DR. WALLACE: I'm a junior in high school right now and I'm in the process of planning my future beyond my high school graduation. I'd like to attend college, and I'm now thinking carefully about what type of job I'd like to pursue someday.

This is important since I'll need to select a college based upon the area of education I plan to "major" in so that I can take specific courses that will help prepare me for my future career.

But there's a catch that I'm dealing with. My mother and father have told me that they'll help me fund my college education 50/50 with me, which means that he and I will each pay for exactly half of my college education. The good news associated with this arrangement is that they will fund my expenses at a 100% level while I'm in college, and then I can pay them back my 50% share over the first five years of my employment after I graduate.

I not only think that this is beyond fair, but I am really excited to get started when my college days arrive, and I am very thankful to have such great parents who are helping me out in this manner.

However, now for the "catch." My father suggested to me a few months ago that I major in the field that he currently works in. He's told me many times that he can "coach me up" on the industry over time and that he can "pull some significant strings" to set up some beneficial opportunities when the time comes to seek my first job.

The problem with this is that I have not made any decision yet. The industry he works in is one on a list of about five or six ideas I'm thinking about right now. I fear that if I end up wishing to pursue another industry, he'll not only be disappointed but he may badger me to change my mind. I say this because he used to mention my future career choice only roughly every other month or so, but lately he brings it up every single weekend when we are hanging out together as a family. What can I do about this? I fear that I'm likely headed toward an uncomfortable outcome from my father's perspective in the future. — Still Undecided, via email

STILL UNDECIDED: Time is on your side at this point. Don't make any commitments to your father either way, but do listen to him when he talks about his own career and gives you insights into that industry.

But vigorously study any other opportunities that interest you. Talk to as many people as you can who currently work in those fields. Think carefully about what type of work would not only interest you but would be likely to satisfy you on other levels beyond merely a paycheck.

Keep your options open, and if and when the time comes that you've made a decision that he may not be thrilled with, you can mention to him at that time that you wish to "try out" the field you've chosen, but that you are still going to keep his industry in mind as a potential backup for you if your initial foray into a career path does not work out as you had hoped.

This does not mean that you'd have to definitely go into that field if your first selection did not bear fruit. It simply means that you'll at least consider it as you have a lot of knowledge and connections that might cause you to reconsider at some point. And from your father's point of view, just knowing that you are still open to considering his field may give you some breathing room and more overall comfort than if you were to announce that you'll never pursue his field ever, for example.

And who knows? As you age, gain experience and see the world through your eyes as a college graduate, you just might wish to give his field a try. My advice is to keep all doors open but follow your heart, gut and interests early on in your career. As a young person, you'll have a lot of time to course-correct as you see fit down the road.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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