Q: (Initially posted on February 24, 2003) FROM MENTEE LAUREN S. IN CT
I like archeology, paleontology and astronomy and I have ever since I
was a little kid. The only problem is that I know that these jobs are
always in need of grants and do not get paid much at all. Just because I enjoy
these fields of science, does that mean that is where I should go or
should I still explore other fields of science as well?

February 25, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR JANET DIANDA IN KS
Deciding on a college major and a career are never easy decisions. You may want to ask yourself what you want the most from life (realizing that this may change over the course of your lifetime), and head in that direction. Only you can decide if you want to pursue an area of study where there are relatively few jobs, with modest pay, or pursue an area where there are many openings, with a chance for greater pay. Some folks major in a subject they really love, with a minor in an area with more job opportunities (or vice versa). So they may combine physics with computer science, or get a Bachelor's degree in Math and a Master's degree in Business Administration. Some folks keep an area that they love as a hobby.

For example, I got a Master's degree in Computer Science and work in the telecommunications industry, but like to spend the weekends playing musical instruments with my friends. I get a lot of fulfillment from both my work and from my hobby. Some of my friends are amateur astronomers, and belong to local clubs that go "star gazing" on the weekends. I also know of a woman who is a curator at the Field Museum in Chicago! So she has a rather rare occupation (but someone's got to do it). Music is also her hobby.

Your local librarian could help you find materials that explain how many folks earn a living in a particular field in the USA, where the jobs are located, and an average or range of their earnings. This material may help you decide what you want to do. You may also seek out archeologists, paleontologists, or astronomers at a nearby university or museum, and ask them about their careers and their perspectives. There is no "right" answer, life is an adventure. The important thing is to seek personal fulfillment in your life, through your life's work and through your hobbies.
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A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK IN RI
You have to love the field you're in or you just can't succeed at it.
When it comes to money, some fields do pay better than others, but
the difference isn't between wealth and abject poverty - rather, all
within a middle range. And all scientists who do research have to
write grants. It's a pain, but the writing does clarify one's
thinking. Do explore all the fields you can - after all, your real
love might be something you haven't yet heard of! But in the end you
have to follow your heart.