Starting to think about majors with DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Law firms want people who can write succinctly.

only for a few years before they turf them out. Making it rain is a more important skill in the law than writing concisely

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid was an Ivy English major and just graduated last year. Works in investment banking. A recent Wall Street Journal article (I don't have the link) said that a lot of companies really valued liberal arts majors instead of "trade majors" because they can think. Let you kid decide OP. Don't decide for him...he will resent your interference.
The key is to do as many internships as possible to see what he likes and to also get a "leg up" on getting a job when he graduates.

The higher ranked your school, the less 'vocational' your degree can be.

A lot of companies that have the recruitment policies of IB's aren't valuing domain knowledge, they value the institution that grants the degree, the polish and pedigree and raw 'g' of your child. The ivy degree is a signal that your kid is relatively intelligent, hard working, knows how to play well in a 'system', is semi-polished with good interpersonal skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Communication major is garbage

so is marketing.

It depends how quantitative the marketing degree is. The marketing concentration at wharton or at a well known flagship state school that has very strong recruiting/placement into cpg, agency, and industry sectors is a good major for outgoing, attractive, and reasonably intelligent/hardworking people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Communication major is garbage

so is marketing.

It depends how quantitative the marketing degree is. The marketing concentration at wharton or at a well known flagship state school that has very strong recruiting/placement into cpg, agency, and industry sectors is a good major for outgoing, attractive, and reasonably intelligent/hardworking people.

Still garbage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Communication major is garbage

so is marketing.

It depends how quantitative the marketing degree is. The marketing concentration at wharton or at a well known flagship state school that has very strong recruiting/placement into cpg, agency, and industry sectors is a good major for outgoing, attractive, and reasonably intelligent/hardworking people.

Still garbage.

it can't be garbage if it leads to good jobs - though you could argue whether the jobs are 'good' or 'garbage' in terms of impact on society.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there any reason why you don't just leave this decision to your DC? After all, its his life. Many students don't decide their major until sophomore year after they've been exposed to more disciplines. The fact that you are looking at narrow professional-type majors -- communications, marketing -- tells me it would be better to just step back and let him be. It sounds like he has an affinity for humanities. There's a big world of options for HIM to explore.

Yes, kids change their views a lot in college. DC first wanted to be a doctor, then a nurse, then a therapist and now her film course made her interested in film production - which may stick. She is volunteering with a local documentarian and taking online courses in addition to her schoolwork. I'm thinking this may be her path but she could still change in a year or so. I myself had four different majors in college and then ended up going to grad school in an area that had nothing to do with my major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Law firms want people who can write succinctly.

only for a few years before they turf them out. Making it rain is a more important skill in the law than writing concisely

The Golden Age of BigLaw firm lawyers is over. Even the top earners are paupers compared to the young hot shots on Wall Street. Finance or Tech.

[Anonymous]

Is he good at any STEM things? If he likes to write, he should definitely join the newspaper or literary magazine. But I would advise to have a "practical" major to have good background on a subject. Newspapers like that more than they like "I majored in journalism".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is he good at any STEM things? If he likes to write, he should definitely join the newspaper or literary magazine. But I would advise to have a "practical" major to have good background on a subject. Newspapers like that more than they like "I majored in journalism".

Because newspaper journalists are doing so well recently?

[Anonymous]

I work in IT and we desperately need technical writers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Law firms want people who can write succinctly.

only for a few years before they turf them out. Making it rain is a more important skill in the law than writing concisely

The Golden Age of BigLaw firm lawyers is over. Even the top earners are paupers compared to the young hot shots on Wall Street. Finance or Tech.

People on Wall Street have always made more than the lawyers, but you are more likely to see someone from Wall Street in hand-cuffs than a lawyer.