Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Total 180 degree turn!

Tyler has surprised us once again!  Remember when we went to all the colleges last summer  here and here.  Tyler was looking into International Relations and Affairs, his goal was to work in a foreign embassy.  His favorite school was Syracue in NY.  Well I made him apply to several schools within a 3 hour drive of our house and he got accepted to all of them with many of them giving him a full ride and/or scholarships.  Well just 3 short weeks ago, Tyler came home from school and said he now wants to go to Western Illinois University and Major in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice!  What!  Where in the world did that come from?  It's like he just switched him mind at the last minute.  First of all, we are way behind the 8 ball then because applications needed to be filled out and most of the other kids did that way back in December.  Well he sent his application and was accepted, so Tom and Tyler went to look at the campus.  I do say, it is an U G U L Y campus, kinda old and yucky.  There montra is, you don't go to the University for the buildings, you go for the education.  Ya I guess that is true, but come on, spruce it up a little!  Western Illinois is the top school for Law Enforcement in the state.  So my son who surprises me all of the time like here and here will be a Leatherneck.  I, as his mother, is a little worried about him in Law Enforcement, but he is super smart and will do the best he can in what ever Major he chooses!



and just so you know, a Leatherneck is a Marine!  They used to wear leather around their necks to protect them in sword fights!  I know, you think I'm so smart, but I looked it up!

I ask all of you out there, how in the world did you choose a Major when you went to College?  Tom nor I went to College, so we are completely baffled on how you know what you want at 18?

6 comments:

Kelly said...

You don't know. Some of us still don't know in our 40's.

Jen said...

I liked to read/write so I chose English lit. And what I liked most about reading was the psychology of the characters, so I chose psychology as a double major. Then I went back for my MFA-Creative Writing because I missed writing, even though that's what I do most of the day at work.

Not good reasons at all, but I don't regret them :D.

Joe said...

I am a College/Career Counselor at a local high school. If you have questions, just email me:
ourpartyofsix at gmail dot com.
Otherwise, some good websites we use often are: collegeboard, cappex, zinch, collegemajors101. :) The other great ones I use are for CA schools, so that doesn't really help you. :) When he took the SAT/ACT, he should've received an "overview" on good career matches for him...go back and review those, too. Good luck!

Jeanette said...

You don't know. You often change your mind after your first year :)

Masha said...

Ah, the ol picking a school and major. I didn't do so well at either but have proudly been accepted to all programs including 2 Ivy League and 6 graduate schools and wrapping grad school with my nerd A average only to be swayed to consider selling my home and moving for a great PhD program. :)

My field of interest is similar to his initial plans! I started out in DC as an international diplomacy/Russian major, got sick and transferred back to SLU on a full ride but they didn't have my major so I opted for Eastern European history. 2 grad schools later and finishing up with international relations but a focus still on Southeastern Europe and the study of nationalism/ethnic conflict. I followed my interests and passions just like Jen said. Does it pay my bills? No. We are both in marketing too, ironically! HOWEVER, the work ethic, dedication and a diverse education is what matters. If I was more saavy, I would have majored in something to bring in the big bucks (business, computer science, medicine, etc.) but I enjoy my obscure research interests and should he change his mind and have strong abilities with foreign languages, there are some stout IR jobs.

(Also ironic, I am the first one in my entire family to go to college - I am from a family of immigrants with an amazing work ethic. Over $250k invested in my brain and I will never have the financial success as my dad or uncle who have natural entrepreneurial skills. :) )

Congrats to you all on the achievement of having the options of many colleges and the help of scholarships!

Amy...who wanted 4. said...

I agree with the others...you DON"T. Crazy but true.