Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The correct attitude is identifying what you can do to add value to society through you interests.
The adding value part is what can give one the creativity to make use of a "useless" liberal arts degree like Womens Studies or History. It still needs planning, intent, and all of that, but I see too many people becoming accountants or "doing finance" because "that's what pays". If Algorithims and computer programming languages get you hot, then fine. Otherwise why become a zombie office drone?
Identify what you like and are passionate about. Get good at it. find a way to add value through doing that.
What % of liberal arts majors are actually historians, political scientists, or sociologists? I would wager that many become office zombie drones as well - they just don't make as much, and the jobs are probably even suckier.
i worked for a non profit once and the job was awesome ! i have no idea where you are getting your facts though.
Non profits are hard work. Engineering majors need not apply. They want those of us with the "useless degrees". Money is not bad either and you are doing something good.
Non profits are hard work. Engineering majors need not apply. They want those of us with the "useless degrees". Money is not bad either and you are doing something good.
Well of course not, engineering majors won't work for that little money.
I'd also be curious as to what non-profit was, and how it related to History.
you know super sparkle all I will say is this, is your are happy with what you do then that is great, but not everyone wants to be an engineer or a nurse.
Didn't say they needed to be an engineer or a nurse. I can name about 40 occupations that are valuable to a capitalist society (i.e. ours here in the US).
While I wish that I had the desire to study those things, it is just not for me.
That is true for everyone; they pursue their interests.
This does not make the people who do not study those things are bad people or "useless".
Never said that they are bad or 'useless'. They just do their own thing.
Everyone contributes to society in their own way whether it be through art or teaching ,but theres no point in constantly putting people down and beating your chest about it.
I agree. This has nothing to do with me, whatsoever. It has to do with making this country strong, by creating a well-educated population that has the ability to create (historically through invention and manufacturing and education) things that will make the economy thrive.
Let's see... who helped keep freedom here in the US more: Oppenheimer/Fermi/Morrison/Tibbits, etc, or the guy who painted 'Enola Gay' on the B-29?
Who contributed more to the strength of the US; Henry Ford or Andrew Wyeth....
Give it a rest! You sound like a broken record! You are just as bad as the Ivory Tower that thinks they are too good for the average person.
We know, we know, you contribute a lot to society. If it makes you feel great then awesome. Your repeating posts sounds almost narcissistic.
But most engineers don't have to keep repeating and repeating it. And they are still respectful of what others have chosen to do. Why don't you just take pride in what you do, and leave it at that! Your borderline narcissistic here.
I wouldn't think that a person would be called 'narcissistic', if there is a framed quotation hanging on his/her wall stating:
"Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Want to see a picture of it?
But, everyone is entitled to an opinion.
I respect what people do. Every last person. I may not value it, but I respect it.
Quote:"But most engineers don't have to keep repeating and repeating it."
I learned early on that you can learn from the mistakes of others, and repetition is often needed for the slow-to-learn.
(Haven't been an engineer on this end in ages).
Pride (superbia) is one of the seven deadly sins. I avoid it as I avoid the other six.
When I hear the term "return on investment" I want to apply that not to the topic studied, but more to the school it is studied at.
When I hear about ROI in education, that is what it means to me. Picking the best value for your educational dollar regardless of what field you are studying.
Well said Goat!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MustangEater82
No one should ever be forced to study stuff they hate.
I disagree on some things, like basics. Like the "three R's", reading, 'riting, and 'rimithic.
Very important, IMO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana
First of all, I don't agree that America is falling "tremendously" behind in math and science, or even behind at all.
It's true, sadly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ByronicCoward
I mean seriously, to spend upwards of 90k for a history degree from a decent liberal arts college only to become a teacher is just not smart at all. And to become a professor, you have to get Ph.D which is even more money and for what, to try to get a job in an over saturated field and eventually ending up as an adjunct professor making pennies back on my tuition?
Wait, what? 90K for a MFA in History? WHERE? If I took out NOTHING but loans to pay off my MFA in History, it would be no more than 50K, and I would be able to teach with it. No PhD needed in some areas, but a bare min of a Masters yes.
