So Say We All! This is coming from a 70-year-old who went through 4 years of college because that is what my high school counselors and parents said I needed to do even though I was enrolled in advanced electronics in high school (equivalent to an Associated degree today). After a thirty-year gap, returned to college and to get an IT degree which means nothing since I retired after getting the degree. This could all have all been avoided if I did what I wanted to do; join the Air Force, get into avionic, learn to fly and travel the world, which I never did get to do (well, I did get my private piolet license in the 80's, but it cost too much to fly nowadays). Instead, I became a professional firefighter for 30 years then I retired. Nick knows what he is saying, so all you 18 to twenty-somethings out there, pay attention. Do what YOU want to do with your life, not what other say you shoud do.
As a high school senior, thank you so much for this, holy shit. I've been stressing so bad over what I want to major in and this took so much pressure off.
It pisses me off so much when I hear college students talking about how much they hate school, and how badly they want to be done with school. If you hate college, then DON'T FREAKING GO!!!
If they're in zero-prospect degrees like English lit, you're right; if they're in chemical engineering, not so much--though, a transfer to another branch of sciences may be in order.
NileThe146: Anybody whining about anything without doing anything to change it can get annoying... but sometimes you're stuck in a situation with no real alternatives and it make you feel better when you're complaining about it. tntcheats: You're right, some degrees are better than others, but the job prospects are still pretty bad in science too... but again, going to a university for a 4-year degree isn't about getting a job.
I just spent 10 years bouncing off the walls through community college, a tech school, and a university. I finally graduate in 11 days. This video is full of great advice that I really could have used IN 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
sent this to my little brother who wanted to major in "Management" because it's "easy".... you might have spared him a few years of useless shit. THANK YOU AND KEEP IT UP
this is spot on , I studied at a crazy(nearly fanatic ) level to crack the entrance exams and get into college , then chose electrical engineering as a branch without much thought , I dont have words to describe how horrible my 3rd and 4th years were , big rotating machines , motors , transformers ,,,aargh!
As far as a higher education is concerned, certain jobs (healthcare, engineering, science research, teaching, accounting, electricians, welders, lawyers, architects and real estate) require a license and those licensing exams require the knowledge covered in a degree. Now all of the jobs I listed require varying levels of education, so if you want any of these jobs you will need to go to the appropriate institution. Of course none of this means you will get a job, it only means you are qualified.
It's just that 4-year university degrees tend to have a lot of "general education" which most people don't need to get a job and certainly don't need for those licenses. That "general education" is literally HALF of a 4-year degree, which just goes to show how little those degrees are meant for job training.
I majored in music in college some 20 years ago. Now I write software for a living. If I had it to do all over again, I would totally do the same thing. Music is my passion. Software is what I enjoy doing to pay the bills.
Hey! Canadian high school student here. This was SO useful! Extremely useful! Thanks! I know a lot of people from my generation really are torn between choosing something they like and something "marketable". It's good to hear your advice.
Spot on! Thank you! I can’t quite say my college education on Film, Theatre, Philosophy, and History will get me a job, but I DO NOT regret the education. It can be an enriching experience…
There are people who finish college and wind up in work involving whatever their hobby was when they were in high school or before. This does not mean the four years at college were "wasted", because you'll be smarter at life (hopefully).
Here from Europe - Czech Republic In the Czech Republic it's very different. People can't choose the major during the first one or two years of college. They have to choose the major at high school before they even apply for college. This is quite worse I think, because if you are not satysfied with what you chose to study, the only thing you can do is to either complete the college or drop out and apply for a different one the next year.
That's fascinating (and terrifying). I never would have found physics if I had to chose my major in high school. Most people don't have their own personality and opinions figured out until age 22-25, let alone what they want to do with their life.
Yeah. Also, the next very bad thing is that in the Czech Republic, Bachelor's degree is considered as you completed only half of higher education, so it's very hard to get any job with "just" and undergraduate degree. That's why the vast majority of czech students also have to do their Master's. On the other hand, you complete your Bachelor's in 3 years and most Master's degrees (except JD and MD) are completed just in 1 year. JD takes just 2 (3 Bachelor's + 2 JD) years and MD takes 3 years (3 Bachelor's + 3 MD), so it's not like you finish your JD after 7 years and MD after 8 like you would do in the US. So, it's shorter and way cheaper to study in the Czech Republic, but graduate degree very often is a must.
I've always known that I wanted to do something with math since elementary school. I was always good at it and always enjoyed it. In middle and high school, I often considered engineering. I was good at math and my teachers mentioned it as a good potential career path; however, when I graduated high school, I realized that engineering wasn't right for me. I chose to do pure math as opposed to engineering. It may not be as good for employment, but it is what is most interesting to me and that is the most important thing.
What Šimon says isn't completely accurate. I taught high school in the Czech Republic, and you have to choose what university major you want to apply for, but your high school education can be completely unrelated to it. For example, you can go to a "hotelovka" (a selective type of hospitality professions high school for smart kids; we don't have this school in the US), and from there you can go get a degree in law, engineering, medicine, psychology or basically anything. However, you have to declare your major when you apply and take the entrance exam. This isn't as bad as it sounds, because, at least at the time I taught there, a Czech 18-year-old was approximately as mature as an American 25-year-old (this may have changed since). In my example, it doesn't matter that much if the student ends up not liking his major or doesn't want to continue at university, because he came out of high school already qualified to run a hotel or restaurant. Something similar can happen with someone who went to electro-technical high school, automotive high school, wine-making high school, etc.
Another thing Šimon doesn't mention is that in the Czech Republic there are alternatives to university to get qualifications. The country has an extensive system of state exams that cover almost any subject and run parallel to the university curriculum. The range of subjects is endless, so you can get state certification by exam in everything from fluid mechanics to the French language to the Old Testament. In fact, many people who go to university have to take these same exams before they graduate. So, while having the university degree will give you more prestige in the workplace, self-taught people with state exam certification can often work in exactly the same professions, side by side with people with degrees.
I chose medical school (university) instead of physics because I was told, I would never make a living. Probably the worst decision of my life (and don't worry, I don't treat people, I dropped out and got a degree in economics.)
same problem in Poland. people finish universities and end up unemployed or they work in mcdonalds. but that's just one part of the picture. on the other hand people who finish universities which are needed at the market get jobs. medicine, technology for example. anything that ends whit studies is a bad choice.
Italian here: it's awesome how you guys can try subjects out; here you need to pick a type of high school at 14 that will have an effect through the rest of your studies... and of course you have to pick a specific major if you go to university (only universities here). No broad experiences. I'm now a psychologist with a humanistic high school background, but if only i had known, at 15, that by 25 i would end up liking science more than humanities, I'd have picked a science-based high school and have some science degree by now... very hard to change your mind in this system!
Old debate here, although only few complain because it allows for a competitive early specific training. But the system is outdated! It'll have to change soon. OT thank you sooooo much Nick for all your great work!
If universities are only about becomming a more enlightened individual and not getting a job, why spend 4 and a half years at a degree, when you can just go to a library or use the internet?
Very few people have the self-discipline to teach themselves all of those things in 4.5 years... plus, it's helpful to have experts around to let you know where to look so you're not learning bullshit. We all know the internet is full of bullshit, but books can have a lot of it too.
That's true, but so does a lot of academic books and I agree that it's good to have experts guide you, but you can still learn to be critical of the sources you find, without having to go to college. I don't know if it's like this in the US, but I allready learned to be critical of sources in high school. Not to mention, there are many guides and videos on the net, that teaches source-critisim for free.
Here in the U.S., the K-12 school system is more interested in getting students "college ready" than they are about anything else... which is unfortunate.
I half agree with you. I think that in the age where we are connected to all information with a pocket-computer, the idea of spending $600 per lecture does seem to be outdated. I agree with you in cases like the humanities, literature, learning a language, and even math up to a certain point, you can learn those things using other resources and motivation. But where I'd disagree is in a case like sciences, applied sciences, medicine, and things like that where it helps to have experts guiding your studies, and to have access to labs and expensive equipment/software that you other wise would not.
