So. What do YOU want to do with your life?

...Just being conversational =)

What do you want to do when you get out of high school or college? I'm a sophomore now and I'm starting to think about the colleges and career I want to pursuit.

I want to go to a good college that's far from where I live. My top college choices include UPenn, Harvard, University of Virginia, and Ithaca. I really want to go into foreign communications and learn either Japanese or Mandarin Chinese, if not a European language that's not very common in the U.S. (i.e. Dutch, Norweigen, Finnish, etc.).

I wouldn't mind getting a novel published either...

I'm in 9th grade, so I havn't really got a clue what university I'm going to go to, and I don't really know what I want to do either. Sometimes I think family law, I know I would enjoy doing law, it's always interested me. A nutritionist would be awesome too though. I'm very undecided =) The only thing I am sure of is that I want to get married, have kids, nice home, etc, etc, I can't wait to have kids.

i'm in grade 11, so i'm asked this question alot.

i've decided that i would like to be a nutritionist, i just have to somehow pass all these hard courses i'm going to have to take :|

Not entirely sure, but anything between documentaries, tv journalism, political law, foreign diplomacy and working for the UN. not that i'm picky :)

right now, i desperately want to go to Oxford. So much. Unfortunately, the ratio of applicants to places on my course is 18:1.

I hope I'm the 1 :)

Original Post by alicandra:

I'd love to say I'm going to try for Oxford/Cambridge, but I got a B in one of my exams at 15, so I've been told not to even bother - they'll turn you away at the door. Not to mention that my parents would have to be interviewed too - its me going for a place there, not them!

So I'm going to try for Liverpool Hope and Newcastle/Manchester over here in the UK... And, just because I am curious, I may try for a US college too - I've checked the entry requirements for Yale, and with the course I'm doing (international baccalaureate), I need to get at least 2 level 6s at higher level, in subjects relevant to the course I want to do... I've been predicted 6-7s in all six of my subjects so far, so fingers crossed, eh? It also says I would get AP - what the hell does that mean? I'm so confuzzled...

Also just checked out Berkeley - it has no minimum requirements, but if I get 30pts, it says I would be awarded '30 quarter units' - what does that mean?

I'm sorry, I know thats a lot of Qs, but I really don't know anything about the american system - anyone got any recommendations? (BTW, I'm predicted 40 out of 45 points, but by the looks of it everything other than my specific subject scores wouldn't count - is that right?) 

I don't know what I want to be, though. Not a clue. 

 Who ever told you about Oxbridge turning you away because of one B  (at GCSE I'm guessing?) is talking a load of ****. I've been told countless times at university talks that they are looking for potential and a pattern of good achievment, but not perfection. And they do not interview parents. Ever, as far as I know. Apply, the best way of ensuring you won't get a place is by not applying. Besides your grades sound amazing - are you doing the IB?

As for me, I think I want to do history at uni. Not too sure though. As for careers I have no realistic ideas, although my dream jobs would be either fashion journalism or fashion PR or becoming a political advisor to the government of some kind, preferably in the press department for the PM (me, ambitious? Never!)

I'm a senior in highschool. Going to FIU in Miami to study nutrition and dietetics.

After going through an eating disorder, I want to help people in the future in hopes that they won't have to go through what I went through. Also, I want to help people be healthier and get to their weight goals in a healthy manner. Also, I think that people with health problems should look into improving and adjusting their diets rather than just getting a quick fix of a bottle of pills.

... All that, and all of this useless nutrition info floating in my head should be used for something. :)

I'm a junior in high school, though I'll be entering my senior year soon enough. I plan on going to either Rice or UT Austin, majoring in either Psychology, Evolutionary Biology or both, and minoring in German. I'd also like to take some English/Writing/Lit. and Philosophy courses among other things while in college. I want to be an Evolutionary Psychologist, a researcher, and perhaps a writer some time later in life.
I won't be "makin' bank" but, I hope to make enough to live and enjoy a few commodities.

