Picking a bad college major. Learn from my mistake.

[Mido]

How to make better decisions:

1. Figure out yourself: your values, aptitude, skills and interests.
2. Figure out your short term goal: After you completed this decision, who and where do you want to be?
3. Figure out your long term goal: 5 years, 10 years, 20 years from now, who do you want to be approximately? I don't think it's practical to precisely know something this mysterious and ever-changing.
4. Figure out your resources: How much energy, time and money do you have?
5. Weigh your options.
6. Match your information to the your most suitable option.

Tips:

• If you are not sure, pick a decision you can easily change.
  
• Depending on your information, optimize as much as you can. For example, you can take an online bachelors degree. You can test out of subjects. You can study abroad.
  
• Try to overcome your biases: you CAN complete a bachelor degree in less time. You CAN get an affordable education.
• If you have time, try out different options before committing.

I entered computer engineering and got depressed. 2 years into college with one year spent in depression. I picked the wrong major. What support do you have for me?

 

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[EthanMac1984]

After high school I wanted to take a year off so I could learn about life and figure out what I wanted to do. Best thing I ever could've done... Unfortunately, I depended on my parents and they insisted I go to school. They didn't force me, but during the conversation they didn't give any alternatives to taking a year off or guidance about picking a major. I went to school and picked a terrible humanities major.

Or so I thought.

I'm at the beginning stages of building a fast lane business, but instead of lamenting my choices I'm using them to better my future. I'm using my knowledge from my poorly chosen degree to build my fast lane money machine.

Neither I nor anyone else can tell you what you should do right now. But I can tell you that nearly every decision contains good and bad. Capitalize on what good could come from this and try to minimize the negative outcome.

As for the depression, attack it now. Two years ago I was nearly suicidal and have struggled with depression since I was around eight. Get help while helping yourself. There are a ton of books out there on happiness. If you're still in school I highly suggest taking advantage of any free mental health assistance they have.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

 

[Mysterious]

If you are not sure, pick a decision you can easily change.

Everything you wrote about college is pure common sense, but with this one I disagree.
If you pick something in life, for example college major,which you can easily switch, most likely you will
leave college because of some bumps in the road.I see people in business majors who just selected it because they didn't know
anything else to choose. They will finish degree which they are not interested and be bad employees or just leave it.

 

[Mido]

Everything you wrote about college is pure common sense, but with this one I disagree.
If you pick something in life, for example college major,which you can easily switch, most likely you will
leave college because of some bumps in the road.I see people in business majors who just selected it because they didn't know
anything else to choose. They will finish degree which they are not interested and be bad employees or just leave it.

I kind of agree with you. It depends on the person really. But imagine, in this hypothetical scenario, you have to pay the full 4 years tuition in your first day. That's a decision you can NOT easily change and it's a bad decision unless you are really confident in your choice.

 

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[Mysterious]

I kind of agree with you. It depends on the person really. But imagine, in this hypothetical scenario, you have to pay the full 4 years tuition in your first day. That's a decision you can NOT easily change and it's a bad decision unless you are really confident in your choice.

Well, there must be some kind of a plan to pay year by year not all-cash right now.Even if you do have to pay everything on first day, its even better because now you have to choose for real, is this what I really want? I don't know exact prices about degrees in Egypt or other Western countries, but I hear its very much expensive in some western countries. There is also universities in Europe where you can study for "free", by this I mean no tuition cost just living expenses. I study business major because state finances mine because of good grades from high school.
Regarding your situation, if it really eats your soul by studying this wrong degree, I suggest you change it.
What are you other interests? What are your strengths? If you had to choose different degree,what would it be and is it in demand? Because lets be honest, if there are too many lawyers or business grads, there will be higher competition and lower salaries but if you still choose to study something thats in supply surplus in job market, you can also shine above others if you are really good. Maybe you don't even want to study?
Maybe you need to study abroad? Or maybe you can just get side job to pay bills and build business on the side?
There are too many unknown variables in your situation.

 

[luniac]

umm... dude i graduated with computer engineering degree after ~5 years.
im still alive and pursuing fastlane... it is what it is bro. If you wanna drop out do it, because with your attitude you'll never be a computer engineer anyway(not being negative, im not a computer engineer either)

 

[Mido]

umm... dude i graduated with computer engineering degree after ~5 years.
im still alive and pursuing fastlane... it is what it is bro. If you wanna drop out do it, because with your attitude you'll never be a computer engineer anyway(not being negative, im not a computer engineer either)

Why do you say I will never be a computer engineer?

 

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[luniac]

Why do you say I will never be a computer engineer?

cause u got depressed while pursuing your degree.
To be a real computer engineer you gotta be passionate about that stuff.
You're competing with people who are the exact opposite of you, instead of gettin depressed they're in heaven learning computer engineering.