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The GEU/GUR (first two years of college) are the same for most majors. He's well setup to complete whatever degree he chooses.
Who's paying for the degree? (not that I'm insuating that if someone other thatn the student is paying for it gets to choose the major)
The key to all of this is contained in your quote; "IF the passion and the talent is there". Well, is it? Another political, social blog? You never see those around...everywhere. I don't get the "blossoming" thing. Sounds like he started a blog, which literally anyone, anywhere can do there are literally zero barriers to entry for starting a blog. That's not an accomplishment, nor is it "blossoming". Is he working? What industry is he working in? Does he want to actually be a "writer". What are his plans with his English degree?
And, enough with the bias. Good grief, you're focusing on petty political lables? What does the kid want to do? Does he want to earn a living? Does he love English? Sounds like he should get a Political Science degree if he started a blog about politics.
What are your plans for his degree?
What are his plans for his degree?
What are his plans for his future?
Is the blog an avocation? Or something he wants to "do"?
Obviously not all kids are like that but that is the sense I am getting from the posters to whom you are referring.
Just to clarify, I haven't spent time in this particular forum, so this isn't anything I'm picking up from fellow posters. But it's a general impression my son has for some reason. I'll need to talk to him further about his sources.
Last edited by toobusytoday; 06-29-2015 at 06:41 PM..
The GEU/GUR (first two years of college) are the same for most majors. He's well setup to complete whatever degree he chooses.
Who's paying for the degree? (not that I'm insuating that if someone other thatn the student is paying for it gets to choose the major)
The key to all of this is contained in your quote; "IF the passion and the talent is there". Well, is it? Another political, social blog? You never see those around...everywhere. I don't get the "blossoming" thing. Sounds like he started a blog, which literally anyone, anywhere can do there are literally zero barriers to entry for starting a blog. That's not an accomplishment, nor is it "blossoming". Is he working? What industry is he working in? Does he want to actually be a "writer". What are his plans with his English degree?
And, enough with the bias. Good grief, you're focusing on petty political lables? What does the kid want to do? Does he want to earn a living? Does he love English? Sounds like he should get a Political Science degree if he started a blog about politics.
What are your plans for his degree?
What are his plans for his degree?
What are his plans for his future?
Is the blog an avocation? Or something he wants to "do"?
Wow, lots of questions! Addressing the "Blossoming" which may be an old fashioned term, is that for a few years out of high school he was just kind of depressed about going to school, (he did okay, but didn't LOVE high school) and he was very introverted. This past year since he's been on his own, he's worked a few jobs, tried out a few online endeavors, including a music blog for fun, but was generally uninspired. These past 4 or 5 months though he's suddenly been maturing. It's like a light switch turned on and he's been far more engaging and social, spending hours reading, learning and absorbing information and wanting to share and discuss what he's learning. This is pretty new for him, so I want to encourage and support him.
So just wondering if anyone sees a cultural/political bias or persuasion one way or another in what type of degree one goes for?
I have read that engineers as a whole tend to be more politically conservative than the general population. I think it's because they are usually not in favor of group-focused "government handouts" which are often associated with liberals. (At least, that's the perception.)
is it possible to find a balance between the practical and dream major or are they so far apart ? Is he willing to take a practical or mundane job whilst chasing the passion on the side?
I try to tell prospective students not to think "what job can my major get me" or "what can I do with this?"
Instead I try to get them to think, "what of my current skills and propensities can I enhance with the skills that discipline X develops?" Unless they're Lebron James who can play all aspects of basketball at a high level - most players develop 1 or 2 aspects of their game that they are already good at to make them even better.
I'll use art as an example. There is a big difference - a HUGE difference - between liking to draw andbeing truly good at creating art that people will buy. That involves more than just drawing pretty - there's a self-awareness, a people-sense, a business sense, a self marketing skill needed to become an career artist. There will always be work for a truly good artist - if you know you have talent, then an art degree can refine and enhance those skills. If you don't have that - and most people will know if they actually do or not - than you can still do something art-related but need to think more broadly about how to apply it to the labor market.
