Poll of the Day > Why do people pick shitty degrees in college?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Gatekeeping higher education is one major reason americans are dumber than most of the rest of the developed world. Higher education should absolutely be covered by the taxpayers. You'd probably see a lot less bloat in college curriculums as a result as well if it were to move away from a for profit model. As it stands, roughly 25% of my check goes to the government and I get pretty much jack shit in return. Government should be covering my healthcare and education if they want all my money

joemodda posted...

Not the same thing. Don't be ridiculous with your comparisons.

a loan is a loan, no?

Lokarin posted...

a loan is a loan, no?

Sounds like youve never taken out a loan before.

Cacciato posted...

Sounds like youve never taken out a loan before.

I haven't, isn't it... just money?

a) people are compelled to think they can still get a somewhat more difficult to aquire job in a area of their interest. eg: history, english, literature, etc. in this fields, what can you do, aside from teach? sometimes you end up getting a specialized job, but it's difficult.

b) they are led to believe that the degree they've chosen does lead to a viable career, when actual market trends coresponding to that career are variable/volatile

I still enjoyed school, but it's so goddamned expensive. I did two semesters of college after taking a year break after highschool. That was to 'find out' what I was more interested in. Did that sort any of that out? No. Bye bye...around $7,000?

Take another year off. Apply for jazz school. Obviously that can be construed as a 'no job' degree, but I am a talented musician and there is a decent music scene in my city. Don't get in, but brush up on my theory and apply again the next year, getting in.

Do a year of jazz school, get convinced by girlfriend at the time that I should come traveling with her. Cave because it's a 'no job' degree and leave that hanging.

Did a medical terminology class through college a few years later that allowed me to apply to lab tech program through school. Dropped out of that program 13 days in because I realized I don't want to touch people all day for work. Got my money back.

Age 28-30 was going to school for a Network Technologist diploma. Thought that one was going to be a 'easy get job' degree. Not really. I have a job working for a big Telecom company but it's miserable. I'm contemplating getting a job with a friend who is an electrician because the pay potential is so much larger. If you decide to go to school, the company pays for the whole thing and you get EI the entire time you're in school.

idk degrees can be useful/valuable/interesting but goddamn is it hard to pick a 'good one' for work

Zangulus posted...

Thats a lot of words to say Im incorrect and do not value societal advancement due to selfish reasons.

How is somebody getting a degree they can't use for a career beneficial to "societal advancement"?

I think some of you forget that its not about the degree itself but what it takes to get the degree. Theres a level of independent learning and critical analysis that you develop by warning that degree, thats what a lot of employers are after.

The job Im doing now didnt need my engineering degree (though it helps), they asked for literally any degree so long as I got a 2.1 (requirements for entry level position have now dropped to 2.2).

Market rate for my position and experience level is 85k-90k. Not bad for a role that asks for any degree

The cynic in me wants to say it's because, deep down, people know college is a sham, but they're so unaware of other options, what else are they going to do but buy into a half-assed-at-best decision. "Hey, this subject seems fun, even though I don't know how I'll make money off of it." "Oh, I'm going with the generic Business degree, because surely that'll teach me to make money." "Nothing really matters, so I'm doing philosophy."

Revelation34 posted...

How is somebody getting a degree they can't use for a career beneficial to "societal advancement"?

Easy. Society makes money off of your degree. Not just the college or university, but businesses in those towns as well. And kids and mid-life-crisis adults will always fork over the cash every year, unless something is rightly addressed. Some kids drop out? No biggie. Some kids graduate and spend a lifetime and a half reducing their loans by a negative percent? Doesn't undo the money they spent nor future generations will spend.

FatalAccident posted...

I think some of you forget that its not about the degree itself but what it takes to get the degree. Theres a level of independent learning and critical analysis that you develop by warning that degree, thats what a lot of employers are after.

There's also, for most people that complete college, the privilege of having a good support structure that not everyone has access to

blu posted...

While the subject matter itself may not be used in the day to day job for some, most are in positions that wanted physics/math/engineering degrees.

That's the thing: The information taught by the degree isn't what's useful. What's useful are the mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills practiced over the course of the degree, which can be learned pretty generally by getting a BSc in any somewhat-related field.

joemodda posted...

Conversely, we want to steer students away from degrees that don't have a prospective future if it means they will end up saddled with large amounts of debt with no clear path for paying it off.

And the best way to do that is to ensure that no degree will mean that students end up saddled with large amounts of debt with no clear path for paying it off. Then you don't have to steer anything.

I learned more from my useless liberal arts classes than my stem classes, for personal development and empathy and understanding of the world

but my stem degree helped my career

double degree in archeology and computer science

thankful for the privilege I had to spend time on both

I know too many stem only people who never had their worldview challenged

not saying all are like that but I've met plenty unfortunately

I mean, someone eventually has to become a proctologist.