4 answers
Abbey
Student
Springfield, Missouri
1
Question
Asked
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What career would you suggest for me?
I am a senior in high school in the US. I'm really into chemistry, art, and philosophy. It's been it's been really hard for me to make a decision on this.
#chemistry #art
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4 answers
Michael Sulewski
IT Director
7
Answers
Union, New Jersey
Updated
Michael’s Answer
The answer Karli gave is quite right. You need to ask yourself in which field can you see yourself never knowing enough and never stop having new questions about. I’ll use myself as an example. In high school, I thought chemistry was really interesting. I thought biology and music were great as well. It was only in my second year of college I saw chemistry was what I would always want to know more about. I like biology because I knew there was chemistry driving it all. And music? Sure, I love it, but I have little talent and I learned I can’t sustain the passion it takes to practice, practice, practice and still love it.
Even if you don’t stay in the field you major in, start with what you’re passionate about. That will keep you motivated to create a solid foundation that may take you down many paths. Again, using myself as an example, I started in chemistry, then clinical research, then project management and now I’m ending my career in IT. Through all of that, what chemistry gave me was an eye for analysis, problem solving, and critical thinking skills which apply far and wide.
Keep asking which of the things that you're really into would be the biggest loss if it went away.
Try to achieve something in each of the areas you're really into and see if you still love it. If you can't motivate yourself to commit to a project in an area, how into it are you?
Even if you don’t stay in the field you major in, start with what you’re passionate about. That will keep you motivated to create a solid foundation that may take you down many paths. Again, using myself as an example, I started in chemistry, then clinical research, then project management and now I’m ending my career in IT. Through all of that, what chemistry gave me was an eye for analysis, problem solving, and critical thinking skills which apply far and wide.
Michael recommends the following next steps:
Randall Detra
Industry: Environmental testing/research. Academic: chemistry, biology, physical science
22
Answers
Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
Updated
Randall’s Answer
Hello Abbey,
Your question is familiar to most of us who have already lived through it all! What advice I might deliver does depend on where you are in your career already. It is good you say you are in high school. This tells me you have a lot of career-shopping time before you. Clearly you will be considering post secondary education which would presumably be college/university. You should carefully consider the institution you pick. It seems a diverse set of interests such as yours would mean a large, perhaps research based, university could be a good choice for you. When you start in most institutions you do not have to declare a major in your freshman year and maybe not in your sophomore year. But in that time you should be in an institution which has well developed curricula in all three of your interests. If they are attentive to interested students you should be able to chat with faculty and graduate students about their programs. After you enroll as a student, you can take introductory courses in all of them and you will likely be in a well informed position to choose the major that suits you best.
Please do not assume I mean smaller institutions cannot also satisfy you in this manner. You just need to see what they have to offer, how large their departments are (faculty-wise), how many courses they offer in the subjects, and maybe some references from former students. But even a personal tour of the institutions would be a good idea. Be brave, call the departments up and ask for a private tour!
You might choose a career line which is most likely to guarantee employment and keep the others as hobbies. Indeed a really good job is not distinguishable from a hobby! Times do change and careers change as well. You may become a chemist for a while and eventually a writer of science ethics or futurism from a philosophical perspective. Having diverse interests can pay off in many ways later in life. For example, I have known many chemists and biologists who are/were also music performers as well. They may have a job in science but they still perform in local venues. Indeed you can impress folks if you have both a major and a minor, maybe a major and two minors, maybe even two majors if you have the fortitude for it!
Sincerely,
Randall Detra, Ph. D.
Your question is familiar to most of us who have already lived through it all! What advice I might deliver does depend on where you are in your career already. It is good you say you are in high school. This tells me you have a lot of career-shopping time before you. Clearly you will be considering post secondary education which would presumably be college/university. You should carefully consider the institution you pick. It seems a diverse set of interests such as yours would mean a large, perhaps research based, university could be a good choice for you. When you start in most institutions you do not have to declare a major in your freshman year and maybe not in your sophomore year. But in that time you should be in an institution which has well developed curricula in all three of your interests. If they are attentive to interested students you should be able to chat with faculty and graduate students about their programs. After you enroll as a student, you can take introductory courses in all of them and you will likely be in a well informed position to choose the major that suits you best.
Please do not assume I mean smaller institutions cannot also satisfy you in this manner. You just need to see what they have to offer, how large their departments are (faculty-wise), how many courses they offer in the subjects, and maybe some references from former students. But even a personal tour of the institutions would be a good idea. Be brave, call the departments up and ask for a private tour!
You might choose a career line which is most likely to guarantee employment and keep the others as hobbies. Indeed a really good job is not distinguishable from a hobby! Times do change and careers change as well. You may become a chemist for a while and eventually a writer of science ethics or futurism from a philosophical perspective. Having diverse interests can pay off in many ways later in life. For example, I have known many chemists and biologists who are/were also music performers as well. They may have a job in science but they still perform in local venues. Indeed you can impress folks if you have both a major and a minor, maybe a major and two minors, maybe even two majors if you have the fortitude for it!
Sincerely,
Randall Detra, Ph. D.
Karli O'Domes
10
Answers
Honolulu, Hawaii
Updated
Karli’s Answer
I was in the same boat and I went to college for something I really loved doing. This was culinary arts. In college I took a writing class where the teacher had a passion for what she was teaching. I remember having this epiphany when she had been talking about dictionaries. She was so excited to talk to us about dictionaries of all things. She had such passion. I realized that I didn't have that for Culinary Arts. I loved it for sure but there was no passion. I changed my major mid stream to Writing and I have never regretted that. Out of those three things what gives you the most passion, what can you see yourself doing for the next fifty years of your life, without regretting that choice? Once you answer that question the decision might be a little more clear.
Seyed Ali Mohamadi
Actor
2
Answers
Bojnurd, North Khorasan Province
Updated
Seyed Ali’s Answer
Hello my dear friend
If money is very important to you and is a priority in your life, I suggest chemistry.
But if it's important for you to have something to love, I suggest art
This is my personal opinion. So do some more research
If money is very important to you and is a priority in your life, I suggest chemistry.
But if it's important for you to have something to love, I suggest art
This is my personal opinion. So do some more research