Academic Dithering

[mllelaurel]

Turns out that, if I want to co-major in Japanese, my final paper/project would have to be written in Japanese, which would clearly can any possibility of my writing something publishable. In other words, there goes my plan to co-major in Japanese. I'd still be able to take all the classes I want, and study abroad in my Junior year - I'll just have to duke it out with the planning committee. Grar. And I can't even complain about it properly, since I wouldn't be able to take Japanese at all, in most schools. Or at least not both Japanese and Creative Writing.

And to continue in that vein, I'm no longer sure whether I want to do anything major with Psychology anymore. I still want the classes, since the subject fascinates me, but the fact that most grad schools require that you take Statistics and such suggests to me that they'd try to push me into academic Psych, which I find largely faulty and utterly unhelpful toward the general populace. I could be wrong about the signifiers, but I could also be right. Until I know for sure, I'll just keep taking the classes and making no plans for the future.

Comments

[branchandroot]

Statistics is for clinical psych. You really do kind of need them if you ever want to do any kind of primary research. And your thesis is generally supposed to include some form of primary research, if only surveys. *shrugs* It's not so much that they'll try to push you into either clinical or theoretical practice, but that they want you to be prepared to do your own research in support of the way you chose to practice.

*tips head* What is it you would like to do with Japanese?

[amet.livejournal.com]

You have to take stats in clinical because they ask you about it on the licensing exam. It's one of those "you may never use this, but just in case you'd better know your stuff" things. Makes me want to kick things, personally. =3

[iamnotacamwhore.livejournal.com]

You're forgetting: you have to take statistics, Chemistry, and a whole shiteload of other sciences.

And nearly everyone that hears you thinking of Pysch major will be pushing you towards Med school, and that's never pretty.

[mllelaurel.livejournal.com]

I'll keep that in mind. I figured it must be useful for something.

Japanese-wise, I hope to go into translation. It's no secret that I would love to work for an anime/manga licensor. A tall order, of course, but it sounds more concrete than my original idea of 'go to Japan and work on novel'. (On what paycheck, I failed to consider)

[mllelaurel.livejournal.com]

Ah, sounds just like the state of things. Figures.

Now, the real question is, does my school even offer stats?

[mllelaurel.livejournal.com]

Chem and other sciences I don't mind so much. Med school, I emphatically do mind. I'm the girl who categorically refused to do dissection in Bio. Ergo, I think my med options may be just a twitch limited.

[amet.livejournal.com]

If they offer psychology they kind of have to as far as I know.

[mllelaurel.livejournal.com]

If they do, it's not taught by either of our two Psych proffs. I should probably check the Math/Science department. Not that I'm gonna be taking it next semester either way, but I feel that, if I have to start mourning the slot that could've gone to a class I actually wanted to take, I might as well start now, so that I'm inured to it, by the time I actually have to do it.

[maeran.livejournal.com]

*snuggles* Actually, once you start wheedling a bit, they (professors, deans, directors of the departments, etc.) tend to become more flexible with you as they get to know you better. Just remember a lot of thank-you notes. ^__~

Do they require more than just the basic stats and application? I took one semester of stats myself here, and while it wasn't anything that made me ecstatic, it wasn't too painful. And I think that one class fulfills most med school requirement. *petpet* See what kind of stats they offer in math department. It might not be too bad. You love psych, and I think you'd be a wonderful person to have in that field. *snuggles* Goodness knows we need more good people in that field.

[mllelaurel.livejournal.com]

Hehe. Stalking proffessors can become a fulfilling hobby in its own right. ^_^

I don't know precisely what the requirements are; just bits and pieces. I'll be sure to look over everything carefully, before I make and real decisions.

And yeah, I really do love Psych, and want to do my best in the field. Hopefully, it'll all work out. *crosses fingers*