[jonathan lall]

Despite being the most enthusiastic member on my team in 12th grade and an adamant builder and web designer, I chose political science and sociology as my majors. My workload, my mind, and my livelihood thank me for that decision everyday. Despite anything Dean Kamen will have me believe, I know I can make a more relevant difference in this field and I know I'm using my mind a heck of a lot more than I would be doing an engineering degree. Of course I'm predisposed to encouraging you to study political science because that's what I'm studying myself, but based on your comments I think you might be going about your decision the wrong way.

My advice? Don't let Dean's homework assignment enter into the equation; his homework is about spreading his organization and has nothing to do with you doing what you want to do. I've said this many times on the forum. FIRST for you is what you make of it. It shapes you as a person and is an experience you should feel lucky being a part of... but Dean's homework and Dean's opinions don't have squat to do with what you want to do with your life beyond that. FIRST has given you perspective as it has for me, but I think that's as far as it goes in terms of the role it should play in your decision. I still try to give back to FIRST as often as I can and I'm still immensely interested in it, three years removed as a student. It's good that you took the right courses in high school and left your options open; I did too. But my passion lies in the social sciences, and I didn't let my love for FIRST cloud my judgment and choose for me. The fact that I probably would have been a good mechanical engineer and that FIRST helped me realize this doesn't change this. So don't worry too much about "embracing the ideals of FIRST" in your decision, just do you.

Good luck, whatever you decide.