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TransitJohn

(6,932 posts)

89. That'd be good if I were starting out.

Reply to OneTenthofOnePercent (Reply #85)

Mon Apr 23, 2012, 08:21 PM

Apr 2012

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About college majors. A lot of people blame students for choosing impractical majors [View all] pnwmom Apr 2012 OP

When was the last time we commonly had 'shop' and 'home ec' as optional courses in high school??? elleng Apr 2012 #1

Wow, home economics. That takes me back. Zalatix Apr 2012 #5

I had to take home eco in california public schools as a kid. Liberal_in_LA Apr 2012 #131

Both are required courses in7th grade exboyfil Apr 2012 #33

The high school my son goes to still teaches them ... surrealAmerican Apr 2012 #39

I had them both in middle school Taylor Smite Apr 2012 #53

I had them in high school, I graduated in 2004. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #92

I had shop and enjoyed it. Even though I never went into any of the fields. LiberalFighter Apr 2012 #106

I think the importance of the major choice on the job market is a misconception Hippo_Tron Apr 2012 #2

I think you're right. Humanities and social science majors can learn pnwmom Apr 2012 #3

Not necessarily true about sticking with engineering once exboyfil Apr 2012 #34

Dream on.. deaniac21 Apr 2012 #98

How recently have you applied for an entry level job or hired somebody for one? Hippo_Tron Apr 2012 #102

I hired an entry level technician in February deaniac21 Apr 2012 #132

What? Nothing to back that up with? Iris Apr 2012 #129

Spam deleted by William769 (MIR Team) james_blocker May 2012 #139

I think Liberal Arts students are very skilled at debate, and really know how to think. MADem Apr 2012 #4

I've been seeing posts like this. The parent's blaming himself and the kid for choosing pnwmom Apr 2012 #8

I don't think education is ever wasted. I don't think there is a "wrong" path. MADem Apr 2012 #11

In my state you actually need a regular certification even to substitute teach. pnwmom Apr 2012 #15

I know people in MA, MD and CA who do it as a full time job, more or less. MADem Apr 2012 #80

There are so many unemployed teachers and new graduates with certifications, our state pnwmom Apr 2012 #86

as the parent handmade34 Apr 2012 #71

He will be ok. Iris Apr 2012 #78

Advanced education is not expensive at all... Fumesucker Apr 2012 #25

State schools often have fairly affordable online programs. MADem Apr 2012 #84

THIS! You win the thread. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #95

Amen to this AngryAmish Apr 2012 #126

I'm planning on going to law school... white_wolf Apr 2012 #133

Thinking like a lawyer is just issue spotting AngryAmish Apr 2012 #134

Wife majored in nursing Taylor Smite Apr 2012 #54

She should try taking one course in archaeology, either at a local state school or online, if MADem Apr 2012 #88

I selected my major based 100% on what educational program I was most interested in, not by career. NYC_SKP Apr 2012 #6

Only a $3,000 debt at the end? The average now is $25K, and that's just undergrad. pnwmom Apr 2012 #7

Graduating Class of 1984. NYC_SKP Apr 2012 #9

I was $25K in debt after undergrad and that was back in 1986. I paid it all off. IndyJones Apr 2012 #21

We really need a latter-day Martin Luther to come along and tack up coalition_unwilling Apr 2012 #10

Flame away? How about a round of applause! MADem Apr 2012 #12

+10 NYC_SKP Apr 2012 #14

IMHO college football can go straight to Hell. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #96

For making money for universities and supporting 20+ other sports joeglow3 Apr 2012 #136

If the football/basketball team is a net reveue generator, I'm fine with paying the coach more Hippo_Tron Apr 2012 #104

Why any institution of higher education should use intercollegiate athletics coalition_unwilling Apr 2012 #121

Had a co-worker tell me that - basically blamed the students ProfessionalLeftist Apr 2012 #13

