"Smart people tend to clump together, and if you can find such a clump, it's probably worthwhile to join it. But it's not straightforward to find these, because there is a lot of faking going on." P. Graham
In every field exist crackpots, but in hard science they are more difficult to find.
LW community is full of CS guys, then is natural to suggest the area. So do i. You will be a programmer sooner or later. Choose something that do math part of the time, because you need math thinking on pratically every serious subject.
In addition, everything is digital, the future is emulation. It's vague, but resume the aspirations of technological market. If you don't like the private sector, go to academia. Try to be precise, do research, and if you are not so good at math, go to business again. Avoid idealism.
Maybe you like frogs, but don't forget existential risks. A little help in a crucial question is more important than a great effort in something lateral.
Find your predispositions.
N.B.: This discussion isn't up for mainstream article status, as far as I'm concerned (unless someone else wants to take it and run with it). I just didn't know how else to direct an important question to the LW community in general.
I'm currently a first-year university student in Vancouver, Canada, attending UBC. I have a trust fund and otherwise I will not need to worry about paying for my undergraduate degree. I am open to the idea of going to grad school. So, I have the luxury to take my time in my studies and there are lots of options I can choose from. Majors I'm considering are Cognitive Systems, Economics (and philosophy or math or stats), English, Philosophy and History of Science, Mathematical Sciences/CompSci, or Psychology. I'm open to other options. So, have at it with your suggestions.
Specific Questions:
Should I care more about making money or doing something that I have a "passion" for?
How will this allow me to maximize my production of utilons?
What else should I keep in mind?