Australia: We only really have a 2 tiered system (but we need a 3rd level). Effectively we have Universities and TAFEs (Technical And Further Education). Your comments about the lack of a social atmosphere is 100% true of TAFE. I teach 3 year degrees at TAFE and so my school looks more like community college, but it lacks the recognition, government blessing of being NOT a tech school. Your advice isn't 100% matching the Aussie system, but gosh, it's still 97% right!!! Too many people come into my classroom thinking that they are doing accounting, and thus they MUST be an accountant. There is a massive misalign between the students expectations, parent's expectations, employer understanding and expectations of grads, and worst of all, funding expectations. There's much more to be said on this topic. =D
Yup. It is the same in Romania, Eastern Europe too. You get a diploma after you finish University and then that doesn't qualify you for a job. Many things can be done by people with real technical skills who do not finish University courses.
Manuel Cheta same thing here in bulgaria. We have a really fucked up educations system, not to mention the demographic crisis. Kids just prefer studying in the Netherlands or in the Uk just to get out of this shithole. High schools barely touch maths and the sciences and so much of them force us to read Bulgarian literature and history , like we're traitors to the system if we're not. Then the kids just don't get interested in the sciences and then the government complains why there's not enough graduates and professionals in engineering, maths, sciences.
A mixture of it's viability and personal preference is the best. Don't just do a major for money, way too many people go into STEM without knowing how tough it is then drop out later. Even the people made it through probably don't get a job that's related to their field because they've been doing so bad during college years. Schools aren't responsible for getting you the jobs, they will help you, but the rest is up to you. Even if you graduate and actually got those jobs, those jobs are exhausting, and It pays a high amount of money because it SUCKS. Take CivEng for example, that job not only requires high education, but it is also extremely exhausting. My cousin's husband is a CivEng and he came home at night time, he barely had time to see his children. I would recommend the college kids not to look at how much the major pays, but what interests them instead. The best scenario would be a person finding a major that can make him/herself a lot of money while it's demanded in the market.
I like this video. An informative view on college and higher education in general. I work in Silicon Valley in a startup. I've worked in two other startups, one very successful financially. The key is not the degree or even the pedigree of the degree. The key is your passion. Follow it. So many of my peers in high tech and engineering do not have formal degrees or do not have formal degrees in the field they're working in. And in many cases, they are the go-to person in the company. Why? Because they followed (are following) their passion. I also work with Stanford grads and Berkeley grads etc and some are really good. But usually not because of the degree. If anything, the degree is a means to really great experience which, if you have the passion, is an education without a price tag. My 2 cents.
HI NICK! I'm a sophomore and hugely interested in astronomy and physics, which is why I've been following your science asylum vids. I want to decalre physics and astronomy double major, but my friends and family keep telling me not to because they think it is not very "useful". Thanks to this video I finally make up my mind! Thank You!
Nobody can predict what major will be "useful". I know a classmate from the painting department where I graduated who got hired by a major manufacturing company for his design sense, got trained and mentored, and ultimately ran an overseas division. A guy I know with a business degree still worked at the same paint store he worked at in high school. I've had engineers scanning my groceries before. So you just never know what will be a useful degree in someone's life. The world is too complex for people to envision all the options and everything that will happen.
The experience is quite different in Norway You have to apply to be accepted into a specific major to get into the university at all You can't come to university and be like "I'm gonna just study something" I chose mechanical engineering when I went to college Oh And on college In Norway college and university are so similar it is basically the same thing Difference: The level of education you need to lecture a class The freshman, sophomore, senior and all that ... It's not a thing here It's all just semesters 1st semester 2nd semester and so on
@@NickLucid I basically chose to become an engineer in the future when I was like 14-15. Or rather, at that stage I was unsure if I wanted to be an engineer or a medical particioner
I feel like it's so hard for me to not think about money when deciding on what major to choose, i want to choose architecture but the job market for that is not that great and neither is the pay so I often think about computer science majors or even mechanical engineering because there's more job opportunities available and the money is better...but I know I would be so bored with it. I'm like in limbo with choosing a major/career path
I went to college part time and took eight years to complete a bachelors degree. I started at a community college and then transferred to a four year university. I studied mathematics in college mainly because it is a subject I am passionate about. I recently completed my BS in mathematics in December 2022. I have decided against going to graduate school because I have decided that it just isn't for me.
It's probably better to go to a commuter school where a lot of people are older or are the first in their families to go to college. That way you'll benefit from your classmates' greater maturity and more serious approach to what they're doing. If you go to a residential school where the students are all young and think a college degree is something people automatically get, you're likely to get a worse education.
In Quebec (Canada), we have a different system. From high school (we finish at 17 here) you can go get a professional diploma (without necessarily finishing high school). You can go to cegep and get a 2 year pré-university degree or a 3 year technical degree. After that go to university but them it’s all related to your field. Except for social degrees and humanities, which is more broad. You can take optional classes not related to your field. I feel it’s much more job oriented. Except for pré-university cegep, that’s like general education.
Nick Lucid compare to other places, it’s actually pretty cheap. A year of cegep costs a few hundred, a year of university a few thousand. Higher education is actually one of hour biggest « export ». Pre-covid, nearly 30% of Mcgill university was foreign students.
Interesting. I knew from early high school that I wanted to study physics and math. Also, I took a wide variety of courses to learn of other disciplines such as chemistry, history, and philosophy but it was always physics through graduate school and beyond!
This doesn't help me now that I'm 38 bitter and depressed that I went to law school straight through and wish today I had chosen a different path. Kids: listen to this man!
My older son did a 5 year program at Northeastern U in Boston. It requires a 1 year co-op (working a paid internship at some company). They get 50% hire rate at their co-op employer post-employment, presumably >50% working at a job requiring that specific degree.
Bit late comment, but what is your opinion on graduate school, especially for a subject such as physics? I'm currently a junior in high school, so still have a decent amount of time to actually figure out what exactly college does and what would be best for my interests. Thanks!
+Ted Grosson Graduate school isn't for everyone, so when you eventually get toward the end of your undergrad work you'll have to decide whether or not it's right for you. I can tell you one thing for sure: If they school isn't paying YOU to go to grad school there (with some kind of assistantship or fellowship or scholarship), then don't go. It's too expensive.
So, I'm a university junior who's been perusing all sorts of videos and people like this to find the advice I never got when I needed it. I'm conflicted between this advice and other advice I've gotten, so I'm gonna pose a question regarding that. ...I've heard a few people like yourself say the opposite; they point to American Idol contestants and art majors in debt for literally 25 years, and they say that a persons passion and interests are not the best thing to base a career on because: (1) a person might be interested in something they don't have the talent or aptitude for (although I also agree that a truly passionate person won't have a problem with the hard work it takes to get up to that level), (2) their interests might not be a smart thing to pay lots of money getting a degree in, and (3), which is the one that applies to me, our interests change constantly. I'm fascinated by pretty much every area of study, and I almost feel I based my major on a temporary whim. So with all of that, I've heard a few times that we should foremost choose to pursue our talents, rather than our interests. We should look at what we're really good at, and what we think someone will pay us for, and what we think we can master and excel at in order to rise through the ranks of that field. And once we have that support, we can incorporate our own interests. Basically, the advice was to not follow your passion, but let it follow you. Follow your talents, and take your passion with you. How do you respond to that approach?
