WWYD... future profession for dc?

[newbie]

I always believe in do what you love and what you are good at. My oldest is getting to the college age and pickin majors and choosing colleges.

 

She is naturally gifted at art and enjoys it, but she is a regular natural politician or journalist. She is steering to animation, but I and her father would like her to go to a private college and veer to Poli Sci.

 

Deep in my heart I know I should let her make her own decisions, but she is not flippin the bill? I dont want to pounce on her dreams, but waiting for her to flounder through one and switch to another, will leave me bankrupt.

 

Any suggestion or btdt?

[Peela]

Lol, my dd is 14 too, and artistic, and very capable...and doesn't really have a strong sense of what she wants to do.....but...14 is only 14. It's too young to HAVE to make a decision just to please your parents. I would lov eto be able to mould her schooling around her sense of direction but she doesnt have one- so not easy for me.

I wouldnt push your dd into making a decision yet. She needs time.

[Starr]

Ah, all the ideas of a 14 year old! I agree, give it a couple of years. :) We're voting for you Mom!

[Sebastian (a lady)]

One of the cooler books I ever read was about getting great jobs as an English major. It used the idea of doing informational interviews of people with interesting jobs. These weren't interviews with the purpose of getting a job but of learning about one and the background needed for it. It did hold the possibility of creating a network of contacts for later job searches.

 

Volunteering, internships and shadowing someone at work are extensions of this idea.

 

FWIW, I don't think I would encourage a child to major in journalism for two reasons. 1) The newspaper market is in turmoil with lots of newspapers folding or going to online only. 2) I've read too many journalists and editors who recommend getting a non-journalism degree in tech, science, international affairs or something else that you would be reporting on.

[Aubrey]

I wish someone had told me to pursue what I love AND something that would be practical. You're not a whole person w/out either. (At least, I suspect. It may be premature for me to put my 2c into this thread!)

 

In the end, I have neither. I got a BA in Lit, which is ok, but I wanted to go into publishing, & I didn't. I didn't know how. And then I didn't know what to do w/ the degree, so I did the one thing everybody expects you to do w/ the degree, the ONE. THING. I. KNEW. I. DIDN'T. WANT. TO. DO. I went back for a teaching cert. Because I had to do *something.*

 

Otoh, if she can take basics the first couple of yrs w/out having to nail anything down, that would be great. I speak from under a pile of student loans, though, so you can take what I have to say w/ a grain (mountain?) of salt.

 

Now go read this week's LOST thread!

[Impish]

She's 15. 15 year olds are indecisive creatures, their brains haven't finished developing yet. Give her some time.

 

And, even though you're footing the bill, she'll be living the life...so its really important that when the decision is made, that it is indeed *her* decision, and not one she's made to please you. That could cause a terrible strain on the future of your relationship if she chose a college major to please you rather than herself and was unhappy.

[Pamela H in Texas]

She's 15. I know y'all are calling her a higher grade level, but she may just need more time (which may be extra good in y'all's case because of number of credits she has and such). Not every student, even if they truly are advanced, is ready for college at 16 or 17. A lot need an extra year at 18 even.

 

I really believe this should be HER decision. Y'all can talk about pros and cons and such, but in the end, it's HER life. If you don't want to foot the bill, don't. Lots of kids go to college without Mom paying for it.

 

We were ABSOLUTELY SURE of where my daughter was going to go to college and what she was going to major in for YEARS. She first talked about it at 10 months old. At 12, it was DEFINITELY the direction she was going! Surely no one that determined and sure all those years would change her mind, right?

 

WRONG! My daughter got involved in something HUGE and LOVED it. She decided other plans for her life. It's been WOW! Family and friends didn't understand. Others found out about some scholarship opportunities and freaked about her not taking them. But she's doing a program (that allows her to accelerate and gives her flexibility) that will get her a job she enjoys and that will have some flexibility WHILE allowing her to be involved on a larger level in this very important activity she LOVES. She's glad she'll enjoy the job, but she considers that a way to pay the bills so she can do what she REALLY wants to do. Neither activity has anything to do with her original love, but that is okay. No doubt she will fulfill those desires in other ways.

 

I support her totally. I sometimes worry a little bit because I think that is the nature of Mom :) But I know it's HER life and she couldn't be doing a greater thing for herself and helping others.

 

Now, if this were a new thing like in your situation, I would worry a little more just because of the newness of it. But I think you'll find in time that it all works out.

 

Another consideration. As your daughter starts making decisions, she'll choose a career but also hobbies and such. Different things may take on different roles in her life. This is part of growing up! She may or may not do ANYTHING in relation to either of the career choices she's considering now.

 

Oh, more about money....how about you offer to pay X years period. That way you're not paying for her jumping around finding herself.

 

But I think another consideration, though I know you like the idea of accelerating her into college early, is to let her do some jumping around finding herself stuff as a mid/upper teen. She can take some basic courses locally while exploring her options and delving deeply into interests. Then she can attend a university full time when she's truly ready....that might not be after next school year, at 16.

[Melinda in VT]

What's her personality like? Is she generally responsible? Does she understand the limits of the financial contribution you are able and willing to make to her education?

 

I entered college with a declared major of broadcast journalism but knew before stepping foot on campus that I would be changing it to English. And not English teaching. Just English. (Aubrey, I can completely relate to the pressure to get a teaching certificate with an English degree. I got so sick of the "but what are you going to do with it?" question.)

 

I really didn't know exactly what I would do with it. I had several ideas (publishing, a master's degree, a library science degree). I ended up as a technical writer, thanks to an elective I took in my very last semester of college. It's been a great career for me.

 

I am so glad my parents let me choose my major and trusted that my generally responsible self would figure out a way to make it work. They might have been freaking out, but they never let me see it.

[Harriet Vane]

Real world experience is the key here. I like the idea of shadowing professionals in jobs that interest her, doing information interviews (I did one and it was enormously helpful to me), and doing an internship or two. Use the time you have now to get her as much real world exposure to the areas of her interest as possible. This will help narrow her focus.

[newbie]

Thanks for all your input, but we are plugging along in grade eleven and doing FAFSA next Jan.

 

She will have all credits done by Summer 2010. But, she hasnt done SAT's , so I am thinking we are going to pin down SAT last yr and do some online college courses to get GE out of way.

 

I think she is settling down and not going gung ho into a Tech school or Private College, she is realizing no matter what there are GE classes and time on her hands, so she can finish some up before heading down that road.

 

I dont mind animation, but she really would make a great politician. Maybe a political cartoonist????

 

You are all right she is young and there are so many avenues. Thanks for all your support.

[Cheryl in NM]

One of my cousins wanted to be a cosmetologist for movies, etc. Her parents just footed the bill and let her go. She took some journalism and some of those feminism classes and decided to be a writer. She's now a nationally recognized writer and feminist.

[newbie]

One of my cousins wanted to be a cosmetologist for movies, etc. Her parents just footed the bill and let her go. She took some journalism and some of those feminism classes and decided to be a writer. She's now a nationally recognized writer and feminist.

 

Did she pay her parents back for cosmo school. Just kiddin!!!!!