<p>Thanks for coming back to update! </p>
<p>I think many high school students don’t have the maturity (although they may have high intelligence) to make good decisions about college so I think some guidance is necessary. If your child tunes out parental advice, then getting a third party (preferably professional) involved as a sounding board might be a way to go. We used a private college counselor (at a very reasonable price) and he was able to guide my son to choices that were a good fit. I think in the right place (and I think there are always several universities to fit that bill) they will thrive and find their way. </p>
<p>With that being said, I think employers do look more favorably at students who take ‘tougher’ tracks of learning so unless the student is highly opposed, many STEM tracks do make sense to pursue. Sometimes an unexciting career is a way of funding a passion that is not an easy way to make a living. </p>