I can understand why some people would give that advice, but it has some problems. 1) If you hate what you're talented at doing, you're going to hate whatever job you get from pursuing that talent... so it's really only good advice for people who enjoy or are neutral about what their talent. Just because a person is tall and athletic, it doesn't mean they should be a professional basketball player. 2) What you're talented at might be something that many others are /also/ talented at. If the job market is flooded with those people, then you're not going to get the job anyway. This problem happens a lot and it's also something that's hard to predict. Sometimes the market isn't flooded when you started college, but it's flooded when you're finished. Computer science was like this at the turn of the millennium. Either way, you've wasted your time getting the degree. Since time isn't exactly something you can get back, you should be spending as much of it as possible doing things you enjoy. If you want to get a good paying job that you don't care about so you can do what you enjoy in your free time, then don't waste a sizeable portion of your limited lifetime getting a 4-year university degree. Get a certification in a trade like plumbers or electricians or something. It takes much less time and the need for people with those skills won't go away any time soon.
I've been attending community college for about 2 years as a part time student and working as well, I do enjoy learning but I'm unsure about my major and I'm debating on whether staying until I find something I like or attend a trade school...
Community colleges are much cheaper, so if you're really not sure about what you want to do, you probably shouldn't transfer to a university yet. Trade schools may not be glamorous, but you have a better chance of getting a good job, so they're a great option if that's the reason you're getting a degree.
International viewer here: As far as I know there aren't any U.S. like community colleges or technical schools in my current county of residence. There are a small number of "vocational schools" that have language courses, computer skills training, secretarial courses, ACCA etc. but presently the majority of jobs here require a Bachelor's degree as the minimum - doesn't matter what degree, just a degree to your name - even for a receptionist's job. This demand for university results in expensive higher education so people do those vocational courses or go to their home countries. In my home country higher education is very cheap (comparatively) but there's not a lot of variety or security but I think that there are U.S. like community colleges and univeristies but not Technical schools.
In Germany we get paid for going to College or University... (except for non-state ones, those are expensive!) It doesn't feel like a luxury to most germans, but it kind of is...
I disagree with this advice. If you don't know what you want to be when you grow up, don't waste thousands of dollars at a university trying to to figure it out. High schools need to be a better job at steering students to careers rather than wothlless college degrees. If the career path requires a 4 year degree, by all means go. Have a plan. Get in. Get out. That's how you do college.
The problem is that more and more jobs require college degrees. A bunch don't even care what your degree is in, just that you have one, because they just want to know you can "finish something hard." Whether that's a good idea or not is topic for another video rant (I don't think it is), but it doesn't matter what either of us think about that because it doesn't stop of it from being a thing. Many other jobs require at least some kind of certification, which is something you can get at technical schools and community colleges (something I actually recommend in this video). There are VERY FEW jobs left that you can get straight out of college.
I have been googling for days to decide on a university major because next year I'm going to be in one, but I still haven't been able to decide on it. So I'd like your advice (Please!). 1. Do you know about a website that has detailed information on the majors? 2. How will my choice of undergraduate majors affect the graduate major choices? 3. My parents want me to study engineering, but I love science (especially physics) - so my question is - will I be able to learn SCIENCE aside from work by studying engineering? Or should I try some Physics majors? 4. Can you recommend some good Physics majors? I'm totally confused by all those websites.
sagar sharma According to a survey done in the year 2000, the average age of graduate student was 33. The problem with that is it includes PhD and Masters degrees... and 2000 was 15 years. New data suggests this number has been on the rise in those 15 years, but we'll have to wait for another survey before we'll have a solid number.
I have three courses that I am considering for a couple years (I am a Junior.) First is journalism, because I like to write about my own thoughts Second is Computer Enginnering/Programming/Science, because I loveD to code, and Third is Accounting, because not only was this my first choice, but my parents like it too and I was pretty good at computing interests or annuities. I am super confused between the three.
That's rough. I'd recommend getting an idea of what kind of duties you'd have in each job, especially the ones you might _not_ like. It's probably going to be easier to weigh the cons against each other than the pros. 1) Sure you like writing, but journalism is also research: meeting with people, being on the phone, looking through documents, etc. 2) Sure you love code, but what will you be coding? I have friends who wanted to go into coding because they wanted to make computer games, but those jobs just weren't available. 3) Accounting is lucrative, but you're probably more likely to be computing people's taxes than you are to work for a bank. Maybe see if you can shadow someone in their job for a bit to see what they do. It'll give you a better idea of what they do.
And if you end up making your living at something completely different from what you majored in, that doesn't mean your education was "wasted". It's never wasted.
I want to do politics or history but I worry that it won't lead me anywhere so I feel like I have to do engineering instead because it's one of the only degrees worth going to college for.
I know a lot of people who went to school for engineering and never got an engineering job, but I bet more graduates of engineering gets jobs than graduates of history.
I think that this is somewhat true. The statistics that you state are very true, but you left something out. More than 50% of those who major in computers, statistics, or engineering have a job related to their degree.. My question for you is: Do you have to major in your favorite thing? For example, I really love physics. Should I major in physics because I like it more or engineering because I'll have a job more related to something I love? Anyways, I love your videos. I watch them for fun and they definitely helped me get through some conceptual questions in chemistry this year.
alligrim I agree that humanities fields are probably skewing the data a bit. Even so, given the data that I've seen, I don't know that I'd believe it's over 50% for computers, statistics, or engineering. I'll need to look into that more. I'm skeptical. I know so many physics *and* engineering majors who have had lots of trouble finding work. Many of them eventually give up and go off to grad school to give the job market a couple more years. As for what you should major in, this is actually a very good question. What exactly is it about physics that you like? If you're a very practical ("real world") physics mind, then engineering might actually be something you'd enjoy. If the physics you get excited about is the more theoretical stuff, then you might not enjoy engineering at all. You'd be surprised at how little physics you actually use when you're an engineer. It's mostly about knowing how to use software and spreadsheets. Majoring in engineering usually means something specific like mechanical or electrical. It's very practical, but it's also very specialized, so getting a job can be tricky at best. Majoring in physics is a lot more broad, but it might not actually train you for engineering. Many universities have an "engineering physics" major, which is kind of a balance between the two. It's usually a safer bet, but you need to ask around to see what the program is like at your school. Let me know if you have any more questions :-)
I do not think that is completely true. I am currently in engineering and many of my friends are finding working in other fields. Not because they have to but because they can, engineering is a very much sought after degree. I am currently a chemical engineer working as an industrial engineer for example.
The only problem with doing what you enjoy, is they're probably not hiring at the "I enjoy this" factory. You need money to live and anything you do for money is called work. Work is a 4 letter word and it will eventually become laborious, dull and boring. If at the end of your career you don't have enough money to retire on then it is gunna suck. I like the advice "do what makes you the most money and spend it on what you like." With any luck this makes you so much money you can stop your work life early and do what you like. This has the drawback that if you really hate what you do for money and it doesn't pay all that well then its all gunna suck during and after your work life. When I first started work, after my 4 years at university, my boss asked me a simple question which I have asked over and over as time has gone on. "What do I want?" There is not a simple answer to this question and it will change over time. So I like you idea of undeclared major. Try different things. If your smart enough to get into university your going to meet other smart people who can help you find what you want. The other piece of advice that I liked was something my dad read and he thought it was interesting enough to share it with me. A person should have 3 careers in this life. Not sure if this is true but interesting. BTW My father did what he loved and became a geologist. At first he work at the USGS where traveled all over the US looking at all kinds of rocks, very happy. But he was mostly pragmatic and when my mom became pregnant with my sister he got a job with an oil company.
I get what you're saying about not doing something you enjoy even if it makes you poor and/or doesn't allow you to retire later. This video wasn't really about the job you end up getting though. In fact, I show statistics in the video that most people don't get jobs in their field of study anyway. Most jobs (at least in the US) that require 4-year degrees don't care what the degree is in, just that you did one. I think it has something to do with wanting to know you're willing to finish something that's difficult. If most jobs don't care what your degree is in, then major in something you enjoy 🤷♂️
@@NickLucid Your right and I agree with you. Finishing is the most important part. My son is just entering University with the understanding that what ever he chooses this will be his career for life. Trying to dissuade him of this notion is a exercise in futility(teenagers; am I right). At this point I'm trying to get him to keep an open mind and game the system. What skill are the most useful in the world we live in. I am doing my best to get him to do whatever he wants, as long as "whatever" has computer programming skills as part of the core courses. I have many friends in the software biz and all of them say there is one thing lacking. Critical thinking skills. I would hire a person off a farm any day over some ivy leaguer, simply because they are always forced to think in terms of available resources and means to an end when working on a farm. Hands on. Practical. According to my son "Mine Craft" is practical. God help us all!