I want to go to BYU (Brigham Young University) and major in Mandarin Chinese/ Asian Studies, and hopefully be an English-Chinese translator for a big company someday!

I'm going into my senior year this year, so I'm knee-deep in college application stuff :) I want to major in biology with a minor in genetics, and go to med school and study radiology, go into a research biology field and do something with genetics, or become a genetic counselor.

My top school, by far, is Brown University. The chances of me getting in are slim, but I'm trying to stay positive :) My other schools include Tufts, Johns Hopkins, and NYU.

Oh, and soccerislove05: Ithaca is absolutely beautiful! I went there over April vacation to visit both Ithaca College and Cornell, since they're so close. I was originally more interested in Cornell, but I soon changed my mind. Ithaca has a beautiful campus, and everyone there was really nice. It's small, but that's kind of what I'm looking for. It also has a great reputation. The tour was really helpful, too. Cornell was just too big for me :/

Although I am only going into the eighth grade, I have known for a while now that I want to go to Carolina, major in nutrition (and also counseling maybe),and minor in exercise physiology. Then I want to go to a seminary and get a Christian Counseling Degree. After that I want to open up my own in-patient center :)

I'll be a freshman at Boston College starting in August. Damn you guys are smart. I applied to a lot of these schools that you guys are talking about. The UPenn and Tufts applications are REALLY long - I recommend starting those first. I didn't get into Penn and got waitlisted at Tufts. I took myself off because I liked BC better anyway, but I would have gone to Penn in a heartbeat. Just remember not to get discouraged by the admissions process - it's impossible to decipher and colleges reject a lot of really smart people.

That being said, I'm double majoring in International Studies and English with a minor in Arabic. I want to join the peace corps, start my own NGO promoting women's education in the middle east, write a novel, change the world, and look good doing it :-P

I've got things a bit further planned out than most of you guys. I'm gonna graduate from my Mining Engineering degree next May (just turned 23 a few weeks ago). As for a career I am thinking that I'll do this until I'm around 45 or 50. So work as an engineer for a while (different places all over the world. I think Australia first). Then I want to retire and do what I almost did and what makes me happiest. My plans - either start an orphanage or run one. In North America that would mean that I'd probably run a foster home or something like that. I may go do it in Europe. I plan on taking courses while I age in ECE (early childhood education) and psychology so I'm well equipped for what I really want to do. I almost became a kindergarten teacher. It was a really close decision for me in the end.

Also I want to have like 7 kids. It's always sounded like a nice round number. Now if only I could find me a wifey who wants that many kids...a baby machine! Lol. The goal is to be married by 30 although with the right girl it could be tomorrow. I'm rambling. Ciao.

i'm going into engineering for my undergrad and hopefully i can get my MBA and work my way up the management ladder. i definitely want to have one of the bigshot positions and be able to travel around the world.

i hear about engineers going into business all the time. no idea how it works though...

For you young ones who've mentioned getting a Bachelor's in Psych. You better plan on getting your Master's at a minimum. You can't do much with a BA/BS in Psych. I loved Psych but it didn't get me very far. I'm now teaching ESL overseas. I'll be going to get my Master's here in Seoul, Korea in International Development.
I want to work for an NGO for a few years doing education with teenagers/young adults about HIV/AIDS. It's a huge problem in Eastern Europe so that's probably where I'll head. After that, I want to get my PhD, teach university and continue to work with NGOs.

alibuch makes a fantastic point about psychology. But it also applies to every other non-professional degree (professional degrees don't require extra certification to get a job out of of the program - such as nursing or engineering).

With a science or arts degree be prepared to get a masters degree to find a job you really want. Be prepared for about 6 years of school total. That being said, 6 years is a lot of time and a lot of people can make mistakes or have their interests change as they mature. To all of you out there I suggest that unless you are absolutely certain that this is what you want to do, at least somewhere above 90% certain, then take a year off. Work for a year and save up money. If you have a bit of money saved make some trips and see some of the places around you. Visit family overseas or somewhere in the same country. Make an effort to get out of the high school bubble and see what the world around you is like. This will aid you tremendously because once you return to school you'll have a lot more clarity and a larger sense of purpose as to what you're going to study.

