【其它】写给考虑转专业的同学(updated)
So it's been a long time since my last post, havn't really got any helpful thoughts and insights for friends here. Well, I always write stuff when I feel bored, so here it is---in a not so quiet midnight I'm actually gonna write something, which hopefully will shed some light on my friends here, who are considering changing their majors in graduate school. Please do be aware that I'm not at all familiar with post graduate studies in England/Canada/Australia or any other country that's not named "United States":)I believe it's appropriate to start this ugly little essay by picturing the status quo of college education in China. While probably every rational student would agree that Chinese college education is a total mess, I hold the belief that the entire system is not only illy designed, but also it is inhumane. Rather than exploring their possibilities, most of, if not all Chinese college students are spending four years suffering from the consequence of a decision they made after high school. I'm not saying that there are not the few lucky ones who actually enjoyed what they have learned in college, but let's face the truth--lots and lots of our friends are unhappy with their college education. It simply didn't help them realize who they are and what they wanna become, rather, Chinese college education perfectly and pathetically shapes the many young and enthusiastic indivuduals into heartless tools.5\/m;P'|.F!Y1C
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The above complains being made, it is obvious that the best way out of this ugly situation is to apply for graduate schools in foreign countries. However, when it comes to the question "which major should I apply for", many students get lost again, because they are simply poorly equipped with the proper knowledge and experience of choosing their own lives. That said, my advice is that you should always figure out what kind of LIFE you want, before recklessly jumping into a graduate program that seems to be appealing to you, or was recommended by your friends and relatives. Do ever not think about applying for graduate school, if your only reason is that "I'm not interested in my college major". Because if that is the case, you may end up complaining about the exact same thing once you finish graduate studies. Always put your life goal and career perspectives before graduate school.&DT V8|;rH(d`Y
my wife is complaining......it's 3:12 am here, gotta go get some sleep, and i will finish this post tomorrow.`8B9acts
好了,今天没啥情绪用英文写,下面的用中文。
上面说了如果要转专业,理由一定不要是“我不喜欢现在的专业”. 这一点非常重要,而且很多人未必能清楚意识到。比如说文科版上经常出现的英语专业留学问题,很多人问转教育学好不好,转传播好不好,转社会学好不好,表面上看来似乎是对这些专业有兴趣,但我更多地感觉到这些同学转专业的潜在动力是想逃离英语专业,原因很简单---如果真的对教育,传播或社会学有执著的兴趣,人是断然不会如此犹豫不堪的。处于被动状态下作出的专业选择,只会导致日后走更多弯路,不停换专业,把人的气质和修养搞得很猥琐,很混乱。虽然大家都年轻,都有无限的可能性和巨大的年龄资本,但“岁月蹉跎”这个词还是有很广泛的适用性的,迟迟找不到人生的目标和职业的定位,只会让原本有风发意气的少年变成一个毫无个性,随波逐流的社会主义/资本主义螺丝钉。也许你觉得人迟早都得当螺丝钉,但当你的人生和事业真正到了“随波逐流”那一步,就会知道如果当年做出了正确的选择,从事了自己真正有兴趣的行当,是多么令人身心愉悦, 而不是身心俱疲。PK_1E:LMQ/fq
那么正确的做法应该是什么?中国的大学教育无法启发年轻人找到自己的定位,转专业留学申请的时候如果不谨慎选择专业,只会把定位越搞越乱。因此我,根据本人微薄的经验和阅历,建议各位在决定专业以前做以下的事情:
1. 拷问自己,在彻底离开学校以后,想干什么。不是说什么赚钱就干什么,做金融业赚钱,但有些人对数字就是不感冒,再怎么做也出不来名堂。所以,要花点时间,分析自己的长处和短处,搞清楚自己大概的职业方向。"T)AC+^wk:O[;A Q
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2. 对职业方向有大概的认识以后,开始着手看专业。所谓看专业,有两个步骤。一是去harvard, yale, princeton这样的综合性大型学校的官网,看他们全部department或者program的列表。这样做的目的是了解美国大学到底有些什么专业。有些program可能非常unique,让你觉得非常对路,一见钟情。看专业的第二个步骤,是深入研究。比如,现在我觉得教育学和社会学看上去都不错,与其到处问同学问论坛,不如自己从美国大学的教育学系,社会学系入手,一点点深入进去这些领域的专业世界, 比如具体的学科分支,在中国和美国的就业前景,薪金水平等等。这些资讯可以从大学官网,学术组织,和BBS上获得。在深入了解某专业以后,再回到自己的职业定位,看两者是否match,如果不能,则就此打住,如果能,恭喜, you know what to do next.
3. 这个可能对于想留学美国的人最为重要:想想自己到底是要学成回国,还是争取留在美国拿绿卡。说实话,多数文科专业的硕士想留在美国找工作是非常困难的,即便你的英语接近母语水平,即便你很能融入美国社会,文科硕士找工作依然不乐观--这对美国公民也是一样。博士另当别论了,想教书的话还是能在美国谋个职位的。所以,花点时间想想你到底是要在某一领域有所成就,还是要通过留学拿绿卡。现实的说,美国的生存环境确实比国内好很多,至少空气清新--除非你不幸到了某北方工业城市。因此如果移民美国是你的最终目的,不妨考虑申请类似于会计这样的好找工作的专业,而不是把时间浪费在其他地方。
我应该还有其他东西要说,现在又快凌晨两点了,脑子不好使,先写到这里,以后想起什么再补充。总之一句话--转专业的同学千万要把自己的人生和职业规划放在专业之前考虑,不要盲目转专业。人要有点形而上的追求才会真正快乐,找到自己真正喜欢的东西,让留学成为享受和通往成功的阶梯,而不是人生的又一次无谓的周折。
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[[i] 本帖最后由 acropolis 于 2007-6-2 01:02 编辑 [/i]] 沙发~~
期待下文~~~
ps:一直以为a版是mm::p4 非常受教!! 可惜的是有些人只知道不喜欢本专业,因为他读了,了解了。但却不知道喜欢什么专业,因为没有什么渠道去接触,连个爱上她的机会都没有。
回复 #4 zzgirlxx 的帖子
MM说的真是有意境。。。。;U!u9Y%W*]2z'E*`
我也是转专业的。。。转教育。。6q@pvlVv(u$t Y