Why would non-one percent families let their kids major in the humanities?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My BIL majored in history and now works in IT. Most people who go to college graduate with a liberal arts major.

But if he did CS he’d be better at his job and earn more money.

New poster.

You know nothing.

My spouse is an IT manager and would tell you that having a CS degree does not magically make you smarter or better than someone who has a history (or any other) degree and then went into IT.

In fact he laments the fact so many employees and applicants have done nothing but grind out code through college and after, and have zero ability to do the toughest thing--communicate precisely and intelligently with users and clients.

He ends up basically giving remedial help in how to talk, write and act to his code jockey employees who got degrees from decent colleges but who are so poorly rounded they can't function well when they have to explain what they do, or ask clients what the clients need.

Oh, and spouse does not have a CS degree. Theoretical physics with a lot of music theory on the side. Didnt take a single CS or even IT-related class in college or grad school. Manages a staff now and does a lot of programming himself, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My BIL majored in history and now works in IT. Most people who go to college graduate with a liberal arts major.

But if he did CS he’d be better at his job and earn more money.

New poster.

You know nothing.

My spouse is an IT manager and would tell you that having a CS degree does not magically make you smarter or better than someone who has a history (or any other) degree and then went into IT.

In fact he laments the fact so many employees and applicants have done nothing but grind out code through college and after, and have zero ability to do the toughest thing--communicate precisely and intelligently with users and clients.

He ends up basically giving remedial help in how to talk, write and act to his code jockey employees who got degrees from decent colleges but who are so poorly rounded they can't function well when they have to explain what they do, or ask clients what the clients need.

Oh, and spouse does not have a CS degree. Theoretical physics with a lot of music theory on the side. Didnt take a single CS or even IT-related class in college or grad school. Manages a staff now and does a lot of programming himself, too.

Having a CS degree doesn’t make you smarter but it sure as hell makes you more employable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was raised middle class, majored in a foreign language at a school I went to on scholarship, and now I make 500K (big law).

But the point of college isn’t social mobility or making lots of money. Yes you need a job but there is so much more to it.

Only the wealthy say shit like this. For everyone else, the main point of college is social mobility. Sure, the other factors are nice, but they’re an afterthought. Shit like this is how you get underemployed Harvard grads. Embarrassing.

I don’t know any middle or upper middle class people who would say the main point of college is for something other than getting a job or going to grad school.

You clearly didn’t know my hippy definitely not wealthy parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of posts here recently about major and concern distress. Why would non-wealthy or trust fund families ever let their kid major in something like philosophy or history?

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/p2rdwp/firstgenlowincome_students_do_not_major_in_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

The point of college is social mobility. Why would you intentionally hamper that with a humanities degree? No judgement, just wondering.

Not everyone holds this view. There are other great reasons to go to college.

Again the only people who disagree with me are the independently wealthy.

Nope, sorry. It’s sad you don’t seem to have a very broad circle of friends. Clearly you have no idealists among them. No teacher friends? No social worker friends? No intellectuals? No artists? No non-profit types?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Easy reason: Because parents don't pick majors, their adult children do.

Reason in my family: The humanities are critical, and enhance your ability to succeed. DH and I both have jobs that are basically translating STEM concepts into policy and persuasive documents. STEM in the absence of humanities (includes history, communication, ethics, cultural studies, etc) is often useless or harmful.

+1

~Philosophy major making a good living

I'm very happy that some people have made a good living with humanities degrees. However, nationwide representative data clearly show that humanities majors on average earn far less money than peers who majored in things like STEM or business.

So what? Why is money your main value in life? And no, I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family. But they valued other things besides money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mom of a recent college grad here. The differences in opportunities for students who major in CS/Stats/Data Science/Applied Math and subjects like English/History/Poli Sci/Biology (without grades good enough for med school) are astounding. All of you posters extolling the benefits of the liberal arts are delusional. Income inequality is at an all time high, and a useless major is a one-way ticket to falling out of the middle class barring law school or finance.

Good luck to everyone. You’ll all be in for a surprised when your kids are living in your basement in their 20s.

I would never let my kids live in my basement in their 20s or beyond for more than a few weeks so that’s a moot point.

You act like those are the only majors that exist. Accounting, nursing, secondary education, and many more are out there.

I feel bad for your kid.

