Thread: What are the best degrees to go to school for?

Hi. I am interested in what are the best degrees to go to school are. I think Math and Science are probably the best. Am I right?

Depends entirely on what interests you, what you're good at, what you'd like to do as an occupation when you're finished.

If you want to be an engineer or a violinist or a geologist then your choice is more or less made for you.

For more generalist occupations, a good grounding in maths and statistics and sound liberal arts training in analysis and fluent writing skills can get you a long way in marketing and similar occupations. (I'm a bit biased in thinking that everyone should get a good maths education, but it's valuable nevertheless.)

Originally Posted by mmatt9876

Hi. I am interested in what are the best degrees to go to school are. I think Math and Science are probably the best. Am I right?

I largely echo what adelady told you.

What are your interest?
What are you good at?

I've seen people who've completed an education got 6-figure jobs and hated life...they made the wrong choice (or listened to others).

Likewise many teachers and nurses I know struggle to pay their bills but absolutely love their work.

Recommend you take an interest survey to help confirm or open your thinking to things you might like to do, weight that against what's realistic given your capabilities and set a course.

I've seen people who've completed an education got 6-figure jobs and hated life...they made the wrong choice (or listened to others).

There's also the occasional problem of being good at something at school or university which turns out to be unsatisfying. My husband majored in biochemistry, found it easy, and hasn't touched it since. Loved teaching, was good at public service health-focused work - even took on some academic work in public health as well as tutoring medical students. Hasn't looked at a biochem book, article or website for forty years to my knowledge.

Another friend of mine sailed through an accounting/economics degree and got a pretty good job as a result. Chucked it in after a few years and never looked back. Just because something is intellectually easy for you, it doesn't necessarily follow that you will find it interesting, let alone fascinating or absorbing, as a long-term personal or professional activity.

Of course, do what interests you now. The better your academic results, the more scope you've got for moving on to other things if you wish to later.

If you can figure out what field it is you are most interested in, we could certainly help you find a path to a related degree that would focus on your interests. However, an advisor at a local college should be able to direct you more effectively, perhaps to other advisors or even professors, who can help you better.

There is no general "best degree".

Originally Posted by Flick Montana

There is no general "best degree".

However, there is such a thing called worst degree.. I'd say theology, or general philosophy, as you can't get any job like that, maybe to write a book, or teach..

That only applies if you consider the best to worst spectrum to be directly related to a paycheck.

I say this although my brother-in-law has a degree in religious studies and runs a coffee shop.

You will make a lot more money learning some trade skills and maybe electrical engineering. You can then start a company and build products that large corporation fails at everyday due to their incompetence.

Education is worthy unto itself. Chasing money, nor even getting a job, might not be most important in picking an education. Again it's all up to the person, and what they value in life.

Originally Posted by ttown

You will make a lot more money learning some trade skills and maybe electrical engineering. You can then start a company and build products that large corporation fails at everyday due to their incompetence.

And then you can spend your spare time posting ignorant nonsense on Internet forums. Win!

Originally Posted by Strange

Originally Posted by ttown

You will make a lot more money learning some trade skills and maybe electrical engineering. You can then start a company and build products that large corporation fails at everyday due to their incompetence.

And then you can spend your spare time posting ignorant nonsense on Internet forums. Win!

4. BASIC GUIDELINES ON POSTING
"4(b) don't follow members around sections flaming them wherever they go. "

Math and science are certainly useful areas, however, pursuing a degree in it is only worthwhile if you're a) interested in it, b) succeed in it academically and c) want to pursue a job in it. Not everyone will find they agree with each condition, so alternate degrees are useful. For example, if someone wants to teach art, then getting a degree in math and science probably won't help. Despite this, knowing basic math skills are useful regardless of the field one is studying.

If you want money go Law or Medical

I must echo what others have said before me, but with a twist.

You must follow your heart, otherwise, if someone hired you to shoot a spitball at a window pane once a minute for a $1,000 a day, if you really don't enjoy shooting spitballs at windows, you will eventually mess up and/or develop a bad attitude, and they will fire you.

If the coolest thing for you is feeding people, then run a restaurant, a hotdog cart, etc.

If you want people to enjoy the outdoors, then become a forest ranger, a whitewater rafter, etc.

If you want to cure people of what ails them, then become a doctor, nurse, radiologist, etc.

If you love insects, become a entomologist. If you love words, become an etymologist.

If you don't know what you want to do for a living, think of what's wrong with the world and how you would fix it or make it better. Your heart will almost always point in that direction, and what you end up doing must satisfy your heart. Otherwise, you'll just be another of many millions of people who slog to and from work every day, give so-so performances on the job, get lousy raises (if any), and say, "Eh, it's a living." That is, until they fire your miserable self or lay you off because business isn't doing so well. (Gee, I wonder why business isn't doing so well. Maybe it's all those so-so performances.)

I've been funny here (or tried to be ), but really, have a real long sit-down think, and figure out what's wrong with the world (and don't say "world peace" unless you really really mean it, because this ain't no beauty contest) and how you want to fix it, and see how that matches up with the skills you have and the skills you would need. I wish they'd teach kids this stuff in school.

Very interesting discussion. I liked all the comments. I hope it's not too late to post a comment. Personally, I would add another thing to consider when chose your future education: are you introvert or extravert? If you hate working with people, listen to their complains, then do not chose disciplines that eventually will lead to work with people. If you like working in a team, consider your favorite part--to be a leader or to be dependent. To have a major in sciences is a good idea. You'll have endless options: be a lab manager/PI/teacher/senior scientist in academia/industry (for an extravert) OR science writer/blogger/postdoc (for introvert) etc, etc, etc...

Hi,
According to maths and science are definitely useful subjects which can be of help to you when you go for your higher studies. These subjects will certainly help you for making your career as well.