College/career advice for the humanities kid

[Anonymous]

I have a son approaching college. He does well in all subjects, but has to work harder for the math and science grades and always scores much better in verbal/reading/writing on standardized tests. He enjoys history and government the most. What should a kid like this be thinking about for college? Should son just go for what he loves, like DH and I did years ago, and expect it will all work out? (DH and I both planned academic careers but ended up in law and business and are very happy with our choices). Get a boring business degree to be safe? DH thinks undergrad business degrees are worthless, but they are so common now. What about double majoring or doing a major/minor to keep options open? Son is also thinking about taking the pre-med prerequisites to keep that option open, but his heart is not in the sciences. And he has zero interest in becoming an engineer. Love to hear from parents with similar kids about their plans or recent post-grad experiences.

[Anonymous]

I have a college senior who is very similar. His older brother was a math and science kid and is majoring in engineering in college. My second son, like yours, prefers the humanities and social sciences. He's looking into liberal arts and will probably go on to either business school, law school, foreign affairs or public policy. He also is very good with foregn languages, so we're encouraging that.

[Anonymous]

I know several recent graduates with business degrees from one state university who, with no contacts, have gotten great jobs straight out of school. (Amazon, Liberty Mutual.) Really not shabby and I stress this is not a top tier state school. So DH may need to reassess his thinking.

Pre med is hard!

[Anonymous]

Tell him to get an education for education's sake. College, particularly liberal arts schools are not technical colleges preparing him for a specific job. Tell him to take the most interesting, most challenging classes he can. Tell him to find internships in things that interest him the most. Focus on being a good writer and communicator. These are the things that I find important when I hire your just-out-of-college kids. I don't really care what their GPAs were. I want to know they learned something, they failed at something, they can solve problems, and they can write.

[Anonymous]

Boring business degree? Really? English is more exciting to your husband even though it has no applications in the real world?

Your son won't cut it in pre-med. You have to get a 4.0 and top MCAT score to get in even a state run med school.

Yes, he should pursue business and dabble in his passion as a minor or double major. He needs to be employable first and foremost or he'll be living in your basement.

--science major

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Boring business degree? Really? English is more exciting to your husband even though it has no applications in the real world?

Your son won't cut it in pre-med. You have to get a 4.0 and top MCAT score to get in even a state run med school.

Yes, he should pursue business and dabble in his passion as a minor or double major. He needs to be employable first and foremost or he'll be living in your basement.

--science major

Also, some good advice, he should take at least a very basic programming class.

[Anonymous]

OP this is not your decision. It is entirely your DS. The most important thing for parents to do as their kids finish high school and move toward college is learn how to be cheerleaders from the side lines instead of decision makers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a college senior who is very similar. His older brother was a math and science kid and is majoring in engineering in college. My second son, like yours, prefers the humanities and social sciences. He's looking into liberal arts and will probably go on to either business school, law school, foreign affairs or public policy. He also is very good with foregn languages, so we're encouraging that.

The love for foreign languages sounds like my to be rising high school senior who also prefers the social sciences. I have encouraged him to explore International Studies. There are excellent programs IS programs from state schools, and private. The way the world is changing. International Studies is a good choice for those interested in social sciences and humanities but certainly not dismissing the other challenging programs in LAS.

[Anonymous]

I am a scientist, and I don't think everyone needs to major in STEM, business, or other "practical" majors to be employable. I have non-STEM major friends who make way more money than me, or who make about the same but are happy in their jobs. I went to a liberal arts school, so I have a lot of friends who majored in things like English, classics, history, etc. I also graduated not all that long ago (in my 20s), so I'm well aware of the current bleakness of the job market.

Are some of them baristas or unemployed? Sure. But some of my science major friends are also unemployed. I also have friends who are doing well who were humanities majors. They are in publishing, marketing, management consulting, doing editorial work, journalism, PR, teaching, and some went into law. A tiny few went to graduate school in political science, English, and other fields, but only if they got competitive fellowships that pay stipend and living expenses (none have entered the academic job market yet, though...we'll see how that goes). Many of them are doing things utterly unrelated to their majors. The people who did well tended to have high grades, network with alumni, and were strong writers. Writing is an important skill, and a skill that many people lack.

If he isn't passionate about science and doesn't have an aptitude for it, then don't push him into STEM or pre-med--those people don't do well enough in it to be competitive in the workplace or get into med school (or if they do, they are not necessarily happy). I agree with your DH that with a few exceptions, undergraduate business majors are a joke (better to major in something else, work for a while, and get an MBA). Get a great education, learn how to write, be proactive about networking with alumni and looking a job no later than the very beginning of his senior year, do as well as he can at the best college for him, and he has as good of a chance as anyone of finding a job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a scientist, and I don't think everyone needs to major in STEM, business, or other "practical" majors to be employable. I have non-STEM major friends who make way more money than me, or who make about the same but are happy in their jobs. I went to a liberal arts school, so I have a lot of friends who majored in things like English, classics, history, etc. I also graduated not all that long ago (in my 20s), so I'm well aware of the current bleakness of the job market.

Are some of them baristas or unemployed? Sure. But some of my science major friends are also unemployed. I also have friends who are doing well who were humanities majors. They are in publishing, marketing, management consulting, doing editorial work, journalism, PR, teaching, and some went into law. A tiny few went to graduate school in political science, English, and other fields, but only if they got competitive fellowships that pay stipend and living expenses (none have entered the academic job market yet, though...we'll see how that goes). Many of them are doing things utterly unrelated to their majors. The people who did well tended to have high grades, network with alumni, and were strong writers. Writing is an important skill, and a skill that many people lack.