@ Ozzyslashbourne getting a job is important and considering cost of a university degree one must consider its monetary value vs. its cost. Enlightened sounds flighty and is a bit ambiguous, perhaps credible would be a better word? Sometimes you have to prove you have credence and having a degree helps.
That's fair. I just don't like it when jobs require you have a 4-year degree when it's not required to do that actual job. Some employers "just want to make sure you're willing to follow through when things are hard." A 4-year degree is way too expensive for that!
Let me try this again: If I've got this explanation of yours right, the universe consists of an enormous mass of complete improbability contained within a sort-of-finite volume of space that has no limits. HUH???
Why don't all of Nick's videos have higher views? The guy is great, entertaining, well done, and you learn so much. It is a marketing problem I believe, people just don't know it exists. I didn't until Monday!
Well to be honest this is not perfect in my country either. Universities are cheap because it's public and therefore they haven't a lot of money and it has a direct consequence on the quality of the infrastructures and such. And the fact that universities are not private creates a whole place for tons of private schools ( such as business or engineering schools ) that can be very expensive, sometime as expensive as universities in the US.
Hey Nick, I am a high school junior and have questions about majors. I was thinking about majoring in some kind of engineering because I am pretty good at math and I think the degree can be useful. Do you think it is a good idea to get some kind of engineering degree and then go to law school? Any tips?
As far as I know, law school doesn't really care much what you get your bachelor's degree in... just that you have one (or will finish one before you start law school). What you majored in might only matter if they got a lot of applicants and they're trying to decide who to reject. At that point, I'd guess it would be more about how hard your major was (rather than what it was specifically). I can't imagine majoring in engineering would /hurt/ your chances in any way. Just to be sure though, I think you should talk to someone at the law school(s) you're thinking of applying to and ask them. They would know better than I would. Let's say you graduate with an engineering degree and then decided you didn't want to go to law school after all (which is possible since that's a long time from now)... you'd still be in a good position career-wise.
+isaac naim He said exactly what I said---your degree doesn't matter for law school. It's okay, you could have Googled or read my response to your very basic question, but you wanted attention from the RUclipsr. You won't be an engineer or get to law school judging by how terrible you are at critical thinking...
BadMannerKorea you clearly do not understand what my original question was. I was simply asking if NICK thought that it was a GOOD IDEA to get an engineering and law degree, not if it was required or not for law school. I find it ironic how you attempt to ridicule me when the basis of it is a gross misinterpretation of my question, not even directed to you in the first place, anonymous coward. Also, I specifically wanted to ask someone who has educational experience being that he is a teacher and seems to be very knowledgable in this idea from his video, not some random guy with a youtube account spouting bull. So please, maybe think a little more before you comment nonsense.
Don’t go to college. It’s an obsolete modality for learning that should have gone away with the book industry. I love books, but they are no longer the most efficient mode for transmitting ideas.
Lol this video was great but its so tough for me to pick a major as theres literally no manor that appeals to me and im equally "good" at all of the subjects even tho its different at uni, i wouldnt know cri
I have gone to a Technical school for hydrolic engineering,but there was too much math involved,so i took up welding.I was certified and i only worked in that field for a couple of years.I worked as an automatic transmission rebuilder for many years.But i had to do general repairs also,and as technology made it more difficult to work on them,i got into the bodywork field .Ha if nobody drinks beer,they won't make any new cars.They are made from beer cans.
The music industry doesn't really care about degrees. A degree in music is probably just for teaching, not performing. There are lots of jobs in sound/audio in general though. What is it you like about music?
Hey... if you enjoy it, that's cool. No judgement. I was just saying that some people choose majors just because they think "I want to MAKE lots of money" and then they end up being miserable. I agree that money is important, but so is happiness.
Do you find anything compelling about the argument that high salary can contribute to happiness...not having to worry about money, and having more disposable income to buy the house you want, the vacations you want, take care of your family better, I think there's a case to be made for people who take less enjoyable jobs in order to have a more enjoyable home life, even if maybe it's a temporary decision to get out of debt or something.
I chose accounting because I wanted to make money and I was miserable and now I'm majoring in Human Resource Management and I'm happy and can't wait to start working in the field
update: Ended up joining coast guard doing IT using my community college degree. I will also probably study physics at NTUA's ECE department. Thanks for yer inspiration
damn u speak too fast, but I did catch some usefull information from yours... yeah I did like to just work at my father cafe instead just go xollege and I might just wasted money cuz Im not good at studying
You are really a filosopher not in american sens, very artistic speech ! As an international viewer i dowanna talk a lot , it's just another world in the socialist and underdevoloped countries.
interesting time for this Vid to end up on on my feed. I posted this to my timeline today its now 7 or so hours before a uni interview. "With University typically costing £8,000 a year this works out at £154 a week this doesn't take into account the maintenance loan which I think raise is it to £300 a week. Unskilled labour can bring in £300 a week after the Tories have had their fill a person can live quite comfortably on £200 per week in Bristol with a bit to spare and some free time on their hands this leaves a a potential of £100 per week that could be invested in self-directed learning and one on one tuition totalling a yearly bill a £5,200 and 0. Debt this learning could be sustained and would not be specific to any field therefore a a mathematician could divert 1 weeks learning and finances to English skills and support around getting a decent CV of course one would have to be somewhat motivated evidence in their learning and displaying practical applications of it but that's what any institution is not going to make you do anyway are these vast commitments into finance the motivators to make us do this and how many other people have these thoughts when they are on the brink of signing themselves into huge undertakings"
So Say We All!
This is coming from a 70-year-old who went through 4 years of college because that is what my high school counselors and parents said I needed to do even though I was enrolled in advanced electronics in high school (equivalent to an Associated degree today). After a thirty-year gap, returned to college and to get an IT degree which means nothing since I retired after getting the degree. This could all have all been avoided if I did what I wanted to do; join the Air Force, get into avionic, learn to fly and travel the world, which I never did get to do (well, I did get my private piolet license in the 80's, but it cost too much to fly nowadays). Instead, I became a professional firefighter for 30 years then I retired. Nick knows what he is saying, so all you 18 to twenty-somethings out there, pay attention. Do what YOU want to do with your life, not what other say you shoud do.
As a high school senior, thank you so much for this, holy shit. I've been stressing so bad over what I want to major in and this took so much pressure off.
You're welcome! Glad I could help.
It pisses me off so much when I hear college students talking about how much they hate school, and how badly they want to be done with school. If you hate college, then DON'T FREAKING GO!!!
If they're in zero-prospect degrees like English lit, you're right; if they're in chemical engineering, not so much--though, a transfer to another branch of sciences may be in order.
NileThe146: Anybody whining about anything without doing anything to change it can get annoying... but sometimes you're stuck in a situation with no real alternatives and it make you feel better when you're complaining about it.
tntcheats: You're right, some degrees are better than others, but the job prospects are still pretty bad in science too... but again, going to a university for a 4-year degree isn't about getting a job.
I just spent 10 years bouncing off the walls through community college, a tech school, and a university. I finally graduate in 11 days.
This video is full of great advice that I really could have used IN 2010!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
sent this to my little brother who wanted to major in "Management" because it's "easy".... you might have spared him a few years of useless shit. THANK YOU AND KEEP IT UP
You're welcome. I'm glad it was useful.
this is spot on , I studied at a crazy(nearly fanatic ) level to crack the entrance exams and get into college , then chose electrical engineering as a branch without much thought , I dont have words to describe how horrible my 3rd and 4th years were , big rotating machines , motors , transformers ,,,aargh!