I took the year off and found things flowed a lot more smoothly for me than it did for many of my friends who didn't take any time off. The 3 friends that come to mind immediately all changed what they were studying from the time they applied to when they graduated. On the other hand I have not changed (although I still have a year left to change, hehe) and don't expect to.

Take your time and don't be in a rush to jump into the real world. It's a nice place, but being a student is a luxury you should enjoy!

I am 18 and start college September the 18th! YAY!

I'm getting a degree in child psych/development and I plan on helping children and teens overcome their emotional issues so they don't end up dead or anorexic or cutting or whatever. Thats just career wise though.

What I really want to do is be a mom. I want to be happily married and pregnant and chasing after toddlers and cooking  mac-and-cheese out of a box. Seriously. I'm a nanny and I LOVE IT. I cannot wait to have a family of my own.

I'm not enrolled in any formal education, but if I were with my peers I'd be starting 9th grade soon. I plan on going to a community college from when I turn 17 until I'm 18, and then looking into a better college to pursue my bachelor's degree.

I want to teach ESL over seas. I'm not 100% sure of where anymore. I was first set on Japan, then I began considering South Korea, but since I know this really wonderful boy in Turkey, I'm considering maybe going over there to teach instead.

I have no idea what you should major in if you want to be an ESL teacher. @_@ Anyone have a good clue?

This is a really interesting thread! I am planning on being an actress (I am already, but I mean larger projects) and hopefully opening a dance studio when I am older. Those are my two favorite things in the world and I can't imagine myself doing anything else.

well im going to be a junior in high school so im pretty excited to start looking at colleges. i wanted to be a radiation therapist (administer radiation to cancer patients) but that really limits the number of colleges i could go to, so i think i'm going to go into nursing. i want to swim d1 in college. right now i want to go to the university of akron (in ohio), but that will probably change hha

As someone who is in her 30s, I love reading this thread!!  Makes me all hopeful for each of you!

 

In high school, my counselors tole me that I could be anything I wanted to be.  Not very helpful in trying target down the whole world of opportunities, I can assure of you of that. 

So, I wound up majoring in Marketing and German when I went to college (Rutgers).  Good times, BUT I wish I had known myself more--I should have really chosen accounting or finance or economics vs. marketing.  Owell, live and learn, right?!

As a suggestion to all of you who are contemplating different ideas, I would suggest that you look at taking a Meyers-Briggs Personality Test (or something like it).  Many colleges offer this sort of thing for a nominal fee ($40 or so).  Then, take a look at a book such as "Do What You Are," or do an internet search for your personality type.  Depending on what your particular interests are, there are different types of jobs that are appropriate for you vs. other people (for example, I based on my personality type, I could NEVER be a social worker--not that such a thought has EVER crossed my mind, to be honest...).

 

Kaybug:  if you want to be an ESL teacher, I think you need to go to a certain type of school--PM me if you want more info; I have a friend who just left NYC to go teach English in Zurich--I think she had to take a 3 month class here in the States before going overseas, where I think she has to take German classes now.  In any case, I'm sure she'd be willing to help you figure it out!

 

To all the language lovers:  Start studying your language of choice NOW.  The human brain's language cells start dying off at the age of 14, which will make it impossible for you to become fluent in a foreign language if you don't have exposure to it before then.  Sux, I know!!  But, unless you're completely fluent, it will be very difficult for you to find a job where you use the language.  I have all sorts of certifications in business level German, but they don't really matter that much, when I'm looking for a job in finance. 

 

Just a bit of advice from someone who's been around!!

I'm 20 and will be a junior at Stonehill College. I'm majoring in Communications and minoring in Health Care Adminisration. After my BA I'm thinking of doing a masters in either journalism, public relations or public health. I'm also planning on studying abroad for a semester in Italy in the spring.