What'd you major in?

[lets-retire]

AAS and BS in Criminal Justice. I was just short of a minor in business management by 6 credits, but when I finished the CJ degree I received a $50 per month pay raise. : My student loan was $52 per month.

Both of the degrees are worthless, the theories don't translate to the street, and none of the communication skills are used on the street. The only time those skills are used is in court. When talking to people, I find I have to dumb down my language to be understood. If I had to do it over, I'd probably major in some type of business discipline.

 

[azanon]

Funny, when I go to the doctor I still sometimes wonder if this was one of those guys that memorized his way through O Chem and never really understood P Chem. Maybe they were the ones that didn't get into Med School.

MB

Check. Memorized my way through O Chem (got 2 B's), but took Quantative Analysis in lieu of P.Chem, and didn't get into Med school. I'm glad i didn't too, because I dont think i wouldn't have liked my life as a doctor (and during med school) as much as i do as a Biologist working for the Federal government.

 

[Dawg52]

Accounting. I guess it worked out ok.

 

[wompo]

BS in Math
MS in Computer Science

 

[brewer12345]

BA in Economics/History
MBA in Accounting/Finance

The CFA material (at least levels I & II) was heavily redundant with the MBA, but I figured the letters after my name were worth the trouble.

 

[justin]

BS Civil Engineering w/ Transportation Engineering concentration
BA Spanish Language and Literature

Both from North Carolina State University. Took me 3 years to get both due to tons of AP credits and "credit by exam" for a class or two and taking a few easy courses during high school (you know, calculus III, differential equations, thermodynamics and intro to electrical engineering : ).

Figured I was pretty clever and got a Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina School of Law. Figured I'd make a good attorney. Wrong! After a few summers of unenjoyable legal work during school, I figured engineering would be infinitely more interesting.

Well, after a few years on the job in engineering, I'd say things worked out pretty well. The legal education helped me get a grasp on how the "real world" works, and occasionally comes in handy at work.

Spanish Degree? It broadened my horizons, but the biggest benefit is being able to understand spanish at level approaching fluency.

Would I change things if I could? I'd probably get a master's in engineering in 1-2 years instead of a law degree in 3 years for professional reasons. Plus the loans and foregone earnings during law school definitely set me back a couple of years from my FIRE goals (now it'll be mid thirties when I FIRE instead of early 30's ).

 

[dmpi]

BS Math back when schooling was cheap. Entire working life has been in software.

 

[paradiseken]

BA in English Literature. Worked as an Industrial Engineer, Court Reporter, Supervisor and Application Developer before ERing. I think I may have missed a few career changes, but it is all moot now.

 

[dex]

Sounds as if this should be a poll.

Major - Finance & Accounting - Good Major - Yes and no -

Provided me with a financially rewarding career but not an intrinsicly rewarding

If there were computers with MS Word functionality I may have gone into another career - I can't spell; typing was a workout on manual typewritters; corrections difficult and I have terriable handwritting.

But more than the major chosen I think a good mentor giving good advise is more valuable than the actual university degree. With most any degree and field you can find a niche that would be rewarding.

 

[Eagle43]

BBA. Got it by going to night school, after I had 3 kids. I began an MBA, got 18 hours, but the military moved me, and only 6 of the hours would transfer to another MBA program. By then I was tired of school.

BTW, I started out taking English in Europe from the University of Maryland. Had about 30 hours there, came to Texas and decided to go into the business program. I do wish I had stayed in English. I suspect I'd have been much happier.

 

[HFWR]

AAS in Electrical Engineering Technology - Jefferson CC, Louisville
BS in Business Administration - UT Dallas


Should've been a rock star...

 

[windsurf]

I started out thinking I wanted to major in phys ed and coach. I ended up majoring in English upon discovering that my high school English teachers had a good program going and I was able to turn out papers without the agony of many of my jock buddies. Law school came after a few years of teaching. I took some "fun" courses on Saturdays once in awhile and thought that when I ER'd from trial work, I might do grad work in anthropology. Scared off by the number of years a Phd. would take, I am now working on an MFA in creative writing.

 

[My Dream]

Took Business Admin, Majored in Marketing.

 

[BarbaraAnne]

Started off in pre-med and switched to chemistry. Took as many electives as possible in business and really enjoyed them. Ended up working in the chemistry field for a couple of years and then switching careers to computer sales with Megacorp and loved it. This was in the late 70's and 80's and the income was great and the industry was booming. It was really fun! Saved and invested those great commissions in the market, which allowed us to be FI and then left the business to stay home with my kids. Took all the coursework for a CFP so I could do a better job of investing and advising family on financial planning. Never wanted to be a practicing financial planner, just know enough to help the family...