People can't retire. dkf Apr 2012 #20

. . . because their cost of living is skyrocketing while their real dollar wage remains flat. HughBeaumont Apr 2012 #26

Frankly letting Medicare costs get out of control and covering only at 65 dkf Apr 2012 #32

lol... one track mind. Kill the New Deal!!!!!!! Blame it on the little people... fascisthunter Apr 2012 #59

I am in support of single payer that controls costs. dkf Apr 2012 #114

I majored in English. I don't know anyone from my program who does not have a career now. Iris Apr 2012 #66

Yup. What English majors know how to do is to communicate. MineralMan Apr 2012 #82

Less than 20% of students study hard sciences or engineering. bluestate10 Apr 2012 #87

I met a young man who was working part-time at a sewing machine repair shop... Zookeeper Apr 2012 #16

Our oldest daughter has a double major from a prestigious public university in Philosophy and... phylny Apr 2012 #18

Ouch! I wish her the best of luck finding something more suitable. n/t Zookeeper Apr 2012 #19

Wasn't always that way NNN0LHI Apr 2012 #22

^^ this ^^ Warren Stupidity Apr 2012 #29

I remember growing up in the midwest in the 60's and 70's and the kids madinmaryland Apr 2012 #41

Yes, I lived through that also. And life was good. jwirr Apr 2012 #51

I remember those days, and went to college... Zookeeper Apr 2012 #58

A few months?! white_wolf Apr 2012 #77

Well, a good union job at an auto plant and.... Zookeeper Apr 2012 #105

My wife is working this summer as office manager at a summer camp Throckmorton Apr 2012 #79

A friend of my daughter did that last summer... Zookeeper Apr 2012 #108

No advertising at all here, Throckmorton Apr 2012 #124

I took up two things in college! Oldtimeralso Apr 2012 #17

Well for some it may serve as a cautionary tale. dkf Apr 2012 #23

Business majors risk not finding a job. Iris Apr 2012 #67

Everyone does. But certain majors have higher risks some of which are knowable. dkf Apr 2012 #115

That's bullshit. Iris Apr 2012 #128

So should they just drop out of college if they can't get into one of the most selective majors? pnwmom Apr 2012 #118

My son is switching from a math major to a communications major. Marrah_G Apr 2012 #24

Isn't "Communications" what the airheads major in? Odin2005 Apr 2012 #99

I'm sorry, I had it wrong Marrah_G Apr 2012 #100

No problem! Odin2005 Apr 2012 #101

That sort of thing depends on the university Hippo_Tron Apr 2012 #111

I hope you're being facetious. Plenty of people have gotten jobs with communications majors. pnwmom Apr 2012 #119

Spam deleted by William769 (MIR Team) CommPro17 Apr 2012 #130

No. At many Unis, it is Journalism, not Looking Good on TV REP Apr 2012 #122

33 years ago I graduated with a music major, having taken no_hypocrisy Apr 2012 #27

well done...says this philosophy + art grad :) nashville_brook Apr 2012 #94

Also, not everyone can be an engineer NutmegYankee Apr 2012 #28

LOL... OneTenthofOnePercent Apr 2012 #81

my soon to be stepson is majoring in math blueamy66 Apr 2012 #30

I'm a geologist TransitJohn Apr 2012 #31

I think geology and geomorphology would be good XemaSab Apr 2012 #46

They should take semiconductor circuit analysis as well snooper2 Apr 2012 #56

Get into fracking and move to W-PA or NE-OH OneTenthofOnePercent Apr 2012 #85

That'd be good if I were starting out. TransitJohn Apr 2012 #89

It's not as if kids' majoring in engineering produces more engineering jobs Recursion Apr 2012 #35

actually, oddly enough, it is like more kids majoring in engineering produces more engineering jobs Warren Stupidity Apr 2012 #42

