Changing Majors?

[Twilight Shadow]

Alright so I decided four years ago I would be an engineer and came to college my first year, now. I am pursuing an engineering major right now. I have been struggling through the classes while putting time into them a lot. I have been thinking lately of switching to biology and everyone says I am good at that. That is because it is about the only other thing I would do at the college I am at. Otherwise, I could switch colleges and try out computer programming.  I prefer response and votes from collegiate people or graduated people to respond. Thank you. Just looking for input from a lot of people.

[The Lady Shael]

Changing majors is an enormous decision. I feel lucky I never had to face that decision in college.

How far have you come in your major so far? You say you're "good" at biology, but what do you want to do with it? It's a pretty broad field...you could be working in a zoo or go on to be a doctor with that major.

I'm biased, but I tell everyone engineering is the way to go. I also had much difficulty with my classes (I did not have fun in Calc 2 or 3), but I stuck it out and graduated in 4 years, and I have a great software engineering job with a government contractor. There is an ENORMOUS shortage of software engineers right now...my company has about 90 open software positions and I've heard similar stories at other companies. Having any kind of software or programming experience on your resume really makes it stand out. I've had non-software friends who put programming skills on their resumes, and they were hired on their knowledge of programming alone.

[Twilight Shadow]

Well I don't know what I would do with biology. And if I stay with engineering I am taking C++ and  matlab next fall, which would be pretty fun since I enjoyed high school programming. For engineering I have taken Chemistry, Calc. 1 and 2, Linear ALgebra, Engineering Physics 1, and Intro to Engineering. And I got two more years at the college I am at then I am uncertain about this but 3 years for a Mathematics AA and Engineering-unsure of which one still B.A. or I think instead of 3, 5 years for Mathematics B.A. or A.A.(not sure) and Engineering M.A.

On the side what do software engineers do and what type of engineering are they, computer is my guess??

[Genevieve]

Changing majors is an enormous decision.

I don't really think it is, especially while you're young. Isn't there some statistic out there that says we change careers something like 5 times throughout our life, on average.

I had to choose degrees to apply for when I was sixteen. That's ridiculous, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I started a Law/Science degree, I got good grades but after a year I thought I didn't really wanna be a lawyer, so I changed universities (my new one's just next door though... lol) and now I'm in my third year of a Pharmacy degree but I'm still not sure if that's what I want to do.

I think it's more important to think of what kind of career you want at the end of it rather than what you want to study, as a few years at college is a relatively short time, in the scheme of things, and majors like biology and engineering are pretty broad.

[Twilight Shadow]

Sorry how about I am trying to figure out what field I am going into not major, my bad everyone :P

[The Lady Shael]

I majored in Computer Science, either that or Computer Engineering would get you a software engineering job. Software engineers pretty much just design all types of software...at my company we create software for the government, law enforcement, and healthcare. It's hard to describe cause once you get into it you realize it's a whole world you never knew existed. But it's a great feeling writing code that you know will make people's lives easier (a feeling I learned to love through RWL ^.^).

If you are good at programming, keep taking programming classes. There are so many people out there who wish they could program, so if you have the skills, take advantage of that. If you enjoy doing it, that's even better. Many of my friends were afraid to major in computers because it was their hobby, and they were afraid they would get sick of programming. But I've never seen that happen.


About changing majors, I guess you're right, Lucy. It's just I've seen so many of my friends take drastic major changes (like engineering to education, or computer science to business), and I wonder all the time what their lives would've been if they had stuck it out. They'd probably have jobs, for one.  :P

[Gen. Volkov]

Alright so I decided four years ago I would be an engineer and came to college my first year, now. I am pursuing an engineering major right now. I have been struggling through the classes while putting time into them a lot. I have been thinking lately of switching to biology and everyone says I am good at that. That is because it is about the only other thing I would do at the college I am at. Otherwise, I could switch colleges and try out computer programming.  I prefer response and votes from collegiate people or graduated people to respond. Thank you. Just looking for input from a lot of people.

