Need help picking a major.. tell me about yours!

[plzleenowhammy]

Hey guys. I'm having a hard time finding a major. Plz tell me about your major, the classes u take, why you picked it, and your fav and least fav parts of it. tyty.

[Mench]

architecture

get to make things. be creative. have a finial product. generate a portfolio. people respect it. develop analytical skills. develop problem solving skills.

studios
design classes
architecture history classes

wow, think i just made myself enjoy my major more lol.

[cgrohman]

Finance and Math. I likes the monies.

[Quicksilvre]

Mathematics. First year I took Calculus I and II, some introductory classes in physics and computer science, and some soft classes (Intro to Psych and Intro to Econ ftw!).
Sophomore year saw things like Physics II (not required but recommended), Intro to Differential Equations, Intermediate Logic, Multivariable Calculus, and Fundamentals of Analysis.

I'm in my third year now; I am taking or will be taking Analysis I and II, more DiffEq classes, Linear Algebra, probably Advanced Calculus, and so on. I need some sort of liberal arts sequence (mostly done) and seven high-level math courses in my final two years including the analysis classes, Abstract Algebra, plus a "culminating experience" that the folks here are being coy about.

[ QUOTE ]
(1) The culminating experience is a course or project to be chosen with the approval of the Mathematical Sciences department.

[/ QUOTE ]

I picked it because I was a computer science major when I came in, and then I decided CSCI sucked. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I decided I hated programming, and math was a subject that I was strong at, had a curriculum that matched the classes I had taken already pretty well, and because I found it reasonably enjoyable. (I don't admit this to strangers too often, but I got honestly excited when I first learned about Cantor's diagonal argument. Yes, I am a nerd.)

My favorite part is the flexibility I have in scheduling classes. There's a lot of opportunity to take electives. And, since three of the seven high-level math courses I have to take can be anything over a certain level, I can aim for the things that I find interesting or professors that I find agreeable.

Another nice thing: employers love math majors. They have a reputation for good logical thought, so there are a lot of jobs that are open once you get the BSci.

Now for the bad: the work is a definite beat. I made it fairly hard on myself this semester since I took one math course more than I had to, but yeah, mathematics is certainly one of the most difficult majors out there. It can also be a socially difficult major, partly because you're always working and partly because of the surplus of guys (though part of that has to do with my university specifically). The teachers aren't always the best, either; most of my professors are foreign-born and their English speaking ability varies.

[Keyser.]

English literature. Obvious downside is that it's low on the list of employability, but for me that wasn't really a concern so it was all good. Classes and homework generally consisted of reading really good books that everyone should read during his life. Being well read, imo, is definitely an asset in life, even if it cannot always translate into a high-paying job post-graduation. There is always law school if you want to take that route.

It's also much easier than math/science majors if you're a competent writer.

Another downside is that English lit types tend to be annoying, but I imagine this varies from school to school and class to class.

[plzleenowhammy]

[ QUOTE ]
English literature. Obvious downside is that it's low on the list of employability, but for me that wasn't really a concern so it was all good. Classes and homework generally consisted of reading really good books that everyone should read during his life. Being well read, imo, is definitely an asset in life, even if it cannot always translate into a high-paying job post-graduation. There is always law school if you want to take that route.

It's also much easier than math/science majors if you're a competent writer.

Another downside is that English lit types tend to be annoying, but I imagine this varies from school to school and class to class.

[/ QUOTE ]

couldn't u just read the books without being in college? what do you normally do in-class?

[plzleenowhammy]

quicksilvre, how interesting are your math classes? i've always had this notion that people with a deep enough understanding of mathematics see the world differently than the rest of the world does.

[plzleenowhammy]

[ QUOTE ]
Finance and Math. I likes the monies.

[/ QUOTE ]

Could you expand on the finance part?

[plzleenowhammy]

[ QUOTE ]
architecture

get to make things. be creative. have a finial product. generate a portfolio. people respect it. develop analytical skills. develop problem solving skills.

studios
design classes
architecture history classes

wow, think i just made myself enjoy my major more lol.

[/ QUOTE ]

do you have to be artistically inclined to be an artist? job prospects? difficulty? what kinds of things have you designed?

[Keyser.]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
English literature. Obvious downside is that it's low on the list of employability, but for me that wasn't really a concern so it was all good. Classes and homework generally consisted of reading really good books that everyone should read during his life. Being well read, imo, is definitely an asset in life, even if it cannot always translate into a high-paying job post-graduation. There is always law school if you want to take that route.

It's also much easier than math/science majors if you're a competent writer.

Another downside is that English lit types tend to be annoying, but I imagine this varies from school to school and class to class.

[/ QUOTE ]

couldn't u just read the books without being in college? what do you normally do in-class?

[/ QUOTE ]

For most people it is very difficult to wade through difficult works (like some Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, etc.) by themselves, so having to do it for class helps a lot. You also miss a TON of stuff if you read it by yourself as opposed to reading it with an expert.

Classes were different depending on the professor, but in general, you did your assigned readings at home and class started with a short lecture about important points, and then a lot of time was spent in class discussion. Discussion always went far beyond the scope of the book and brought in outside issues that were relevant, and was in general very helpful assuming your peers were intelligent.

The big projects were generally just long research papers, or if you choose to have a creative writing emphasis, you would create original works.

I should add that the major is more than sitting around and talking. You will become a much better writer and communicator, which is necessary for virtually any job.