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<p>Your last line says it all. While engineering here is the darling major and has the potential for a good salary, it’s not the be all to end all to a happy life. Not too many years ago, every single one of our friends that were engineers ALL were laid off from their jobs, it’s not uncommon during slow economic times. Many of them were out of work for years. Some of them never got back into the field. Around here, engineering is a pretty well paid field for new grads, starting in the $60K range, great money for a 23 year old kid. However, there are a LOT of jobs in the business world or other fields that pay that much or MORE. Most people I know that go into sales make double that or more their first year out. Medical technologists (aka ultrasound, CT scans, MRI technologists) start at about $65K around here. </p>
<p>Right now it is more important for him to find a school that fits him. Sure, it’s easier when you know what you want to study or have a good idea, but find a school that makes him happy and lets him explore various areas. It may very well be he ends up in engineering but what if he really decides he wants to b a high school math teacher? That is something you need to let him find out. Even kids that go into college “knowing” what they want to do almost always change their mind–something like 80%. </p>
<p>Visit schools, find a good fit for location, size, etc. and work from there. A LOT will change for him over the next year, that I can promise.</p>