Keeping this short and sweet, as I must admit, I'm a tad sleepy and it's a very cold night; what are some majors and/or careers that involve a good amount of problem-solving, and that therefore, train you to think logically and critically? That's it. Thanks and good night.
Still a tad sleepy. Still a very cold night. Just two months later. However, my question have not changed. Majors (preferably, ones that can be completed online) that emphasise problem-solving and logical thinking. To mind comes: 1. mathematics 2. computer science 3. philosophy And perhaps Medicine and Law. Is this a correct assessment? Are there more? And which do you believe are the best to "wake up" the mind, see the whole picture, and all in all, just think more clearly? My heart says Math, but what's your opinion? Thanks in advance.
Perhaps you should just get started on an associate degree and worry about your major later. You keep asking the same questions and never seem to make a decision despite the plethora of suggestions, guidance, and advice offered by many forum members who genuinely are trying to help you.
I guess he/she feeling lonely(depress) and is unemployed, well if this stop him/her from committing suicide!
He/She might feel better about whatever situation the person is facing by tackling a new challenge and making progress towards that goal. I hope nobody commits suicide because of unemployment or depression. But repeatedly discussing the same question starts to become pointless after awhile, especially if people stop replying. Each of the educational options identified by the original poster require general education credit hours. Therefore, embarking on a path towards an associate degree that allows the student to sample a few courses from computer science, mathematics, and philosophy might help the person decide which of those areas to pursue further towards earning a bachelor degree.
I don't think that here's any magic-major that will teach you how to succeed in every future pursuit. Good writing and language skills are probably the closest thing to a general skill-set: expository writing and public speaking. Mathematical literacy is useful as well: some basic knowledge of high-school-level algebra, geometry and perhaps introductory statistics and calculus. It's helpful to have some general cultural literacy, an awareness of the general outline of world history for example. You need some intuitive feeling for how the world works, so introductory general-ed science helps. But if you want real expertise in something, then you will have to study something in more depth and detail. I'm not an educational counselor, and I'm not sure if this board can give anyone direction in life. So I'm going to echo Sentinel's suggestion that you enroll in a community college and start taking your general-ed classes. Expose yourself to a variety of different things and see if any of it captures your interest and passion. You might also want to go vist your college's counseling center. They have aptitude tests that can help you identify your own cognitive strengths and weaknesses: Do you have mathematical talent? If not, then engineering and physical science might not work out. Do you have language skills? Are you analytical or broadly synthetic? Do you enjoy working with other people in groups? Do you enjoy having everyone in a crowded room looking at you, or does it fill you with anxiety? The counselors can kind of scope out your individual pattern and then suggest careers that are consistent with what you enjoy and are good at.
There are people who treat "problem solving" as pretty much a stand-alone skill that can be utilized (like reading, writing) in any situation in which you find yourself. This was the position of George Polya, the man who wrote one of the first (and still very timely) books on the subject: "How to Solve It. Here's a short but quite comprehensive free on-line course based on Polya's writings. My wife used this sometimes, when she was teaching logic courses at Berkeley City College: http://tinyurl.com/57y3bw
Oooooook. Not the kind of direction I hoped this thread would take, so I guess I'll stick to my patented approach of thinking and thinking (and thinking) about a degree, without much success, for the past 5 years, and stop asking for advice. I hear the world ends on 2012 anyway. Mayan calendar and all that. Thanks, guys. edit: Oh yeah, thanks to the people that actually answered. Know that your help is appreciated.
I agree with engineering, math and physics. Statistic analysis and economics also come to mind.... as do policy analysis and ethics/philosophy.....
My advice: Make a decision and press on. Pick a degree in something you are interested in, not what a deceased relative wanted you to get in and not because you heard that a particular field uses the degree and pays well. If you don't enjoy the coursework, the degree will be difficult to finish. Find a school that is affordable. Enroll in a program and register for classes. Complete your FAFSA and take advantage of your Pell Grant. Realize that what you get your degree in and what you do for future employment may be two entirely different things. Realize that what you get your degree in and any future graduate work may be in two entirely seperate fields. Once again, make a decision and press on.
I think this is probably some of the better advice I have heard around here. Certainly the best I've heard in a while. Thank you, airtorn. I just might do that.
