVanderloo]

I'll give you the last 2, but with business you will learn more in the first 6 months on the job than 4 years of business school. That's what just about every business school grad has told me anyway, and drawing from my own experience I would have to agree (though I was a mere business minor, not a major). One told me that yesterday, actually.



http://www.las.uiuc.edu/students/career/businesscareers.html

I know we've talked briefly on here about business schools and their relative value, but the original question involved Biology vs. History. Pretty different career tracks. But if one is motivated enough, a fulfilling career can be had with either major.

At most schools it's pretty easy to double major in those as they are often grouped together in something like "Liberal Arts and Sciences" with similar general ed requirements. Try them both, see which you like better. If you major in biology, you better like chemistry. If you major in histroy, you better like reading and writting. A lot.

I enjoy science in the area of biology alone, hence my decision to become a biology major. I knew that chemistry, physics, and math were also required in moderation, but I had opted to deal with that fact. What I wasn't prepared for was the fact that I will have to take chemistry each semester for my entire college career if I remain a biology major. I won't even be taking that many biology courses! That fact totally threw me off. Also, I've been told by many people that biology majors seem to be "a dime a dozen" nowadays.

Also, reading, writing, and especially debating are other things I enjoy academically, and am a little more confident in. What I need to consider in taking a History major is whether or not I'd like to teach, go pre-law, go for a M.A., or just take my B.A. in History and go work in a museum. Math and science is minimal.

 

[Nixy]

I changed my mind about my major like...2 days before my application was due...and I dropped one school and picked up the school I am currently attending on my application like a week before the deadline to make changes and still be considered in first round admissions...I couldn't be happier with my choices. Just do what feels right I guess is what I am trying to say.

 

[Inkara1]

Are the words "university" and "college" used interchangeably in 'Merica?

Ever since "Saved by the Bell - The College years" I have wondered that.

In general use, yes, but there are technical differences between the two. A university is a college that offers higher degrees than a bachelor's, usually a master's or a doctorate. A college can be a two-year or four-year institution but only offers associate's (two-year) or bachelor's degrees.

 

[Winky]

After school he got a job with a local record company in their warehouse. In 3 months he was promoted to Manager of Shipping and Inventory.

 

[rrfield]

I don't know what so funny. He got a decent paying job 3 months out of college, age 22. I suppose you were making $75k straight out of college, right?

It's also called a resume builder.

 

[rrfield]

Fluer, look into getting a bio minor. I'm guessing there's far less chemistry involved. Minors are not especially hard to get. You could even get two or three if you play your cards right. Scheduling is an underrated collegiate skill.

 

[rrfield]

HomeLAN, I believe the article, and others like it I've seen, refer to "climbing the corporate ladder" for what it's worth.

 

[HomeLAN]

Fluer, look into getting a bio minor. I'm guessing there's far less chemistry involved. Minors are not especially hard to get. You could even get two or three if you play your cards right. Scheduling is an underrated collegiate skill.

Not a bad option. Unfortunately, the school of business at my Uni didn't allow minors outside other business disciplines. Even more unfortunately, they didn't advertise that, so I had enough credits for an political science minor before anyone told me. *sigh* So, check the rules.

Oh well, at least I enjoyed the classes. It was a fun way to burn out electives.

 

[Lopan]

I've found that you can only do a degree your interested in, if you try to do a course on the basis that it makes you more employable then you may lose interest and waste a valuable year.

University kicks ass by the way.

On a sidenote, I passed the commisioning course for the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. I will be joining in January and I am crapping myself.