Accounting and nursing are definitely great majors too! But my point here is that majoring in the humanities or a hard science with no intention of law school or med school is a bad idea.

Why do you have such disrespect for teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guess what? Not everyone wants to be rich or have a lot of money. In fact, some religions teach you to be poor.

I would recommend against any kid taking a ton of debt in college, but I completely agree with this.

DCUM sometimes can't comprehend that not everyone strives for a large house in Bethesda with a maxed out 401K.

I was friends, mostly, with humanities majors in college. Newsflash: few are "wealthy." All are fine. Some have DCUM-approved jobs. One was an art major and now lives essentially off the land in Hawaii, happier than I've ever seen her.

And this is a privilege only adults from wealthy families can afford.

Wrong.

Signed, someone who knows people from middle class families who chose middle class careers like working in non-profits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Guess what? Not everyone wants to be rich or have a lot of money. In fact, some religions teach you to be poor.

I would recommend against any kid taking a ton of debt in college, but I completely agree with this.

DCUM sometimes can't comprehend that not everyone strives for a large house in Bethesda with a maxed out 401K.

I was friends, mostly, with humanities majors in college. Newsflash: few are "wealthy." All are fine. Some have DCUM-approved jobs. One was an art major and now lives essentially off the land in Hawaii, happier than I've ever seen her.

And this is a privilege only adults from wealthy families can afford.

Wrong.

Signed, someone who knows people from middle class families who chose middle class careers like working in non-profits.

Ehhhh, NPO work is dominated by trust fund babies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of posts here recently about major and concern distress. Why would non-wealthy or trust fund families ever let their kid major in something like philosophy or history?

https://www.reddit.com/r/ApplyingToCollege/comments/p2rdwp/firstgenlowincome_students_do_not_major_in_the/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

The point of college is social mobility. Why would you intentionally hamper that with a humanities degree? No judgement, just wondering.

Not everyone holds this view. There are other great reasons to go to college.

Again the only people who disagree with me are the independently wealthy.

Nope, sorry. It’s sad you don’t seem to have a very broad circle of friends. Clearly you have no idealists among them. No teacher friends? No social worker friends? No intellectuals? No artists? No non-profit types?

No, and I’m not interested in being friends with Robin DiAngelo-esque white liberals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Easy reason: Because parents don't pick majors, their adult children do.

Reason in my family: The humanities are critical, and enhance your ability to succeed. DH and I both have jobs that are basically translating STEM concepts into policy and persuasive documents. STEM in the absence of humanities (includes history, communication, ethics, cultural studies, etc) is often useless or harmful.

+1

~Philosophy major making a good living

I'm very happy that some people have made a good living with humanities degrees. However, nationwide representative data clearly show that humanities majors on average earn far less money than peers who majored in things like STEM or business.

So what? Why is money your main value in life? And no, I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family. But they valued other things besides money.

JFC. History major here and I have made over $1 million for 15 years -- many years multiples of that. STEM is a great road for some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mom of a recent college grad here. The differences in opportunities for students who major in CS/Stats/Data Science/Applied Math and subjects like English/History/Poli Sci/Biology (without grades good enough for med school) are astounding. All of you posters extolling the benefits of the liberal arts are delusional. Income inequality is at an all time high, and a useless major is a one-way ticket to falling out of the middle class barring law school or finance.

Good luck to everyone. You’ll all be in for a surprised when your kids are living in your basement in their 20s.

I know plenty of CS who struggle to find work, but English degrees are in high demand. In many communities, people can't write a sentence well. Who is going to write the copy for the data science project?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many of the humanities majors crying “woe is me!” got an admissions bump from claiming to be interested in the humanities. If they had applied as STEMistas, they might now be at a lower tier school with weaker on-campus recruiting, not to mention less generous financial aid.

That’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.

-A STEMista!

Ever heard of holistic admissions? Students who profess an interest in unusual topics, usually in the humanities and occasionally the social sciences, gain an advantage in the admissions process.

That’s why applicants rarely admit interest in high paying fields, such as finance and tech.

What, you think William and Mary is eager to get yet another English major?

We’re talking about HYPS.

[Anonymous]

Happiness is the goal, not money.

[Anonymous]

You don’t “let” your child pick a major only if you feel so inclined. Your child picks the major and it’s not your decision or your business.

[Anonymous]

Many of you clearly never grew up among social justice Catholics or with professor / teacher parents.