College help? Need ideas!

[Call_Me_Bob]

Hi everyone! So before I get started, I would like to say thanks to everyone here for everything you guys have taught me and will continue to teach me! I have learned so much from you guys!

On to my question. Basically, I was wondering if anyone could give me advice about college, good majors, career choices, etc.

Here is some background info!

-I am a junior in highschool, so I have a little bit of time to think, but i need to start thinking!

-Next semester I will doing dual enrollment with my highschool and with a local college (Messiah College, possibly HACC (community college) as a second choice).

-When I graduate highschool and go to college, I really want to play Volleyball. So whatever school I go to would need to have an NCAA mens volleyball team.

-I love orchids (DUH)

-I love most all plants, but orchids and phals are obviously my favorites.

-My dream is to be able to make a living breeding phals and open a nursery down the road. Something else such as working at somewehre like Longwood gardens managing a collection would also be really cool. Possibly even teacher Hort or something a college. I don't know exactly, but something along those lines where I can incorporate my love of plants. And if its a career or not, I will indefinitely breed phals, but making it a career would be even better.

-I am a photographer. I have been for a while, I currently do portraits, weddings, etc. I sometimes even work with a marketing company doing headshots for their campaigns and event photography occasionally for them as well. I would like to pursue photography as a second job on the side, or somehow incorporate it.

-I really like working with people!!

-I am very artistic

-I work with my mom and we do floral things for weddings such, so I enjoy floristry and I have a decent amount of knowledge/skill.

-I really enjoy languages. I am currently taking french.

*note I am cyber schooled, so alot of the hands on classes will definitely not be offered by them, making those classes great ideas for taking at Messiah!*

**note-2 I would like to take as many classes I can at Messiah as opposed to at the school**

Classes I'm taking now are
-Honors English
-French 1
-Physics
-Pre-calc
-Health
-American Government

The way it works is if there are classes at Messiah that I would want to take and they are classes that my school doesn't offer, the school will pay for me to take them at Messiah or HACC. I can transfer now for the second semester; so if for instance, I wanted to take Hort at Messiah I could drop physics and take Hort at messiah in the spring semester.

So the given some background info, I was wondering if anyone would be able to give me some insight. I know alot of you have careers similar to what I would like to pursue (Ehum, Peter, *cough*).

So any advice you have I would love. Things like courses you wish you had taken and would find useful now, courses that you took that you would recommend. Possible careers/majors you'd recommend. Any classes you know of that I would take while I'm dual enrolled that would help with the Ornamental Hort/Floriculture degrees?

To those of you who read this whole thing, thanks for reading, and anything you have to say, I would LOVE to hear!!!

Thanks!!

[Leafmite]

I have one in college and one about to go. The last is a sophmore so she still has time. It is really, really tough but I think listing your strengths and likes is a great way to start. The next step is to research possible careers and $/job demand for your interests. Brutal, yes, but very practical. Some fields we want don't pay well or have any job demand/security (or take masters/graduate degrees or, even, are done by volunteers). We had our kids take as many AP classes possible, study for the SAT/ACT. Most Universities look for volunteer work, activities, the SAT/ACT's and grades so pad up that application form so you get into what you want. The health care field, sadly, is where many of the jobs are right now but if you have the drive, you can do whatever successfully. This summer, get in touch with the local High School's Guidence department and convince them to pass along scholarship information. You would be surprised at how much money is available! As for colleges, this summer, visit like crazy and ask about their programs, job prospects on graduating, etc. Good luck!

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I have one in college and one about to go. The last is a sophmore so she still has time. It is really, really tough but I think listing your strengths and likes is a great way to start. The next step is to research possible careers and $/job demand for your interests. Brutal, yes, but very practical. Some fields we want don't pay well or have any job demand/security (or take masters/graduate degrees or, even, are done by volunteers). We had our kids take as many AP classes possible, study for the SAT/ACT. Most Universities look for volunteer work, activities, the SAT/ACT's and grades so pad up that application form so you get into what you want. The health care field, sadly, is where many of the jobs are right now but if you have the drive, you can do whatever successfully. This summer, get in touch with the local High School's Guidence department and convince them to pass along scholarship information. You would be surprised at how much money is available! As for colleges, this summer, visit like crazy and ask about their programs, job prospects on graduating, etc. Good luck!

Thanks for the input! I am the oldest, so this is all foreign, my parents and I are in WAY over our heads! It's all so overwhelming! And yeah Um trying to rack up volunteer hours, Hopefully joining NHS, taking as many advanced classes, etc etc etc.

It's hard for us to really asses what things would provide for illegitimate careers that will pay well but not be something I absolutely hate.

[Leafmite]

If you want to go into propogation, look into programs where you are set up for the summer in a large nursury where this is done. They had 'exchange worker' programs where young people with an interest in these fields worked in large greenhouses in various countries (like the Netherlands). I don't know what it is called in the US. Are you taking calculus before graduation?

[Leafmite]

Pharmacy? It is really diverse (research, sales, hospital, retail) and pays well. Web design?

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

If you want to go into propogation, look into programs where you are set up for the summer in a large nursury where this is done. They had 'exchange worker' programs where young people with an interest in these fields worked in large greenhouses in various countries (like the Netherlands). I don't know what it is called in the US. Are you taking calculus before graduation?

I definitely will! As for calculus, I might, I'm not sure though. If its something I wont need to graduate, I might take something like business math, or something apply able. Whichever I take I would like to take it at Messiah.

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Pharmacy? It is really diverse (research, sales, hospital, retail) and pays well. Web design?

Good options for sure, Web Design may be slightly possible. But I really don't want to be something that's just for the money, I want to do something that I at least enjoy.

[orchidsarefun]

my advice to any young person about to start college is to go for a business-related degree ( preferably accounting/commerce/finance ) as its a good backstop, and you will ALWAYS be able to get a job easily AND the work itself is not that bad !
This "philosophy" has worked well with the extended family - in South Africa, Australia and USA.
Once you are financially secure, you have all the time in the world to do what you really want to do ! Don't fall for the hype of doing a degree in what you like now and then not being able to get a well-paid job....

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

my advice to any young person about to start college is to go for a business-related degree ( preferably accounting/commerce/finance ) as its a good backstop, and you will ALWAYS be able to get a job easily AND the work itself is not that bad !
This "philosophy" has worked well with the extended family - in South Africa, Australia and USA.
Once you are financially secure, you have all the time in the world to do what you really want to do ! Don't fall for the hype of doing a degree in what you like now and then not being able to get a well-paid job....

Thanks for the advice! I think also that business, whether classes of a full major/minor, will help me in what i would like to do anyways. With photography and orchids, and whatever else, it will be beneficial.

[vjo]

The only thing that I really know is that after all you have said it seems to me that you are a VERY well rounded, ambicious and intellegent young man. You will be a success at anything you do!! There is no reason that you have to decide on a major immediately. Choose one, or two and if you decide differently, change, it is not a crime to do so! Very few people know at your age what they want to be doing when they are 40 years old.Remember that any education is NEVER useless even if all that you learn is that you dont want to go that route. Have fun and dont take life too seriously, the time will come when you may have to but that time is not now! You have a lot of interests now but who knows, 5 years from now there may be a lot of other that take their place.
This is all coming from a 70 year old grandma that probably doesnt know what she is talking about in this day and age so take from this what you can use and forget the rest...lol Jean

[Gage]

Great advice, Jean! Truly words of wisdom!