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What career should I go into?

I am a sophomore in high school and I would like to go into Veterinary Medicine, but I have also been interested in Anthropology. I have done research on both careers and they are both interesting and careers that I would like to go into. How can I decide on which career is best? #careerchoices #career-path #school #anthropology #veterianary-medicine

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Ryan’s Answer

Hi Erin,

What you are facing now is something everyone faces, and you will continue to face in the future. In life, we tend to get to forks in the road where we are faced with a major decision that will dictate big aspects of our life. One thing I do to ease this decision making process is understand that at the end of the day, whatever choice you go with, it will be the right choice. Why? Because essentially there is no possible way to understand how your life might have been different if you chose the alternative. You can't go back in time and see what would have happened if you made a difference choice. When you take this into perspective it eases the burden of making the decision and guarantees satisfaction with your choice. So whatever you end up deciding to study, understand that there are no regrets and that everything happens of a reason. Despite this, it is of course still very important to do your due diligence and weigh your options, which I see you have already done! Good luck, you will make the right choice. :)

Ryan
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Desiree’s Answer

For now -- mid-high school -- I'd focus on the course work that overlaps for both careers and try to learn more about each through volunteering, talking to professionals in each field, and researching the career opportunities in each. Both require strong science backgrounds, so don't fret now about which career path you're on: there is a lot of overlap.

Both pre-vet/Biology and Anthropology can be science majors (BS degrees). If you plan to get those credits in common between the careers first while at university, it buys you even more time to figure out where your interest - and talents - may be. Also, just because you pursue one major, doesn't mean you cannot focus your electives courses in the other. Frankly, you'll need vet school after your BS, and depending on what you want to do in Anthropology, you may want a masters (or even PhD!), so you can have plenty of time to work it out. Also, if you have a BS, there is good deal of flexibility if you change your mind and want to pursue the other field after your undergraduate degree.

Desiree recommends the following next steps:

Research courses required for both degrees (see, for example, https://anthropology.washington.edu/ba-or-bs )
Identify what courses you'd need in common for each major, and what courses you can take as electives in university - this can be your roadmap.
Continue to research both careers and learn as much as you can about each.
Search for universities that have strong programs in both fields, so ifyou change your major you don't necessarily have to change university.
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Sherrye’s Answer

The first possibility that you need to take into consideration is which of these 2 career choices would provide you with a steady income. I would think that becoming a veterinarian would be the best choice because most people have pets and need someone to take care of their physical problems. You could then consider anthropology as a side interest, perhaps as a hobby. As a student I loved both science and music, but I knew that music would be a very difficult field to make much money or as a full time job. So, I chose to major in Biology and minor in Chemistry, but always had music (singing) as a hobby. I became a teacher because I loved working with students. I joined choruses and that satisfied my desire to sing. The most important thing that I always told my students is to chose something that you love but will also will provide you with a decent living.
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Liane’s Answer

Both are great choices. Now that you've done research on the careers, check out the college majors assoicated with them, specifically the curriculum to see if the classes interest you. Also estimate the price of college vs. how much in debt you may go into for college. If you have to borrow $75,000 or more to be a vet - what is the starting salary? The ROI might be okay. If you borrow that for an Anthropologist - the ROI might not be as great. Also look into the growth of each profession for when you graduate - will that job sector be growing? It's not always about your interest but what you can afford, how much you can anticipate making so that you can support yourself and contribute to society without excess student debt. I would also recommend, if you haven't in your research, shadow a professional in each field of interest. Good luck.
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Jason’s Answer

If you have an undying love and passion for one of those fields, pursue it. Otherwise consider the fact that as you experience more education your interests and personality will undoubtedly change - you may realize that you want to pursue a totally different field. And that's okay! I know very few adults today who are in careers that they planned out when they were sophomores in high school. Life has a tendency to get in the way of whatever plans we make, so my recommendation is to stay open to whatever opportunities you're presented with. Pursue the things that bring you joy and satisfaction in whatever form it takes.
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Matt’s Answer

Erin, I have a degree in anthropology and work in a marketing role at a software firm. I loved studying anthropology but I don't work in the field. I am sure I would not have enjoyed studying business in college. I also have a masters degree in a separate field. At this point I don't think you should worry too much about your career. Instead, focus on getting good grades and taking the most challenging classes you can with as much variety as you can. When you get to college you might need to think about your career ambitions more. For instance, if you do want to become a veterinarian a biology or related degree is probably very useful for getting admitted to DVM programs.
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