I try to tease out - what subject comes naturally - that you don't have to work at it that hard, or don't feel like you're working hard at it, to excel? Too many times I get people think "Computer Science = high paying job" or "I love reading novels = English Lit." If you want a high paying cs job but you struggle with calculus - computer science is probably not for you. If you love novels but you can't write well, you don't like standing in front of groups talking about novels, and you get B minuses on your research papers even though you put in a ton of hours, then English Literature is probably not for you no matter how much you love Hemingway.
In the end it's the person and not the major that creates the success. If you're a competent person, you'll make it barring some outside hurdle or catastrophe. Maybe if that person chooses sociology and not finance she won't be quite as rich in monetary terms, but she'll do okay.
If you're not a particularly competent person, well you'll always be working harder to get by for less than others. There can't be all chiefs and no Indians.
Last edited by redguard57; 06-29-2015 at 06:37 PM..
I try to tell prospective students not to think "what job can my major get me" or "what can I do with this?"
Instead I try to get them to think, "what of my current skills and propensities can I enhance with the skills that discipline X develops?" Unless they're Lebron James who can play all aspects of basketball at a high level - most players develop 1 or 2 aspects of their game that they are already good at to make them even better.
I'll use art as an example. There is a big difference - a HUGE difference - between liking to draw andbeing truly good at creating art that people will buy. That involves more than just drawing pretty - there's a self-awareness, a people-sense, a business sense, a self marketing skill needed to become an career artist. There will always be work for a truly good artist - if you know you have talent, then an art degree can refine and enhance those skills. If you don't have that - and most people will know if they actually do or not - than you can still do something art-related but need to think more broadly about how to apply it to the labor market.
I try to tease out - what subject comes naturally - that you don't have to work at it that hard, or don't feel like you're working hard at it, to excel? Too many times I get people think "Computer Science = high paying job" or "I love reading novels = English Lit." If you want a high paying cs job but you struggle with calculus - computer science is probably not for you. If you love novels but you can't write well, you don't like standing in front of groups talking about novels, and you get B minuses on your research papers even though you put in a ton of hours, then English Literature is probably not for you no matter how much you love Hemingway.
In the end it's the person and not the major that creates the success. If you're a competent person, you'll make it barring some outside hurdle or catastrophe. Maybe if that person chooses sociology and not finance she won't be quite as rich in monetary terms, but she'll do okay.
If you're not a particularly competent person, well you'll always be working harder to get by for less than others. There can't be all chiefs and no Indians.
Excellent insights! I'll be sharing this and the other replies on this thread with my son.
I have read that engineers as a whole tend to be more politically conservative than the general population. I think it's because they are usually not in favor of group-focused "government handouts" which are often associated with liberals. (At least, that's the perception.)
So maybe that's where this idea comes from.
It's not possible to correlate major with politics. I know more engineers who are very talented amateur artists than artists who are talented amateur engineers. So are they more "conservative" just because they majored in engineering--even though they love art?
So my son and I were having a discussion about his burgeoning interests and continuing with his college education.
His dad is in computers, so is his step dad and two of his best friends. However, my son has never been a "STEM" guy. He's smart, and capable, but has had no interest in engineering, computer programming, etc.
He's always loved to write, and but whenever I mentioned a possible English degree or something of the sort, he always said it wasn't practical and intended to get a computer science degree. However... he lost wind 2 years into getting his general education done, and has been dropped out for over a year now. In the meantime, he's been blossoming in other areas, has started a blog about all kinds of things concerning politics, philosophy, sociology etc. He has discovered he loves to learn, has been studying all sorts of subjects, including science, and is now considering going back to school.
