Changing majors, is it worth it for me?

[apav]

Hello all. Sorry that this is long but this is important to me so I wanted to fully get across what I wanted to say. I really appreciate it if you'd take the time to read it and offer some advice.

 

I'm into my junior year of undergrad with an International Business degree and I realized I've made a mistake. My biggest passion has always been language and traveling since I was little. I've always known that I didn't want to go down the English teacher abroad route, or be an interpreter, or go into International Relations. So I made up my mind many years ago that the best route I could take was tie the international aspect with a career in business, and I'd get to make a decent amount of money and enjoy what I've always wanted to do. However, seeing how competitive business majors are, plus the realization that I really find business to be a field that doesn't interest me as much as I thought, has me second guessing myself with what I'm currently doing. I would press on if I felt like there wasn't another way, but recently I discovered another passion that contends with my passion of travel.

 

It was about 3 years ago that I discovered my love of computer and peripheral hardware, when I built my first PC. Since then I gained a lot of knowledge from researching many things out of curiosity, working 2 years at Microcenter in sales (selling computer hardware, TV's, printers, networking) and building and repairing many computers on the side. I really do love this sort of stuff, but AFAIK there isn't a professional level (well paying) job solely based on the installation and repair of computers. I do get the feeling that I would be stupid not to pursue a career in something I'm passionate about, but I really am lost trying to figure out which direction I should take. I've looked at Business System Analysts, Computer Hardware Engineers, Software Developers, Programmers, Computer and Information System Managers, Network Architects, and a lot of other similar jobs, and I really can't decide what I really would like to go into.

 

My level of knowledge with software and coding really is quite low, so I'm basically restricted to hardware unless I want to go blind into Computer Science or Programming. However, I was never good at Math (barely passed Calculus) or Physics either, and I understand any Engineering major is heavily reliant on those and is very intense and demanding. So I'm really stuck trying to figure out what to do. My dad is an electrician among other things, and he's showed me things throughout the years, so I have a bit of that background.

 

If I finish up my International Business degree, would I be able to find a job in the computing/IT industry still? Does it make sense to make such a big change in my junior year, and is there a major in this field that suits my strong and weak areas? Is there any truly "international" IT/Computer job that requires a lot of across borders work anyway? 

 

Oh and I should also add that I am done with sales. I am currently working on getting my A+, Net+, and Security+ just to get my foot in the door at a semi professional level job to hold me over until I graduate and to give me an idea of if this is the industry I want to be in and where I would like to go next. Regardless if I stay with my International Business major, I'm getting the Comptia certs and will be looking for a job in the interim.

 

Appreciate all the help I can get.

[askmax]

This is not the type of thing you should ask random strangers on a tech forum, life decisions should be taken seriously and not based on what other people think.

[parashpa]

He just want's advice dude lol. 

[apav]

This is not the type of thing you should ask random strangers on a tech forum, life decisions should be taken seriously and not based on what other people think.

I beg to differ.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/51146-is-computer-engineering-hard/

 

You'd be surprised what a lot of random strangers have to offer. Of course I'll ask elswhere too, that way I can get more insight and ideas. And this is not something I'm just going to decide without doing any research or listening to what other people with relevant knowledge think.

[askmax]

I beg to differ.

http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/51146-is-computer-engineering-hard/

 

You'd be surprised what a lot of random strangers have to offer. Of course I'll ask elswhere too, that way I can get more insight and ideas.

That is completely different, he was asking weather or not a specific subject was hard and if he should try it from people who have been their, you are asking what you should. Completely different.

[asimrc]

I would say go with your gut feel mate. No regrets approach. I was orginially going into IT but changed last minute to business and have never regreted it. For me the learning curve in IT never ends but in business its easier and now I still enjoy the good side of IT. But again it all comes down to how you feel and what you really want to do and Its never to late to change and even after you started working in a field you can still change. Basically its all up to the individual.

[apav]

That is completely different, he was asking weather or not a specific subject was hard and if he should try it from people who have been their, you are asking what you should. Completely different.

I'm not here to debate semantics. I'm not asking for someone to make my mind up for me. If anyone has in this field or graduated with a relevant major, they could share with me their expeirences and maybe be able to answer some of the questions I asked. Then I compare all the information I have been given, see if I can form something out of all of it, and make a decision out of my own free will. I'm not going to blindly follow someone's advice. I'm trying to get a better understanding of my options, something I'm currently not too sure of. And that is not the reason why I posted that link. I was merely showing that there were many knowledgeable and insightful replies in that thread, trying to enforce what I said in my post that even strangers can offer valuable advice.

[acerayl]

As a college student who has changed his major before (when I was getting my first B.S.) I will tell you that you first need to meet up with student support or student services, whichever it is called at your school. They should be able to tell you what can be transferred to the new major and how many credits you will loose. From there you can see how much longer you will be in school and thus how much extra it will cost you if you are paying for school. See if before you switch majors if you can sit in a class or two, or even take a few classes in the new major you are seeking out just to be sure you want to make the switch. The worse thing (and I have seen it happen before) is you make the switch just to realize it is not what you thought and your back to square one again. So long as you do the research and have a solid plan then you should be confident enough to make the switch. Also note that I have worked with many people who got one degree, started in a company, and moved to something that has nothing to do with their degree but is what they love to do. So just because you leave with a degree does not fully mean you are stuck in that job market, it just means you have to take time outside of school to learn more. So start with the first step and meet with your student support / advisors about it and get it all in order first. 

[IdeaStormer]

Well you do need to dig deep and decide what you want to do and how you're going to do it. Just because you had issues with certain subjects back a while ago does not mean you can't do it now. If you have the drive you'll do it, if you don't have the drive you won't. I wasn't the smartest tool in the shed so to speak but had the drive to do a BS and MS in Engineering, sure I studied like a mad man while the rest partied but my drive for what I wanted to do was greater than just getting drunk, you can get as drunk as you want after you're done with school. Many of the same people who made fun of me studying when they were partying are now behind a counter serving me in one way or another. That aside, its also what makes you happy or wake up in the morning to go to work when maybe all the chips are not going your way.

 

Ever consider a double major? If you can handle more schooling do it! As the saying goes two is better than one.