As far as a higher education is concerned, certain jobs (healthcare, engineering, science research, teaching, accounting,
electricians, welders, lawyers, architects and real estate) require a license and those licensing exams require the knowledge covered in a degree. Now all of the jobs I listed require varying levels of education, so if you want any of these jobs you will need to go to the appropriate institution.
Of course none of this means you will get a job, it only means you are qualified.
It's just that 4-year university degrees tend to have a lot of "general education" which most people don't need to get a job and certainly don't need for those licenses. That "general education" is literally HALF of a 4-year degree, which just goes to show how little those degrees are meant for job training.
Exactly.
I majored in music in college some 20 years ago. Now I write software for a living. If I had it to do all over again, I would totally do the same thing. Music is my passion. Software is what I enjoy doing to pay the bills.
Hey! Canadian high school student here. This was SO useful! Extremely useful! Thanks! I know a lot of people from my generation really are torn between choosing something they like and something "marketable". It's good to hear your advice.
Glad I could help 🙂
Funny thing after i graduate in computer science i realized college never teach me how to code.
The educational system definitely needs to be revamped.
Spot on! Thank you!
I can’t quite say my college education on Film, Theatre, Philosophy, and History will get me a job, but I DO NOT regret the education. It can be an enriching experience…
There are people who finish college and wind up in work involving whatever their hobby was when they were in high school or before. This does not mean the four years at college were "wasted", because you'll be smarter at life (hopefully).
Here from Europe - Czech Republic
In the Czech Republic it's very different. People can't choose the major during the first one or two years of college. They have to choose the major at high school before they even apply for college. This is quite worse I think, because if you are not satysfied with what you chose to study, the only thing you can do is to either complete the college or drop out and apply for a different one the next year.
That's fascinating (and terrifying). I never would have found physics if I had to chose my major in high school. Most people don't have their own personality and opinions figured out until age 22-25, let alone what they want to do with their life.
Yeah. Also, the next very bad thing is that in the Czech Republic, Bachelor's degree is considered as you completed only half of higher education, so it's very hard to get any job with "just" and undergraduate degree. That's why the vast majority of czech students also have to do their Master's. On the other hand, you complete your Bachelor's in 3 years and most Master's degrees (except JD and MD) are completed just in 1 year. JD takes just 2 (3 Bachelor's + 2 JD) years and MD takes 3 years (3 Bachelor's + 3 MD), so it's not like you finish your JD after 7 years and MD after 8 like you would do in the US. So, it's shorter and way cheaper to study in the Czech Republic, but graduate degree very often is a must.
I've always known that I wanted to do something with math since elementary school. I was always good at it and always enjoyed it. In middle and high school, I often considered engineering. I was good at math and my teachers mentioned it as a good potential career path; however, when I graduated high school, I realized that engineering wasn't right for me. I chose to do pure math as opposed to engineering. It may not be as good for employment, but it is what is most interesting to me and that is the most important thing.
What Šimon says isn't completely accurate. I taught high school in the Czech Republic, and you have to choose what university major you want to apply for, but your high school education can be completely unrelated to it. For example, you can go to a "hotelovka" (a selective type of hospitality professions high school for smart kids; we don't have this school in the US), and from there you can go get a degree in law, engineering, medicine, psychology or basically anything. However, you have to declare your major when you apply and take the entrance exam. This isn't as bad as it sounds, because, at least at the time I taught there, a Czech 18-year-old was approximately as mature as an American 25-year-old (this may have changed since). In my example, it doesn't matter that much if the student ends up not liking his major or doesn't want to continue at university, because he came out of high school already qualified to run a hotel or restaurant. Something similar can happen with someone who went to electro-technical high school, automotive high school, wine-making high school, etc.
Another thing Šimon doesn't mention is that in the Czech Republic there are alternatives to university to get qualifications. The country has an extensive system of state exams that cover almost any subject and run parallel to the university curriculum. The range of subjects is endless, so you can get state certification by exam in everything from fluid mechanics to the French language to the Old Testament. In fact, many people who go to university have to take these same exams before they graduate. So, while having the university degree will give you more prestige in the workplace, self-taught people with state exam certification can often work in exactly the same professions, side by side with people with degrees.
I chose medical school (university) instead of physics because I was told, I would never make a living. Probably the worst decision of my life (and don't worry, I don't treat people, I dropped out and got a degree in economics.)
No matter where you study, it all depends on how you did in the interview that lands you the job. 👍
Which terrifies me
same problem in Poland. people finish universities and end up unemployed or they work in mcdonalds. but that's just one part of the picture. on the other hand people who finish universities which are needed at the market get jobs. medicine, technology for example. anything that ends whit studies is a bad choice.
Italian here: it's awesome how you guys can try subjects out; here you need to pick a type of high school at 14 that will have an effect through the rest of your studies... and of course you have to pick a specific major if you go to university (only universities here). No broad experiences. I'm now a psychologist with a humanistic high school background, but if only i had known, at 15, that by 25 i would end up liking science more than humanities, I'd have picked a science-based high school and have some science degree by now... very hard to change your mind in this system!
How is anyone supposed to know what they want to do at 14?!
Old debate here, although only few complain because it allows for a competitive early specific training. But the system is outdated! It'll have to change soon. OT thank you sooooo much Nick for all your great work!
If universities are only about becomming a more enlightened individual and not getting a job, why spend 4 and a half years at a degree, when you can just go to a library or use the internet?
Very few people have the self-discipline to teach themselves all of those things in 4.5 years... plus, it's helpful to have experts around to let you know where to look so you're not learning bullshit. We all know the internet is full of bullshit, but books can have a lot of it too.
That's true, but so does a lot of academic books and I agree that it's good to have experts guide you, but you can still learn to be critical of the sources you find, without having to go to college. I don't know if it's like this in the US, but I allready learned to be critical of sources in high school. Not to mention, there are many guides and videos on the net, that teaches source-critisim for free.
Here in the U.S., the K-12 school system is more interested in getting students "college ready" than they are about anything else... which is unfortunate.
I half agree with you. I think that in the age where we are connected to all information with a pocket-computer, the idea of spending $600 per lecture does seem to be outdated. I agree with you in cases like the humanities, literature, learning a language, and even math up to a certain point, you can learn those things using other resources and motivation. But where I'd disagree is in a case like sciences, applied sciences, medicine, and things like that where it helps to have experts guiding your studies, and to have access to labs and expensive equipment/software that you other wise would not.
Completly agree with you on the sciences. I also think it goes for engineering and law however
Australia: We only really have a 2 tiered system (but we need a 3rd level). Effectively we have Universities and TAFEs (Technical And Further Education). Your comments about the lack of a social atmosphere is 100% true of TAFE. I teach 3 year degrees at TAFE and so my school looks more like community college, but it lacks the recognition, government blessing of being NOT a tech school.
Your advice isn't 100% matching the Aussie system, but gosh, it's still 97% right!!! Too many people come into my classroom thinking that they are doing accounting, and thus they MUST be an accountant. There is a massive misalign between the students expectations, parent's expectations, employer understanding and expectations of grads, and worst of all, funding expectations.
There's much more to be said on this topic. =D
+Tetracarbon (Phillip Wong) Yes, this is a very complex issue. Thanks for sharing the Australian experience.
Yup. It is the same in Romania, Eastern Europe too. You get a diploma after you finish University and then that doesn't qualify you for a job. Many things can be done by people with real technical skills who do not finish University courses.
Cheta Manuel Thanks for answering. This is helpful.
Manuel Cheta same thing here in bulgaria. We have a really fucked up educations system, not to mention the demographic crisis. Kids just prefer studying in the Netherlands or in the Uk just to get out of this shithole. High schools barely touch maths and the sciences and so much of them force us to read Bulgarian literature and history , like we're traitors to the system if we're not. Then the kids just don't get interested in the sciences and then the government complains why there's not enough graduates and professionals in engineering, maths, sciences.