Then why have the number of STEM jobs gone down while the number of STEM graduates has gone up? (nt) Recursion Apr 2012 #43

hmmm.... Warren Stupidity Apr 2012 #45

China produces more than 1M engineers each yr JCMach1 Apr 2012 #117

I agree with you somewhat. aikoaiko Apr 2012 #36

www.thebestdegrees.org...these jobs are decent paying and high chance of getting uponit7771 Apr 2012 #38

haha. Yeah. right. Iris Apr 2012 #70

I got my degree in General Psychology and ended up in IT for most of the last 30 years slackmaster Apr 2012 #37

Not everyone has what it takes for certain majors tabbycat31 Apr 2012 #40

I disagree with you about "strengths", although I agree with you about interests Hippo_Tron Apr 2012 #138

I had to come up with a major on the spot- registration day. ceile Apr 2012 #44

Up to age 21, the focus should be on identifying marketable talents and developing marketable skills FarCenter Apr 2012 #47

Maybe we should be encouraging more kids to take up a trade 4th law of robotics Apr 2012 #48

Sure with the caveat that they do it in a trade school Iris Apr 2012 #68

I blame colleges FreeJoe Apr 2012 #49

The fact still remains that people with college degrees make more over a lifetime Iris Apr 2012 #72

There are some who choose not to join the rat race and study what's interesting. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2012 #50

Well they don't get to complain about the 80K in student loan debt then snooper2 Apr 2012 #57

Why can't they complain? Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2012 #64

Exactly. This talk of "bad choices" placing the burden on students Iris Apr 2012 #75

I don't think that anyone should major in something that they are below average Nikia Apr 2012 #52

Experts predict that 60% of the best jobs in the next 10 years haven't even been invented yet riderinthestorm Apr 2012 #55

I sure blame myself hfojvt Apr 2012 #60

My English major friend and I got jobs pretty much right out of school. I know accounting majors and Erose999 Apr 2012 #61

haha! Yes! See my post above. Iris Apr 2012 #69

Igneous petrology has nothing to do with finding oil. TransitJohn Apr 2012 #76

Ahh, ok well thats not as excitinc as petroleum then. Not a lot of igneous rock where we are, anyway Erose999 Apr 2012 #123

I'm a senior in Religious Studies; people gave me the '?' line, now I'm going to law school! ^_^ nt cecilfirefox Apr 2012 #62

One of the first thing fascists do is kill off the intellectuals datasuspect Apr 2012 #63

Autocrats of the right and left kill off the intellectuals they disagree with FarCenter Apr 2012 #127

because everything is always the fault of workers in this wonderful land of individual "choice". HiPointDem Apr 2012 #65

Amen! white_wolf Apr 2012 #73

People have to decide why they are going to college treestar Apr 2012 #74

Agreed. bluestate10 Apr 2012 #91

The only engineering major that does not get hired readily are Civil engineers. bluestate10 Apr 2012 #83

I just came across this: TransitJohn Apr 2012 #90

journalism is particularly hard hit -- but that's not the only area for English grads nashville_brook Apr 2012 #97

Grr, Journalism? white_wolf Apr 2012 #112

Back in the day you could get a decent office job most anywhere... Odin2005 Apr 2012 #93

They missed listing the Major in Minimum Wage cr8tvlde Apr 2012 #103

The brilliant Garrison Keillor was an English Major and was forced Elwood P Dowd Apr 2012 #107

there is no "right" major noiretextatique Apr 2012 #109

Agreed! Piltdown13 Apr 2012 #110

The other point I forgot to mention is that the non-technical degrees pnwmom Apr 2012 #120

PhDs are a very risky proposition FarCenter Apr 2012 #125

Unless we want a society of composed totally of technocrats and engineers frazzled Apr 2012 #113

A lot of people blame students for choosing impractical majors harun55 Apr 2012 #116

How many majors turn people away? joeglow3 Apr 2012 #135

"there just aren't enough of those technical slots for all the students who want them" Spoonman Apr 2012 #137