 

[audreyh1]

BS in Electrical Engineering
MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering
both from UT

Turned out to be a very enjoyable career choice for me - I was well suited to product design. In college there were so few of us ladies in engineering we got way more attention than we wanted! Fortunately it was mostly positive attention.

Unlike Brat, late 70s early 80s was a GREAT time to be a woman entering these hard science/engineering fields. But I had a girlfriend who had tried in the 60s and literally could not get hired due to her sex.

Audrey

 

[Martha]

I was interesting in anything and everything. Ended up with BA in psychology and philosophy. What could I do but go to lawschool I really considered going to graduate school in psychology or philosophy, but I wasn't interested in counseling so I knew I would end up teaching. I was worried about job prospects, especially after a long discussion with my symbolic logic professor about the years he drove a cab.

 

[Robert the Red]

BS in pure math.
Worked for 8 years in various companies, then grad school.
PhD in applied math.

I would say that it's been good for me -- since my mind turns naturally to math (like my mother, and like her father). Might have chosen applied or mathematical statistics instead for PhD, if I knew then what my jobs would be emphasizing. Also, having a statistics degree is more employable than a math degree. (I can tell you that hiring a good doctoral-level statistician isn't easy.)

 

[FinanceDude]

B.S. In Finance

Minors in: Accounting
Psychology
Mass Communication

Concentration: Risk management and insurance

If I would have stayed one more semester, I would have had 4 majors, but I thought that would have made me less employable...............

 

[Donzo]

BS in biochemistry - was pre-med. Decided to take one year off, got a job in pharm sales with co. car, expense account, good salary and commisions and a great girlfriend(now wife).
Never went back to school 8)

 

[astromeria]

Studying anthropology (and dabbling in comparative religion and history) didn't qualify me for much. So I got married and had children early. While the kids were littl'uns I took evening classes in various appealing "real world" fields...accounting, programming, technical film production(!), technical writing...ding! ding! ding! we have a winner! I rejoined the workforce as a glorified secretary copy editor/desktop publisher, and then went on to technical writing and eventually editing. I guess you could say I turned the sow's ear of my education into a (small-) silk purse of a career.

 

[MikeD]

BS in Comp sci

Started off in Chem Eng. Then I hit organic chemistry and calculus. Changed to Computer Science. I loved it and did very well. Worked for tiny companies who were always on the verge of bankcrupcy for 20 some years. Then moved to a giant networking megacorp and went out on disability. Education was very hard for me but the second best move I ever made. The first was marrying my wife.

Mike D.

 

[wildcat]

BBA - Finance
MBA - Finance
Awarded a diploma from the school of hard knocks

 

[flipstress]

BS in Business Administration
BS in Computer Information Systems and Accounting
MBA

I was 16 when I first went to college--too young to know what to do so I majored in what elders said was practical. I enjoyed my general-education classes a lot more than my business classes. I also thought afterwards that I should have specialized in some business area, so for my second BS here in the US, I went for a double major.

After working a few years, I got the MBA only to qualify for a different immigration preference-level for green-card purposes. I enjoyed the grad-school lifestyle.

Except for my first couple of jobs, I have been working as a computer programmer. I still take a class each year to keep up-to-date with "new technology", and I have also taken some graphic design (commercial art) classes. I enjoy both these types of classes now.

Edited to answer other question: I had some regrets while I was going for my first BS but stuck it through the end. I thought then that I should have gone into Biology or some other pre-med degree. Later on, I realized that I am too happy-go-lucky to be a doctor. Now, I am content and the degrees were indeed practical and got me to where I am, but my contentment doesn't preclude satisfying my interest in other areas and my continuing to take classes pertaining to them.

 

[MJ]

No wonder, I feel sumwat igorant around yous folks.
I jus never finished my hier scoolin education so I aint got no stinkin degree.

 

[CyclingInvestor]

Started off doubling in Engineering Physics and Computer Science, but
the CS kept getting easier, the EP kept getting harder, and when I realized
I could graduate in 3 years (taking summer school), I switched to CS. It
served me very well, keeping me employed all but 2 weeks at 4 jobs from
1979 until 2 weeks ago, and was really the only college I needed.

I took the coursework for an MS CS (incomplete thesis), got an MBA,
and took the coursework for a PhD CS (incomplete dissertation),
but those were just for learning, and had no impact on my career.

In hindsight I picked the ideal career for myself, matching both my personality
and natural skills. Work was always incredibly easy for me - the only part
that was hard at times was dealing with the people.