A mixture of it's viability and personal preference is the best. Don't just do a major for money, way too many people go into STEM without knowing how tough it is then drop out later. Even the people made it through probably don't get a job that's related to their field because they've been doing so bad during college years. Schools aren't responsible for getting you the jobs, they will help you, but the rest is up to you.
Even if you graduate and actually got those jobs, those jobs are exhausting, and It pays a high amount of money because it SUCKS. Take CivEng for example, that job not only requires high education, but it is also extremely exhausting. My cousin's husband is a CivEng and he came home at night time, he barely had time to see his children. I would recommend the college kids not to look at how much the major pays, but what interests them instead. The best scenario would be a person finding a major that can make him/herself a lot of money while it's demanded in the market.
There's definitely a balance that needs to be found. I just think the enjoyment part is more important.
I'm taking a master's in mechanical engineering
But sometimes I wonder if I should have chosen computer engineering or physics instead
I like this video. An informative view on college and higher education in general. I work in Silicon Valley in a startup. I've worked in two other startups, one very successful financially. The key is not the degree or even the pedigree of the degree. The key is your passion. Follow it. So many of my peers in high tech and engineering do not have formal degrees or do not have formal degrees in the field they're working in. And in many cases, they are the go-to person in the company. Why? Because they followed (are following) their passion. I also work with Stanford grads and Berkeley grads etc and some are really good. But usually not because of the degree. If anything, the degree is a means to really great experience which, if you have the passion, is an education without a price tag.
My 2 cents.
Thanks for the 2 cents :-)
HI NICK! I'm a sophomore and hugely interested in astronomy and physics, which is why I've been following your science asylum vids. I want to decalre physics and astronomy double major, but my friends and family keep telling me not to because they think it is not very "useful". Thanks to this video I finally make up my mind! Thank You!
You're welcome :-)
Nobody can predict what major will be "useful". I know a classmate from the painting department where I graduated who got hired by a major manufacturing company for his design sense, got trained and mentored, and ultimately ran an overseas division. A guy I know with a business degree still worked at the same paint store he worked at in high school. I've had engineers scanning my groceries before. So you just never know what will be a useful degree in someone's life. The world is too complex for people to envision all the options and everything that will happen.
I think the video is actually very helpful
The experience is quite different in Norway
You have to apply to be accepted into a specific major to get into the university at all
You can't come to university and be like "I'm gonna just study something"
I chose mechanical engineering when I went to college
Oh
And on college
In Norway college and university are so similar it is basically the same thing
Difference: The level of education you need to lecture a class
The freshman, sophomore, senior and all that ... It's not a thing here
It's all just semesters
1st semester
2nd semester
and so on
I can't imagine having to chose my specialty at 18. I was _not_ ready to make that kind of decision at 18.
@@NickLucid I basically chose to become an engineer in the future when I was like 14-15. Or rather, at that stage I was unsure if I wanted to be an engineer or a medical particioner
I want to sincerely learn theoretical physics then where should I go .
I am from Canada, and i can agree with everything that you said in this video.
I feel like it's so hard for me to not think about money when deciding on what major to choose, i want to choose architecture but the job market for that is not that great and neither is the pay so I often think about computer science majors or even mechanical engineering because there's more job opportunities available and the money is better...but I know I would be so bored with it. I'm like in limbo with choosing a major/career path
Can you minor in architecture?
I went to college part time and took eight years to complete a bachelors degree. I started at a community college and then transferred to a four year university. I studied mathematics in college mainly because it is a subject I am passionate about. I recently completed my BS in mathematics in December 2022. I have decided against going to graduate school because I have decided that it just isn't for me.
Awesome! It sounds like you've making great decisions for yourself 🙂
I'm going to UGA in the fall and this helped relive A TON of my stress about choosing a major. Thanks!
You're welcome!
It's probably better to go to a commuter school where a lot of people are older or are the first in their families to go to college. That way you'll benefit from your classmates' greater maturity and more serious approach to what they're doing. If you go to a residential school where the students are all young and think a college degree is something people automatically get, you're likely to get a worse education.
In Quebec (Canada), we have a different system. From high school (we finish at 17 here) you can go get a professional diploma (without necessarily finishing high school). You can go to cegep and get a 2 year pré-university degree or a 3 year technical degree. After that go to university but them it’s all related to your field. Except for social degrees and humanities, which is more broad. You can take optional classes not related to your field. I feel it’s much more job oriented. Except for pré-university cegep, that’s like general education.
Interesting 🤔 How much of it do you have to pay for yourself?
Nick Lucid compare to other places, it’s actually pretty cheap. A year of cegep costs a few hundred, a year of university a few thousand. Higher education is actually one of hour biggest « export ». Pre-covid, nearly 30% of Mcgill university was foreign students.
Interesting. I knew from early high school that I wanted to study physics and math. Also, I took a wide variety of courses to learn of other disciplines such as chemistry, history, and philosophy but it was always physics through graduate school and beyond!
This doesn't help me now that I'm 38 bitter and depressed that I went to law school straight through and wish today I had chosen a different path.
Kids: listen to this man!
My older son did a 5 year program at Northeastern U in Boston. It requires a 1 year co-op (working a paid internship at some company). They get 50% hire rate at their co-op employer post-employment, presumably >50% working at a job requiring that specific degree.
That sounds like a great deal!
Bit late comment, but what is your opinion on graduate school, especially for a subject such as physics? I'm currently a junior in high school, so still have a decent amount of time to actually figure out what exactly college does and what would be best for my interests. Thanks!
+Ted Grosson
Graduate school isn't for everyone, so when you eventually get toward the end of your undergrad work you'll have to decide whether or not it's right for you. I can tell you one thing for sure: If they school isn't paying YOU to go to grad school there (with some kind of assistantship or fellowship or scholarship), then don't go. It's too expensive.
So, I'm a university junior who's been perusing all sorts of videos and people like this to find the advice I never got when I needed it. I'm conflicted between this advice and other advice I've gotten, so I'm gonna pose a question regarding that.
...I've heard a few people like yourself say the opposite; they point to American Idol contestants and art majors in debt for literally 25 years, and they say that a persons passion and interests are not the best thing to base a career on because: (1) a person might be interested in something they don't have the talent or aptitude for (although I also agree that a truly passionate person won't have a problem with the hard work it takes to get up to that level), (2) their interests might not be a smart thing to pay lots of money getting a degree in, and (3), which is the one that applies to me, our interests change constantly. I'm fascinated by pretty much every area of study, and I almost feel I based my major on a temporary whim.
So with all of that, I've heard a few times that we should foremost choose to pursue our talents, rather than our interests. We should look at what we're really good at, and what we think someone will pay us for, and what we think we can master and excel at in order to rise through the ranks of that field. And once we have that support, we can incorporate our own interests. Basically, the advice was to not follow your passion, but let it follow you. Follow your talents, and take your passion with you.
How do you respond to that approach?
I can understand why some people would give that advice, but it has some problems.
1) If you hate what you're talented at doing, you're going to hate whatever job you get from pursuing that talent... so it's really only good advice for people who enjoy or are neutral about what their talent. Just because a person is tall and athletic, it doesn't mean they should be a professional basketball player.
2) What you're talented at might be something that many others are /also/ talented at. If the job market is flooded with those people, then you're not going to get the job anyway. This problem happens a lot and it's also something that's hard to predict. Sometimes the market isn't flooded when you started college, but it's flooded when you're finished. Computer science was like this at the turn of the millennium.
