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Bascailly colleges promote those fields that they have space for in classes.Many degrees have limited space at colleges ;so they want customers in the fields they have room for.They also maybe looking at your nephews SAT scores and class standing to be honest.
To answer the OP... yes. I have encouraged my children to go to a liberal arts-focused college and get a degree in something they love. My daughter is a senior and is applying to Dickinson, Ursinus, Arcadia, and Gettysburg (all in nearby PA) because she is interested in studying writing, film, and theater.
I was an English major from a small Lib Arts school in Virginia and have made an excellent living as a writer/editor/communications professional for the past 25 years (no grad degree) and this was after graduating in the worst job market since our current one (1983). I attribute it to the fact that I stuck with something I liked and was good at--that tends to go together.
I have hired many an English/Anthropology/Political Science major because I know that these folks know how to learn and know how to write, which is extremely useful and rare in the workplace these days.
Making your way as a LA graduate is entirely possible if you really enjoy your field and are prepared to be flexible in your job search--willing to relocate or go to grad school, law school, etc.
To answer the OP... yes. I have encouraged my children to go to a liberal arts-focused college and get a degree in something they love. My daughter is a senior and is applying to Dickinson, Ursinus, Arcadia, and Gettysburg (all in nearby PA) because she is interested in studying writing, film, and theater.
I was an English major from a small Lib Arts school in Virginia and have made an excellent living as a writer/editor/communications professional for the past 25 years (no grad degree) and this was after graduating in the worst job market since our current one (1983). I attribute it to the fact that I stuck with something I liked and was good at--that tends to go together.
I have hired many an English/Anthropology/Political Science major because I know that these folks know how to learn and know how to write, which is extremely useful and rare in the workplace these days.
Making your way as a LA graduate is entirely possible if you really enjoy your field and are prepared to be flexible in your job search--willing to relocate or go to grad school, law school, etc.
Shhhh!!! There are certain users on this forum that detest the despicable idea of a L.A. degree holder having a successful career.
I have encouraged my children to go to a liberal arts-focused college and get a degree in something they love.
I encouraged my younger brother to study whatever he wants (including music!), provided that he takes the same math and science classes as engineering major (basically to have strong quant skills). This way, should things don't work out for him, he can go back for a 2nd bachelors in engineering.
Ah yes, I remember arguing this point with this OP.
It was always the worst possible extreme pointed out in dealing with colleges to say how horrible they are. It was like pointing to a Darwin Award, where some one was driving over RPG's to salvage the metal out, to provide an example how driving a car is dangerous. Pointing out students that take out hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans to pay an unaccredited diploma mill is not representative of how worthless it is getting education above the high school level.
Done correctly and in balance, like pretty much anything in life, it's become a basis for a great number of positions that don't involve retail, food service, or manual labor. Also, a degree is pretty much required for middle and upper levels of any company that is not tightly held. Liberal Arts is not great or bad in itself, neither is a more focused degree, you must look at the prospects of the options. Some are more practical and command more of a salary, some are rarer or glutted with grads...the student must make the decision.
He is 17 years old and does not have a career or college plan yet, and is just interested in learning what others think.
Let me tell him what I think; Forget about college untill you have a plan of action. What purpose would the education serve? After 4 years of school would he be able to move into the work force? I know plenty of people with the majors he is being told to go after and those people are working for Starbucks, as bank tellers, in retail, as wait staff. Unless their is some kind of plan with a pay off then why go to school? Chances are he can get a job at any of those places without the degree.
I completed my B.A. in '95 after a 5-year stint in the Army. Today I make over $70K/year as a bank compliance auditor. For my first 9 years in banking I worked in branch management.
Anyone saying a liberal arts degree dooms you to working as a clerk at Wal-Mart or Starbucks is silly. It's about intellect and skill set. Develop those things, and the rest will come.
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