Hi Anjelawaterman
Thanks for your question, it's great to see so many people commenting on the thread. You mentioned that you're an undergraduate student doing a project on 'what draws people to astrology'?. Is this correct? Good for you, I hope your degree leads to employment in this competitive world we live in. I too got a social science/research degree from a university here in Australia and it has led to a day job that I am very grateful to have.
But I need to ask you, have you personally delved into the practice of Astrology and explored your own chart? To understand the many methods, techniques and validity of it, it's not wise to stand outside the circle and look in and make big statements. That's fine if you want to cast a opinion on the subject, calling it pseudo-science, etc. But that's all this is, your opinion. It comes as no authority on the subject matter. This is why most opinions of this nature will come from those in the fields of thought that see some benefit in 'outcasting' or 'alienating' astrology from academia. Are you one of the rare students at university that wants to bring Astrology back into academia?
My advice is research history, astrology and astronomy were closely tied together for thousands of years, and yes there is a genuine reason why this is the case. It's great we are lucky enough to live in parts of the world where freedom of speech is still fostered. I have studied this artform for over 25 years, I have read thousands of charts, using very testable techniques and without knowing the people I read, I have them tell me they are impressed that I could know so much about them in such great detail. This is not some pseudo-psychic trick. This is because there are patterns and techniques that yes if you know what you are seeing and reading, it can be tested and proven by science. The thing is science would have to venture forth and make that agreement again with the astrological world, and this is something that 'science' is too prideful to do right at this moment in our human story. There are very advanced predictive techniques in astrology but one has to first understand, learn through patience and dedication, and ultimately experience it. After doing all this you may be in a position to have any authority on what essentially is a very complex subject matter, and takes decades, if not a lifetime, to master.
Astrologer Joseph