As is, I haven't had to need near that, between Scholarships and Grants. Hubby's Godparents are both Professors and they make well over 100K/year combined, that's awesome for this area, when I know people that make 15K a year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ryhoyarbie
I myself have a degree in history I got in 2005. It's rather useless, and not one of the previous jobs I've had didn't care that I had a bachelors degree since the jobs I took were either part time or temporary and only required a high school diploma. As such, the places I was employed me a rather low wage.
You should go back and get Grad work in and teach post secondary, or do Museum work, or something else that you are more passionate about!
Quote:
Originally Posted by DrJoey
Kudos to anyone who can create a career out of their passion regardless of subject. I think that the people who are encouraging younger people to go into something more profitable do so because of their own experiences. With the cost to get a degree almost tripling in a few decades, the time spent to degree edging towards 6 years, and low graduation rates I would advise anyone who wanted to go to college to do so with some foresight. And what is wrong with a student to be interested in pursuing something that is going to be worth their time, energy and money?
On a base level I do think that anyone who can't pass college level algebra, trig, or stats should not be awarded a college degree. None of the concepts in any of those classes goes into much more detail than high school level math.
Tell that to the majority of KCTCS Nursing graduates then! Their basic math course that is a req is Mat 110! I was shocked that they don't even have to have 150 to graduate (honestly, though I don't think a good majority of them could graduate if it was a req!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by J152cc2
Any half-wit can pick up a book and read about famous works of literature. What is the point of sitting in a classroom for that?
For the discussion that it provokes, for the chance to learn from someone that is more well-read on the subject. To learn from others, and add to the collective wisdom of the group. My FAV Prof ever is a man with a PhD in Philosophy that is here temporarily due to family issues. He normally teaches at Cambridge and Oxford; but since his family is from this tiny lil backwater area, he's here for a little while. I have been VERY lucky to be in his classes, and learn from his wisdom in those "silly little English classes".
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hamish Forbes
"I must study politics and war, that our sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. Our sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, and naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain." -- John Adams, founding father and second President of the United States
Beautiful quote!
Quote:
Originally Posted by historygrad
i wish someone would have told me that before i got my degree in history as i thought that i would have options after college. i will say that tex is right, I have also taught and I would say that I am damn good at it.
Teach again, go back and get a specialty, go dig in the dirt in Egypt, anything, as long as it's something you love right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suncc49
10% of all student loans are in default.
Which means that 90% aren't in defaut, so she's got a better shot at being in the 90% right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by hnsq
What are you talking about? Where I got my grad degree, it is $44k/year for undergrad right now.
They mean, that Federal loan MAX for undergrad is $57K, so if you have more debt than that, it's from somewhere else, and NOT Federal student loans.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toobusytoday
I think it's incredibly condescending to suggest that a liberal arts education can pretty much be self taught. I'm a huge reader and work in a library but I certainly don't think that reading alone is going to teach me as much as sitting in a classroom and interacting with students and Professors. Libraries don't usually have the technology that today's students learn with.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tex?Il?
Give it a rest! You sound like a broken record! You are just as bad as the Ivory Tower that thinks they are too good for the average person.
We know, we know, you contribute a lot to society. If it makes you feel great then awesome. Your repeating posts sounds almost narcissistic.
But most engineers don't have to keep repeating and repeating it. And they are still respectful of what others have chosen to do. Why don't you just take pride in what you do, and leave it at that! Your borderline narcissistic here.
Yup!
Personally, the best bet for ANYONE is to merge something they love and have a passion for, with something that is profitable.
So if you are a painter, then be a painter for a movie production company doing stage sets or makeup. If you are a sculptor, be a comissioned sculptor for a reproduction company that specializes in statues for buildings and monuments. If you are a photographer, then work with a company that pays you well to photograph current events. If you are a writer, then be a writer of something that sells (while you work on your magnum opus on the side).
It's not hard to intergrate your passions with profits; you just have to want to.
Please provide some proof, and not just someone's blog.
(That the US is "tremendously" behind in math and science)
Quote:
Tell that to the majority of KCTCS Nursing graduates then! Their basic math course that is a req is Mat 110! I was shocked that they don't even have to have 150 to graduate (honestly, though I don't think a good majority of them could graduate if it was a req!)
Could you please explain this? I don't know what KCTCS is, and I don't know what you mean by Mat 110 or 150.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was shocked that they don't even have to have 150 to graduate (honestly, though I don't think a good majority of them could graduate if it was a req!)
