For me, it would most likely be go out of state (probably to Vandy) for college and major in finance. As it was, I stayed in Lexington, got a BSEE and, after 10 years, got into financial services/advising. But, I had the grades and qualifications to get into Vandy (possibly Duke, too) but thought I wanted to be an engineer. My guess is with a Vandy finance degree and the connections I'd have made there, I could've ended up with a private equity firm, an M&A firm or in corporate finance and a lot more money than I do now. Would never have wanted to be on Wall Street so that wouldn't have happened but I could definitely see myself as an M&A guy for a big bank or private equity firm if I'd made a different choice way back in 1981.
Of course, I met my wife at UK and have two outstanding kids (and 1 grandkid) so all of that would have changed. Overall, I've been lucky and had a pretty darn good life (with 40 years to go, I hope). But, I knew within a couple of years that engineering wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Would I have been happier? Who knows? Funny how one relatively minor decision made at 18-years of age sends you down a very different path than if you'd chosen something else.
Of course, I met my wife at UK and have two outstanding kids (and 1 grandkid) so all of that would have changed. Overall, I've been lucky and had a pretty darn good life (with 40 years to go, I hope). But, I knew within a couple of years that engineering wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Would I have been happier? Who knows? Funny how one relatively minor decision made at 18-years of age sends you down a very different path than if you'd chosen something else.