Find your path

Did you arrive at college an wonder what the heck you were going to do with your life? Did you go to school for 4 years and continually meet people with majors that you'd never heard of? That always bothered me. I went to undergrad for 6 years...I'm no dummy. So I'm making a list of starter classes for people who may want a little bit of an idea of 'what's out there.' I took most of these classes a time or two. These classes are special though, they're the classes from which you can take something away directly- practical knowledge, preparation for, or an idea of a career path.

Almost EVERY one of these classes has an associated career path. If I were to advise incoming freshman or fresh RMs I would tell them to take as many of these classes as they could handle while taking their general studies classes so that they would have an idea of what to do after they finished them. I think I was kind of delusional to think that I was going to have a better idea of what I wanted to do with my life after taking American Heritage. Good class, very relevant to our lives, but to only a few careers.

I admit that these are all biased towards my interests which lie in the mathematics/business/engineering realm. But that's why it's my blog. I can write whatever (the) crap I want.


Accounting 200- Intro to Accounting
If you are considering EVER doing ANYTHING in business you should take accounting, "the language of business."

Business 371R- Entrepreneurship Lecture Series
Think you want to own your own company? Think again. Or just go listen to how these people 'made it.'

Business 320- Organizational Behavior
This is the basis of the whole Human Resources (a pretty sweet) profession. These are the people that do job interviews, plan company events, make sure that everyone is getting along in the company.

Economics 110- Intro to Econ
I love econ. Very analytical yet very practical. Ever want to know why the economy is always in the news? Another class that makes math interesting.

Engineering 595R - Patent Law/Intellectual Property seminar
I thought I wanted to be a patent lawyer. Good information.

Electrical/Mechanical Engineering 191- Seminar/Careers in engineering
I thought I wanted to be a mechanical engineer. This class made me want to be an electrical engineer

Sociology 112- Intro to Social Problems
This will give you a good idea of what types of issues researchers, governments and in general most women are worried about, and what problems they will make a career out of solving.

Physics 121 Intro to Physics
Newton, Einstein, velocity, motion, gravity, math, science. Modeling the universe. Amazing. Also a prereq for ANYTHING in engineering, and what makes math interesting.

Chemistry 105- Intro to Chemistry
If you want to do ANYTHING in the health profession you will at some point (probably early on) have to take this class. This class is what I imagine Medical school to be like.

Computer Science/Electrical Engineering 124-Computers
This class teaches you how a computer works all the way down from little electrical ones and zeros to writing code. Need to have a little programming background (CS 142)

Math 190- Mathematical Reasoning
Solid class. Will increase your 'mathematical maturity' which helps you as a logician, a scientist, LSAT taker, or whatever…and makes you a better human being

Statistics 221- Basic Statistics
If you plan to get a PhD in Sociology, Psychology, or work almost anywhere in business management, statistics will be your friend - or enemy. Better become acquainted now. Statistics is an awesome subject, and makes research meaningful (just a little dry done BYU style with the power points and online crap.)

Business 479 - Creating and managing new ventures
Hey, if you're serious about starting a venture you might as well get into the guts of it with smart rich professors.

Business 412 - Investments Academy
This will teach you about I-Banking. Think Michael Douglas in Wall Street

Computer Science 412 - Linear Programming and Optimization
Rigorous ways of doing supply chain, scheduling, and other optimization problems. Just think, how does Southwest find the cheapest way to get all of their planes everywhere they need to be and on time everyday.

Electrical Engineering 483 - Feedback Control
A must if you want to go into robotics. Start taking calculus and differential equations now to get ready for it.

Math 513R - Topics in Applied Math
Finance, Operations Research, Insurance, Modeling, tons of good stuff is taught under this class heading every semester. And its ALL math!

Food Science 191 - Intro to Food Science
Hey, free food almost every week (at least when I took it). A nice break from school.

Business 413 - Real Estate Finance and Investment
umm…it's real estate

Business 382 - Financial Services Lecture Series
People in financial services can make some decent money selling life insurance, financial planning for people, investing in mutual funds. Lots of common sense matched with sales.

Business 384 - E-Business Lecture Series
This is a 'wish I would've taken' class. The subject is fascinating to me.

Facilities Management 110 - Fundamentals of Facility and Property Management
This program has 100% job placement. Think of it, maintain business complexes, apartments, skyscrapers, college campuses…anything you want, and do repairs for your own real estate investments on the side. I want to do this career.

Plant and Wildlife Sciences 103 - Residential Landscape Design
You could major in landscape management. Who knew? I did. Because my friend is in this major.

Civil Engineering 100 - Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar
There are more girls in Civil Engineering than probably all of the other engineering majors combined. Building design, concrete, soil, trusses, surveying, water treatment, roads, bridges, you name it. I think this field lends itself to having your own consulting practice after 10 years moreso than any of the other engineering fields.

Arabic 101 - Introduction to Arabic
I often went to the CIA, NSA, and FBI booths at the career fairs. Inevitably they would ALL ask me. "Do you speak Arabic?" These people need Arabic speakers in a major way.

Chinese 101 - Introduction to Chinese
Business is done in English now yes, but who doesn't want to tap into a market of over 1.3 billion people, 20% of the world's population.

Student Development 117 - Career Exploration
Student Development 139 - Introduction to Health professions
Student Development 198R- Prelaw Seminar
Student Development 229 - Preview of Dentistry
Student Development 239 - Preview of Medicine
Student Development 439 - Medical and Dental School Application
Student Development 329 - Dental School Preparation Laboratory Experience

And finally the list of classes I will take someday just because I want to:
Marriage Prep
Personal Finance
Writings of Isaiah
Graduate Econometrics
Robust Control
Matrix Analysis