Either way, you've wasted your time getting the degree. Since time isn't exactly something you can get back, you should be spending as much of it as possible doing things you enjoy. If you want to get a good paying job that you don't care about so you can do what you enjoy in your free time, then don't waste a sizeable portion of your limited lifetime getting a 4-year university degree. Get a certification in a trade like plumbers or electricians or something. It takes much less time and the need for people with those skills won't go away any time soon.
you have crazy eyes
it makes you both more trust worthy and sketchy
At the same time? I'm impressed with myself then ;-)
@@NickLucid I’m impressed with you too!!!
I've been attending community college for about 2 years as a part time student and working as well, I do enjoy learning but I'm unsure about my major and I'm debating on whether staying until I find something I like or attend a trade school...
Community colleges are much cheaper, so if you're really not sure about what you want to do, you probably shouldn't transfer to a university yet. Trade schools may not be glamorous, but you have a better chance of getting a good job, so they're a great option if that's the reason you're getting a degree.
International viewer here: As far as I know there aren't any U.S. like community colleges or technical schools in my current county of residence.
There are a small number of "vocational schools" that have language courses, computer skills training, secretarial courses, ACCA etc. but presently the majority of jobs here require a Bachelor's degree as the minimum - doesn't matter what degree, just a degree to your name - even for a receptionist's job. This demand for university results in expensive higher education so people do those vocational courses or go to their home countries.
In my home country higher education is very cheap (comparatively) but there's not a lot of variety or security but I think that there are U.S. like community colleges and univeristies but not Technical schools.
Thanks for the info :-)
:)
In Germany we get paid for going to College or University... (except for non-state ones, those are expensive!)
It doesn't feel like a luxury to most germans, but it kind of is...
I disagree with this advice. If you don't know what you want to be when you grow up, don't waste thousands of dollars at a university trying to to figure it out. High schools need to be a better job at steering students to careers rather than wothlless college degrees. If the career path requires a 4 year degree, by all means go. Have a plan. Get in. Get out. That's how you do college.
The problem is that more and more jobs require college degrees. A bunch don't even care what your degree is in, just that you have one, because they just want to know you can "finish something hard." Whether that's a good idea or not is topic for another video rant (I don't think it is), but it doesn't matter what either of us think about that because it doesn't stop of it from being a thing.
Many other jobs require at least some kind of certification, which is something you can get at technical schools and community colleges (something I actually recommend in this video). There are VERY FEW jobs left that you can get straight out of college.
the problem is: my last year of high school i was 16. How can I choose something at that age? lol
Good advice! It's important to choose a major that interests you, that you are passionate about, and that you can work with.
This was really helpful!
I have been googling for days to decide on a university major because next year I'm going to be in one, but I still haven't been able to decide on it. So I'd like your advice (Please!). 1. Do you know about a website that has detailed information on the majors? 2. How will my choice of undergraduate majors affect the graduate major choices? 3. My parents want me to study engineering, but I love science (especially physics) - so my question is - will I be able to learn SCIENCE aside from work by studying engineering? Or should I try some Physics majors? 4. Can you recommend some good Physics majors? I'm totally confused by all those websites.
Sounds like good advise
Any idea about average age of an American who enrolls for PhD?
sagar sharma According to a survey done in the year 2000, the average age of graduate student was 33. The problem with that is it includes PhD and Masters degrees... and 2000 was 15 years. New data suggests this number has been on the rise in those 15 years, but we'll have to wait for another survey before we'll have a solid number.
Hmmm, do something I enjoy huh? Well I don't enjoy being broke, so I'll just do computer engineering at a university with co-op.
I have three courses that I am considering for a couple years (I am a Junior.)
First is journalism, because I like to write about my own thoughts
Second is Computer Enginnering/Programming/Science, because I loveD to code, and
Third is Accounting, because not only was this my first choice, but my parents like it too and I was pretty good at computing interests or annuities.
I am super confused between the three.
That's rough. I'd recommend getting an idea of what kind of duties you'd have in each job, especially the ones you might _not_ like. It's probably going to be easier to weigh the cons against each other than the pros.
1) Sure you like writing, but journalism is also research: meeting with people, being on the phone, looking through documents, etc.
2) Sure you love code, but what will you be coding? I have friends who wanted to go into coding because they wanted to make computer games, but those jobs just weren't available.
3) Accounting is lucrative, but you're probably more likely to be computing people's taxes than you are to work for a bank.
Maybe see if you can shadow someone in their job for a bit to see what they do. It'll give you a better idea of what they do.
And if you end up making your living at something completely different from what you majored in, that doesn't mean your education was "wasted". It's never wasted.
It is if you did something that made you miserable for 4-5 years. That's wasted years of your life. I have friends that did this.
I want to do politics or history but I worry that it won't lead me anywhere so I feel like I have to do engineering instead because it's one of the only degrees worth going to college for.
I know a lot of people who went to school for engineering and never got an engineering job, but I bet more graduates of engineering gets jobs than graduates of history.
There's so many other degrees you can get besides engineering.
I think that this is somewhat true. The statistics that you state are very true, but you left something out. More than 50% of those who major in computers, statistics, or engineering have a job related to their degree.. My question for you is: Do you have to major in your favorite thing? For example, I really love physics. Should I major in physics because I like it more or engineering because I'll have a job more related to something I love?
Anyways, I love your videos. I watch them for fun and they definitely helped me get through some conceptual questions in chemistry this year.
alligrim I agree that humanities fields are probably skewing the data a bit. Even so, given the data that I've seen, I don't know that I'd believe it's over 50% for computers, statistics, or engineering. I'll need to look into that more. I'm skeptical. I know so many physics *and* engineering majors who have had lots of trouble finding work. Many of them eventually give up and go off to grad school to give the job market a couple more years.
As for what you should major in, this is actually a very good question. What exactly is it about physics that you like? If you're a very practical ("real world") physics mind, then engineering might actually be something you'd enjoy. If the physics you get excited about is the more theoretical stuff, then you might not enjoy engineering at all. You'd be surprised at how little physics you actually use when you're an engineer. It's mostly about knowing how to use software and spreadsheets.
Majoring in engineering usually means something specific like mechanical or electrical. It's very practical, but it's also very specialized, so getting a job can be tricky at best. Majoring in physics is a lot more broad, but it might not actually train you for engineering. Many universities have an "engineering physics" major, which is kind of a balance between the two. It's usually a safer bet, but you need to ask around to see what the program is like at your school.
Let me know if you have any more questions :-)
I do not think that is completely true. I am currently in engineering and many of my friends are finding working in other fields. Not because they have to but because they can, engineering is a very much sought after degree. I am currently a chemical engineer working as an industrial engineer for example.
The only problem with doing what you enjoy, is they're probably not hiring at the "I enjoy this" factory. You need money to live and anything you do for money is called work. Work is a 4 letter word and it will eventually become laborious, dull and boring. If at the end of your career you don't have enough money to retire on then it is gunna suck. I like the advice "do what makes you the most money and spend it on what you like." With any luck this makes you so much money you can stop your work life early and do what you like. This has the drawback that if you really hate what you do for money and it doesn't pay all that well then its all gunna suck during and after your work life.
When I first started work, after my 4 years at university, my boss asked me a simple question which I have asked over and over as time has gone on. "What do I want?" There is not a simple answer to this question and it will change over time. So I like you idea of undeclared major. Try different things. If your smart enough to get into university your going to meet other smart people who can help you find what you want.
The other piece of advice that I liked was something my dad read and he thought it was interesting enough to share it with me. A person should have 3 careers in this life. Not sure if this is true but interesting.
BTW My father did what he loved and became a geologist. At first he work at the USGS where traveled all over the US looking at all kinds of rocks, very happy. But he was mostly pragmatic and when my mom became pregnant with my sister he got a job with an oil company.