If he isn't passionate about science and doesn't have an aptitude for it, then don't push him into STEM or pre-med--those people don't do well enough in it to be competitive in the workplace or get into med school (or if they do, they are not necessarily happy). I agree with your DH that with a few exceptions, undergraduate business majors are a joke (better to major in something else, work for a while, and get an MBA). Get a great education, learn how to write, be proactive about networking with alumni and looking a job no later than the very beginning of his senior year, do as well as he can at the best college for him, and he has as good of a chance as anyone of finding a job.

What school did you go to? Good to know which business programs are jokes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a scientist, and I don't think everyone needs to major in STEM, business, or other "practical" majors to be employable. I have non-STEM major friends who make way more money than me, or who make about the same but are happy in their jobs. I went to a liberal arts school, so I have a lot of friends who majored in things like English, classics, history, etc. I also graduated not all that long ago (in my 20s), so I'm well aware of the current bleakness of the job market.

Are some of them baristas or unemployed? Sure. But some of my science major friends are also unemployed. I also have friends who are doing well who were humanities majors. They are in publishing, marketing, management consulting, doing editorial work, journalism, PR, teaching, and some went into law. A tiny few went to graduate school in political science, English, and other fields, but only if they got competitive fellowships that pay stipend and living expenses (none have entered the academic job market yet, though...we'll see how that goes). Many of them are doing things utterly unrelated to their majors. The people who did well tended to have high grades, network with alumni, and were strong writers. Writing is an important skill, and a skill that many people lack.

If he isn't passionate about science and doesn't have an aptitude for it, then don't push him into STEM or pre-med--those people don't do well enough in it to be competitive in the workplace or get into med school (or if they do, they are not necessarily happy). I agree with your DH that with a few exceptions, undergraduate business majors are a joke (better to major in something else, work for a while, and get an MBA). Get a great education, learn how to write, be proactive about networking with alumni and looking a job no later than the very beginning of his senior year, do as well as he can at the best college for him, and he has as good of a chance as anyone of finding a job.

Could not disagree more with this post. There's not question that the Liberal Arts are under fire today. Do they in and of themselves gurantee you a job such as a business degree would/could? Most likely no. But, you need to go into the process with the understanding of what a Liberal Arts degree can do for you. Teach you to think, write and communicate effecitvely. If your DS needs these skills to assist him a potential career down the road...he really ought to puruse this instead of STEM. The STEM appraoch is just not for everyone and thsoe who are forced into it are not happy. As one pp stated, the ultiamte goal here is for the DC to be happy in whatever pursuit they he/she chooses. We as parents need to provide direction but ultimately the choice is theirs not ours. Now, the above said, a humaniteis maajor can certainly fan out and take economics or courses that do touch on business. The foreign language is certainly helpful as well. International studies would be a real plus as well.

b/t/w....this post is NOT coming from a Liberal Arts professor worried about job security!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a son approaching college. He does well in all subjects, but has to work harder for the math and science grades and always scores much better in verbal/reading/writing on standardized tests. He enjoys history and government the most. What should a kid like this be thinking about for college? Should son just go for what he loves, like DH and I did years ago, and expect it will all work out? (DH and I both planned academic careers but ended up in law and business and are very happy with our choices). Get a boring business degree to be safe? DH thinks undergrad business degrees are worthless, but they are so common now. What about double majoring or doing a major/minor to keep options open? Son is also thinking about taking the pre-med prerequisites to keep that option open, but his heart is not in the sciences. And he has zero interest in becoming an engineer. Love to hear from parents with similar kids about their plans or recent post-grad experiences.

You are describing my DC to a T. Plans to do undergrad econ or poli sci, preferably with an international bent, and minor in a language. Then get an MBA (although obviously will need to work for 2-4 years first). I agree with your DH that undergrad business is not useful of you think you will get an MBA. It's too repetitive. I went to a top b-school and we had very few undergrad business majors.

[Anonymous]

Our oldest graduated from college last year. He was a STEM major and had many opportunities come his way, but he has plenty of friends who majored in history, econ, English, sociology, etc. I'd say the non-STEM kids had to hustle more throughout college to pursue leadership positions in campus organizations, land internships and then find a post-grad job, but at this point, everybody he knows who wanted a job now has one (obviously some are in grad school, on fellowships or traveling before entering grad school). Jobs range from teaching (including many in Teach for American, NYC and NO teacher corps) to journalism to marketing in large and small businesses to not-for-profits in many fields to jobs on the Hill. And, yes, there are indeed non-STEM majors who landed more lucrative jobs with investments banks, consulting firms and even at Google. I can't think of a single one who is a barista. I will say, though, that the undergrad program these students went through emphasizes writing, even for STEM majors, and that the school has a very strong alum network.

[Anonymous]

11:39 I'm not sure your conclusions are evidence-based.

[Anonymous]

I majored in philosophy with a concentration in logic. My intention was to go to law school, so it didn't matter what I picked to major in in undergrad. It turns out I had no interest in practicing law, but my philo + logic set me up brilliantly for a career in programming.

I think you follow what you love with eyes wide open. Be aware of what careers you might be interested in. Find out what it takes to get internships in those areas & lay the groundwork. If you love art history, odds are you can take what you love and turn it into a worthwhile career.