Most people will tell you “study a field in which you will enjoy working”. Meanwhile, something inside of you yells “follow your dreams!”.  Does this mean the fashion-crazy is out to become Fashion Designer, while the sports-lover is a Physical Therapist in the making? There is no doubt that dreams ultimately shape our future, and we can be whatever we set out to be!

Once you have an idea of what you want to do, imagine youself in the future, and make sure to talk to people who have graduated and who are already working in your career choice. Also, an objective approach is to consider how much effort you will be putting in, what kind of job title you will have,  what sort of salary you will be paid, and what kind of professionals is the market demanding.

1. Lean on your academic strength and choose a career that matches a subject you are good at. If you have done well in pre-calculus, then tackle Computers or Engineering. If you took accounting classes in high school, then try Business.
2. Be aware that some professions are very demanding, as for instance, becoming a Lawyer or a Doctor means eight years of college tuition, and once graduated, you will also have to build a “clientele” based on social connections.
3. Make sure you add some technology to whatever major you pick.

Business or Accounting with Minor in CIS. This major requires at least one course on computers. Why not take a couple more to get a minor in Computer Information Systems (CIS)? These two courses are a must: “Information Systems Analysis & Design”, and “Database Management”. In IT’s jargon, we call business people “users”, because they “use” the software we have programmed. A minor in CIS will make you a “power user” or Business Analyst, a professional who helps implement software in a business.  ERP software  such as PeopleSoft and SAP have generated a huge demand for Business Analysts, with salaries starting at $47,000 a year.

Computer Information System (B.Sc. CIS). This major is great if you want to work with computers, but math is not your main subject. You still have to take some calculus and probability, as required by most liberal arts majors, but the core courses will be about Accounting, Management, Programming and Database. Your job title will be Java Programmer/Analyst or Business Analyst, starting with a salary between $48,000 and $50,000 a year, developing and customizing the software a company uses for running their business.

Graphic Designer. Are you a born artist who has a love for painting or drawing? A Bachelor in Graphic Design is perfect for you.  Massachusetts College of Arts (Mass Art) has an excellent program. Replacing the drawing pencil and brush with a mouse will require retraining your natural free-hand hability, but it will be worthwhile, with starting salary between $34,000 and $40,000. Take additional courses on Web Designing tools (Fireworks, Dream Weaver, Flash, HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and become a Web Developer …  a fantastic career path.

Computer Science (B.Sc. CS). This major is for the math oriented person. It requires advanced Calculus, Discrete Math, Algorithms, Operating System, several Programming Languages, and Software Engineering. Your job title will be Software Engineer or Programmer, starting with a salary between $48,000 and $55,000 a year. You will do scientific programming like sending rockets to Mars, or business programming like optimizing stock market algorithms. If you rather be a business programmer, I highly recommend taking some business electives such as Accounting, Database and System Analysis. Also, if Networking attracts you, then do a concentration on Network, and also consider colleges like Rensselaer (RPI) that offer college-level Cisco networking courses right on campus.