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What should I do for my future?? #Spring2025

I don't know what to pursue, and I am about to graduate high school. I want a higher paying career, and I am interested in animals and psychology. I also excel in E.L.A, and enjoy it as well. I just don't quite know where I would fit in or what career I should try for/what to major in. I would also like to go for the least amount of schooling possible, 4-6 years being ideal.

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Annah’s Answer

Emma, such good questions! First, I'll share a little lesson I learned about income- it is wise to consider several factors- cost of living, your own personal preferences (lifestyle), cost of education and loans accrued, in addition to base salary (which should be expected to increase with experience). You don't have to explore these things immediately, but it may affect your choices going forward for better or for worse. An undergrad degree in psychology with an MA will take up to six years (give or take a year). A vet degree to become a veterinarian may be similar. You can also look at Animal behavior- a niche psychology topic. Other degrees that do not require a graduate credential- vet assistant or vet tech. These programs are 1-2 years in length. You can continue your studies by training in animal rehabilitation- working like a physical therapist might to improve the mobility of an animal. You may even look at becoming an animal trainer or working at a pet day care to gain hands-on experience. Some cool ways to include animals in therapeutic work- equine assisted therapy and animal-assisted therapy. I don't know if there is a graduate program that teaches this, but you can gain additional certification post-grad if you hold a clinical license. Trainings may span from several weeks to up to two years for a hybrid program. If you are a good writer (E.L.A.) it will serve you well in any career. Psychology is writing heavy, and you will learn about the APA style and how to craft research papers that follow publishable criteria. I hope some of this is helpful and gets you feeling energized and excited!
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much, this is extremely insightful for me right now 😊😊 Emma
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Afrad’s Answer

Hi Emma -

From my experience, some do experience that "aha" moment but many simply flow into their careers and eventually get comfortable and even like it. I recommend trying to experience as many of the things you're even remotely interested in. This will provide you a better understanding of how they are in the real world, vs what you hear or may read about.

Take opportunities to do internships, site visits, volunteer, or anything that would allow you to witness employees in the field. Youtube has a lot of videos on almost any field or job, that can shed light as well. Keep in mind this is not a guaranteed formula to give you that "epiphany" that you seek, but would greatly increase the probability.

Similar to what you shared, I studied electrical engineering but found that I did not like it. I then changed to a general major, not sure where to go.

By the end semester, I decided to speak to an advisor, who simply asked what I (as a person) liked, regardless of whether or not there was an available program. From that, she introduced me to Engineering technology, which I began as it piqued my interest. However, through the program, I learned about process improvement methodologies (such as Lean Manufacturing & Six Sigma)....and at this point, I did experience that "AHA" moment you seek! It is a great feeling indeed, and to date, I shifted from engineering to focus on process improvement full-time, and loving it!

Hope this helps and all the best!
Thank you comment icon I totally agree, I do think I'll try to get some experience in a bunch of things to figure out what I want to do. Thank you so much!!! 🤗🤗🤗 Emma
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Radhika’s Answer

Hi Emma!
First off, it’s totally okay not to know what to do yet—you’re already taking a great step by asking! Since you want a higher-paying career, let’s look at some options based on your potential interests:

If You Like People & Communication:
• Human Resource Management
• Marketing & Sales
• Public Relations
• Business Development

If You Like Tech or Solving Problems:
• Computer Science / IT
• Data Analytics
• Cybersecurity
• Engineering

If You Like Design or Creativity:
• UX/UI Design
• Digital Marketing
• Fashion Technology
• Media & Content Creation

Suggestions:
1. Take career assessments to explore your strengths.
2. Talk to professionals in fields you’re curious about (LinkedIn is a great place for this).
3. Consider degrees with strong ROI (like tech, healthcare, business).
4. Intern or volunteer during college to explore before committing to one path.

You don’t need to have it all figured out today. Just follow your curiosity and keep learning!
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Kelly’s Answer

One great area, if both psychology and animals are what you like, is animal law. There are specific lawyers who work to advocate for animal welfare and rights. Another one is animal behaviour, which is more the psychology of animals, but may work out for you. The third one I can think of is working as a grief counselor for pet owners. That is a service that some larger hospitals offer to their owners who have suffered a loss. There are even more options to consider, but those are some areas that may be of interest. To work in law, you would need to at least be a paralegal if not a lawyer. To work in behaviour, your options are veterinary technician or veterinarian. I do not know the process for grief counselors.

Kelly recommends the following next steps:

Look into the process of becoming a vet tech
Look into the process of becoming a paralegal
Look into the process of becoming a grief counselor
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