Define "good" at biology. Do you mean you breezed through the courses for non-majors, or are you doing well in the upper level classes that biology majors take? The two are quite different. Any science or engineering major is going to find it rougher going once they start taking the upper level classes for that major. Biology is not "easy" by any stretch of the imagination. Nor are the other classes that you need to take to graduate with science major. I took Calc 1 and 2, as well as Physics, Chemisty, Organic Chemistry, and Statistics. Of those classes, Statistics was probably the easiest one, but I still had to work. That's in addition to the 48 credit hours of upper level biology classes I took.

As for switching majors, I did do that, but it wasn't a huge switch. I went from Pre-Veterinarian to a pure biology track. In retrospect, I wish I had stayed pre-vet, as there are a bunch more opportunities in that field than there have been in my chosen field.

[Twilight Shadow]

For biology, I have taken the highest one I could take so Honors Biology 1 so far and got an A, so highest mark possible... I realize I am going to struggle through any science degree, but I just am loathing engineering more as the days draw on but I think it may because I have never had to work this hard before since high school I would just go to classes. Not take notes or study and sometimes sleep and gets A's in every class but now. I am at college and I have to do all three of those. It was just a drastic change for me and a slap in the face. Volkov what are you doing with your pure biology degree or are you still in school? And as for Shael I have been thinking of emphasizing in computer engineering for an actual major if I am sticking to engineering.

[Genevieve]

Of those classes, Statistics was probably the easiest one, but I still had to work. That's in addition to the 48 credit hours of upper level biology classes I took.

You don't have to work in statistics, the calculator and computer does everything for you! I considered a major in statistics but then thought how lame it would be to say, "I'm a statistician", but I guess a pharmacist isn't much better lol.

TS, you haven't actually said that you are interested in biology at all, just that you are good at the classes. You must've chosen engineering for a reason in the first place, so I think you should stick with it or find something else you love.

[Gen. Volkov]

For biology, I have taken the highest one I could take so Honors Biology 1 so far and got an A, so highest mark possible... I realize I am going to struggle through any science degree, but I just am loathing engineering more as the days draw on but I think it may because I have never had to work this hard before since high school I would just go to classes. Not take notes or study and sometimes sleep and gets A's in every class but now. I am at college and I have to do all three of those. It was just a drastic change for me and a slap in the face.

If you are in the sciences or engineering, any major you choose is going to be rough. You will have to take notes, study, and actually work. I was pretty much the same in high school. High school was easy. College with a "real" major is not. As for biology... Honors Biology 1 is probably a class designed for non-majors. I'd bet most of is just a repeat of what you were taught in high school. Once you get above the 100 level classes, it gets a lot tougher. So, like Lucy said, decide if you really love biology before you switch your major to it. Don't just go into because you think it'll be easier.

Volkov what are you doing with your pure biology degree or are you still in school? And as for Shael I have been thinking of emphasizing in computer engineering for an actual major if I am sticking to engineering.

I am currently looking for a lab tech position somewhere.

You don't have to work in statistics, the calculator and computer does everything for you! I considered a major in statistics but then thought how lame it would be to say, "I'm a statistician", but I guess a pharmacist isn't much better lol.

You still have to learn all the different ways of doing statistical analysis. But yes, it is rather easy. Even if your professor does insist that you learn the R programming language.

[Twilight Shadow]

I am very well interested in biology and I always loved it in high school thats why I am debating since I am disliking engineering more as it goes on and why I had the thought of changing to something I may enjoy better since I have enjoyed it for a long time. Volkov you may want to try out the huge research place by my house, Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve.  But I will keep getting and taking input.

[Gen. Volkov]

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into it.

[Twilight Shadow]

We did some research there for high school. Looking at three different burn sites and determining the difference in vegetation growth and species. And how areas recover from fires/ forest fires but they got way more interesting things there too.

[wolf bite]

Whatever you do, you will do for a long time. Better to like a job so that it does not feel like it is work then go for the short term money. Do what you like, not what you are good at, because in time you will be better at what you like doing and live a happier life.


Wolf Bite

[Twilight Shadow]

I don't think we have met yet Wolf Bite, but I am known as TS. And thanks for the tip.