Then the subject came up about the pros and cons of getting a "practical" degree, something that will most likely get you employed right away with a decent paycheck, vs. "following your passion" IF the passion and the talent is there. It also came up whether or not the "practical" was a more "conservative" trend.
Avoiding degrees like philosophy, history, writing etc. and going for Health care, tech, or "the trades".
So just wondering if anyone sees a cultural/political bias or persuasion one way or another in what type of degree one goes for?
Thanks!
Yes, it does appear to be a conservative trend to push STEM. I know quite a few conservatives and they are not fans of liberal arts educations - or liberal arts colleges that are not church affiliated.
The take issue with the fact that subjects such as "Social Deviance" will not tell students that prostitution and drug use, to give two examples, are "wrong". They will be studied in a "value free" environment.
They avoid philosophy and history because they are not taught with a "Christian world view". They avoid the arts because visual artists do not only paint nature or little cottages in the woods - they learn to paint the human body using a live nude model. In a writing class that is secular, people can write about anything they want - including sexual situations. The arts are too free and dangerous.
So, they do tend to push their children to major in nursing, computer science, physical therapy. elementary education and special ed - as various types of engineering.
When I reference a "Christian College" - I am not talking about most Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist Jewish, and other mainstream religions
I am talking about places such as Liberty, Houghton, Southeastern, Bob Jones, Evangel and Oral Roberts. There are many other ultra right wing fundamentalist Christian colleges. But there are a few examples.
If I were you, I would not try to put a square peg into a round hole. It will end up backfiring. There are many good colleges that are moderate and not wildly liberal.
If he is interested in political science and writing, please encourage your son to study these subjects at the best possible colleges out there!
What is impractical is attempting to make your son into someone he is not.
Yes, it does appear to be a conservative trend to push STEM. I know quite a few conservatives and they are not fans of liberal arts educations - or liberal arts colleges that are not church affiliated.
The take issue with the fact that subjects such as "Social Deviance" will not tell students that prostitution and drug use, to give two examples, are "wrong". They will be studied in a "value free" environment.
They avoid philosophy and history because they are not taught with a "Christian world view". They avoid the arts because visual artists do not only paint nature or little cottages in the woods - they learn to paint the human body using a live nude model. In a writing class that is secular, people can write about anything they want - including sexual situations. The arts are too free and dangerous.
So, they do tend to push their children to major in nursing, computer science, physical therapy. elementary education and special ed - as various types of engineering.
When I reference a "Christian College" - I am not talking about most Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist Jewish, and other mainstream religions
I am talking about places such as Liberty, Houghton, Southeastern, Bob Jones, Evangel and Oral Roberts. There are many other ultra right wing fundamentalist Christian colleges. But there are a few examples.
If I were you, I would not try to put a square peg into a round hole. It will end up backfiring. There are many good colleges that are moderate and not wildly liberal.
If he is interested in political science and writing, please encourage your son to study these subjects at the best possible colleges out there!
What is impractical is attempting to make your son into someone he is not.
Wishing both of you the best!
Thank you, and no I wouldn't attempt to do that... actually I'm thrilled he's actually honing in on the things he loves to do and showing passion for them. He's also been in touch recently with two mentors... a friend of mine who's a technical writer, and his 85 year old great uncle who used to teach English.
As for the brand of conservationism you're speaking of, the "Christian Right" well, in that context what you say definitely makes sense in regards to how they want to direct their children away from "worldly" ideas.
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Addressing the "Blossoming" which may be an old fashioned term, is that for a few years out of high school he was just kind of depressed about going to school, (he did okay, but didn't LOVE high school) and he was very introverted. This past year since he's been on his own, he's worked a few jobs, tried out a few online endeavors, including a music blog for fun, but was generally uninspired. These past 4 or 5 months though he's suddenly been maturing. It's like a light switch turned on and he's been far more engaging and social, spending hours reading, learning and absorbing information and wanting to share and discuss what he's learning. This is pretty new for him, so I want to encourage and support him. 