I get what you're saying about not doing something you enjoy even if it makes you poor and/or doesn't allow you to retire later. This video wasn't really about the job you end up getting though. In fact, I show statistics in the video that most people don't get jobs in their field of study anyway. Most jobs (at least in the US) that require 4-year degrees don't care what the degree is in, just that you did one. I think it has something to do with wanting to know you're willing to finish something that's difficult. If most jobs don't care what your degree is in, then major in something you enjoy 🤷♂️
@@NickLucid Your right and I agree with you. Finishing is the most important part. My son is just entering University with the understanding that what ever he chooses this will be his career for life. Trying to dissuade him of this notion is a exercise in futility(teenagers; am I right). At this point I'm trying to get him to keep an open mind and game the system. What skill are the most useful in the world we live in. I am doing my best to get him to do whatever he wants, as long as "whatever" has computer programming skills as part of the core courses. I have many friends in the software biz and all of them say there is one thing lacking. Critical thinking skills. I would hire a person off a farm any day over some ivy leaguer, simply because they are always forced to think in terms of available resources and means to an end when working on a farm. Hands on. Practical. According to my son "Mine Craft" is practical. God help us all!
@ Ozzyslashbourne getting a job is important and considering cost of a university degree one must consider its monetary value vs. its cost. Enlightened sounds flighty and is a bit ambiguous, perhaps credible would be a better word? Sometimes you have to prove you have credence and having a degree helps.
That's fair. I just don't like it when jobs require you have a 4-year degree when it's not required to do that actual job. Some employers "just want to make sure you're willing to follow through when things are hard." A 4-year degree is way too expensive for that!
Just go to Europe, 2000 euro tuition fee
Hi I am from India
Is it okay to take admission in MIT
And their is nothing wrong in this video and please reply to me
I was going to go for business management is that wrong?
It's not wrong if you think you'll enjoy that (or you absolutely need that degree for the job you think you'll enjoy).
i'm entering first years in 3 years programming college (hope choosing the right ones)
is it worth?? but i enjoy it enough
Let me try this again: If I've got this explanation of yours right, the universe consists of an enormous mass of complete improbability contained within a sort-of-finite volume of space that has no limits. HUH???
Why are you shouting at me
Why does this video not have more views?
Why don't all of Nick's videos have higher views? The guy is great, entertaining, well done, and you learn so much. It is a marketing problem I believe, people just don't know it exists. I didn't until Monday!
It's basically the same thing in my country except that university cost under 1000$ a year.
We have a problem here in the U.S.
Well to be honest this is not perfect in my country either. Universities are cheap because it's public and therefore they haven't a lot of money and it has a direct consequence on the quality of the infrastructures and such. And the fact that universities are not private creates a whole place for tons of private schools ( such as business or engineering schools ) that can be very expensive, sometime as expensive as universities in the US.
Hey Nick,
I am a high school junior and have questions about majors. I was thinking about majoring in some kind of engineering because I am pretty good at math and I think the degree can be useful. Do you think it is a good idea to get some kind of engineering degree and then go to law school? Any tips?
You're still in high school. Let's see if you graduate with an engineering degree first. Also, you don't need any one major to go to law school.
As far as I know, law school doesn't really care much what you get your bachelor's degree in... just that you have one (or will finish one before you start law school). What you majored in might only matter if they got a lot of applicants and they're trying to decide who to reject. At that point, I'd guess it would be more about how hard your major was (rather than what it was specifically). I can't imagine majoring in engineering would /hurt/ your chances in any way. Just to be sure though, I think you should talk to someone at the law school(s) you're thinking of applying to and ask them. They would know better than I would.
Let's say you graduate with an engineering degree and then decided you didn't want to go to law school after all (which is possible since that's a long time from now)... you'd still be in a good position career-wise.
Thanks for responding Nick, much appreciated advice.
+isaac naim He said exactly what I said---your degree doesn't matter for law school. It's okay, you could have Googled or read my response to your very basic question, but you wanted attention from the RUclipsr. You won't be an engineer or get to law school judging by how terrible you are at critical thinking...
BadMannerKorea you clearly do not understand what my original question was. I was simply asking if NICK thought that it was a GOOD IDEA to get an engineering and law degree, not if it was required or not for law school. I find it ironic how you attempt to ridicule me when the basis of it is a gross misinterpretation of my question, not even directed to you in the first place, anonymous coward. Also, I specifically wanted to ask someone who has educational experience being that he is a teacher and seems to be very knowledgable in this idea from his video, not some random guy with a youtube account spouting bull. So please, maybe think a little more before you comment nonsense.
Don’t go to college.
It’s an obsolete modality for learning that should have gone away with the book industry.
I love books, but they are no longer the most efficient mode for transmitting ideas.
Lol this video was great but its so tough for me to pick a major as theres literally no manor that appeals to me and im equally "good" at all of the subjects even tho its different at uni, i wouldnt know cri
That's a tough position to be in. I hope you find something.
Nick Lucid,
I have something important to ask you preferably through the email. Can we do that?
I have gone to a Technical school for hydrolic engineering,but there was too much math involved,so i took up welding.I was certified and i only worked in that field for a couple of years.I worked as an automatic transmission rebuilder for many years.But i had to do general repairs also,and as technology made it more difficult to work on them,i got into the bodywork field .Ha if nobody drinks beer,they won't make any new cars.They are made from beer cans.
i like music so much but i feel like its impossible to survive in a music major :(
The music industry doesn't really care about degrees. A degree in music is probably just for teaching, not performing. There are lots of jobs in sound/audio in general though. What is it you like about music?
sound engineer and producing :)
That should give you lots of job options if you're willing to live in the right place.
In germany choosing wrong at is at least not a waste of money. Universities here are for free😉
It says "through" at 2:44
I'm majoring in finance because it leads to great careers and I enjoy working with money
Hey... if you enjoy it, that's cool. No judgement. I was just saying that some people choose majors just because they think "I want to MAKE lots of money" and then they end up being miserable. I agree that money is important, but so is happiness.
Do you find anything compelling about the argument that high salary can contribute to happiness...not having to worry about money, and having more disposable income to buy the house you want, the vacations you want, take care of your family better, I think there's a case to be made for people who take less enjoyable jobs in order to have a more enjoyable home life, even if maybe it's a temporary decision to get out of debt or something.
what about working with what u hate? That's horrible. I can't imagine myself studying a lot of things and then working with them the rest of my life
I chose accounting because I wanted to make money and I was miserable and now I'm majoring in Human Resource Management and I'm happy and can't wait to start working in the field
I'm so glad you found your niche!
Greece: Yep pretty close
update: Ended up joining coast guard doing IT using my community college degree. I will also probably study physics at NTUA's ECE department. Thanks for yer inspiration
damn u speak too fast, but I did catch some usefull information from yours... yeah I did like to just work at my father cafe instead just go xollege and I might just wasted money cuz Im not good at studying
Thanks
You're welcome!
As a three degree professional, former professor, my opinion of this video is "What a load of crap!"
Does this mean you believe that universities should be left to fade away?
Ohh so, thats what Elon Musk was trying to in one of his interview.
You are really a filosopher not in american sens, very artistic speech !
As an international viewer i dowanna talk a lot , it's just another world in the socialist and underdevoloped countries.
interesting time for this Vid to end up on on my feed. I posted this to my timeline today its now 7 or so hours before a uni interview. "With University typically costing £8,000 a year this works out at £154 a week this doesn't take into account the maintenance loan which I think raise is it to £300 a week. Unskilled labour can bring in £300 a week after the Tories have had their fill a person can live quite comfortably on £200 per week in Bristol with a bit to spare and some free time on their hands this leaves a a potential of £100 per week that could be invested in self-directed learning and one on one tuition totalling a yearly bill a £5,200 and 0. Debt this learning could be sustained and would not be specific to any field therefore a a mathematician could divert 1 weeks learning and finances to English skills and support around getting a decent CV of course one would have to be somewhat motivated evidence in their learning and displaying practical applications of it but that's what any institution is not going to make you do anyway are these vast commitments into finance the motivators to make us do this and how many other people have these thoughts when they are on the brink of signing themselves into huge undertakings"
i hate college