One of the things that first time college freshmen are most excited for is the opportunity to choose their own classes and study what interests them. Unlike high school, where everyone takes pretty much the same classes and you might get to choose from a selection of electives or whether or not to take the AP class, college classes are self-selected, with even general education requirements offering several classes that will fulfill the requirement.
However, some students still can’t enjoy the freedom to choose their own classes, not because of administration, but because their parents have very strong opinions about what they should study. If you are one of these students whose parents have decided their major for them, here is some advice on how to reach a happy medium between pleasing your parents and following your heart.
First of all, honesty is always the best policy. If your parents want you to major in biology and then go on to medical school, but the only involvement with the medical field you want is a marathon of Grey’s Anatomy, you should tell them that. Conversely, allow them to explain why they feel so strongly about what you study. They probably aren’t being controlling for the sake of being controlling. Once you both understand each other’s reasoning, you can have an open dialogue about what you each want.
Research both the field that your parents want you to study and the field you want to study. You should make sure that there is really no way you could be happy in that field before you make a stand. Maybe there are jobs within that field that you had never heard of, but sound like something you would enjoy doing. Plus, having a solid career plan in place will help you make a convincing argument for why you should study what you want to. A related tip is to take elective or general education courses in both fields. This will also help you make sure that you are making the right choice. Often times parents only insist on their kids getting a degree in a certain field because they want to make sure you can have get a job that will support you once you graduate. If you can reassure them that you can find a career that you love and will pay the bills, they’ll probably be happy to let you pursue it.
You might want to also consider studying both subjects as a double major or as a major and a minor. This way, your parents are happy that you are studying something that they feel will be good for you and you are happy because you get to study what makes you happy. Double majors have the added benefit of looking great on resumes because they show a willingness to work hard above and beyond the requirements, and they show that you took an interest in something enough to take on the extra course load. It is also possible that in studying both subjects you may find a connection between them or a specialization that relates to both fields.
Remember, what you study in college isn’t everything. A lot of people never work in the field that they have a degree in. So while a disagreement with your parents over your major may seem like a huge problem now, it may be completely irrelevant once you graduate. While most students want to please their parents, especially if they are the ones paying for college, the most important thing is to do what makes you happy. Ultimately, it’s your life and you are the one who has to live it, so you have to follow your own path and make your own happiness your priority.