Are only kids of wealthy parents in elite professions majoring in arts/going to elite colleges?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that the kids I know going to T-10 schools and are majoring in things like philosophy or sociology are from families that are in big law, IB, or medicine. They also have generational wealth from grandparents. We are first generation college grads with no parental help but worked our way up to UMC with no advice or mentoring. Our kids did well enough to get merit at some private universities but ultimately chose the state flagship to save money. They also pursued majors that led to high paying fields upon graduation. But are people like us short-changing our kids in not providing them with a liberal arts education at an elite school so they can join the rarefied alumni clubs and networking opportunities that lead to the truly big bucks?

Rich people going to Liberal arts colleges - Strong network; high paying jobs.

Poor people going to Liberal arts colleges - Pity network; high paying pity jobs.

UMC or MC people going to Liberal arts colleges - No access to network; Barista at Starbucks (if going to a SLAC); Dunkin (if going to a LAC).

Lololol. Very, very few poor people are going to liberal arts colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But are people like us short-changing our kids in not providing them with a liberal arts education at an elite school so they can join the rarefied alumni clubs and networking opportunities that lead to the truly big bucks?

I'm not sending my kids to liberal arts colleges so they can earn big bucks. I'm doing it because I think it's how they'll get the best education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But are people like us short-changing our kids in not providing them with a liberal arts education at an elite school so they can join the rarefied alumni clubs and networking opportunities that lead to the truly big bucks?

I'm not sending my kids to liberal arts colleges so they can earn big bucks. I'm doing it because I think it's how they'll get the best education.

Isn’t it kind of virtual signaling to say that you are sending kids to college to get a “good education” rather than the more crass, but not entirely untrue, “to get a high paying job”? Some people don’t have the luxury of studying the classics to expand their minds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But are people like us short-changing our kids in not providing them with a liberal arts education at an elite school so they can join the rarefied alumni clubs and networking opportunities that lead to the truly big bucks?

I'm not sending my kids to liberal arts colleges so they can earn big bucks. I'm doing it because I think it's how they'll get the best education.

Isn’t it kind of virtual signaling to say that you are sending kids to college to get a “good education” rather than the more crass, but not entirely untrue, “to get a high paying job”? Some people don’t have the luxury of studying the classics to expand their minds.

NP. It’s not “virtue signaling.” It’s “I have enough ($$$$$$$$) money to do what most people would consider wasteful.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a top 10 consulting firm. Most of the C level had undergrad degrees in liberal arts. A large number of philosophy majors which I thought was surprising.

Philosophy is a discipline that trains you to really think deeply about the world. Most philosophy majors I know are wicked intelligent.

Philosophy is the hardest major and it's almost close to impossible to find philosophy professors - math major here.
Art is a huge business now and good artists make millions. Even the very commercial ones make 6 figures. Etsy and Saatchi made marketing incredibly easy and people use art as an investment and/or for money laundry purposes. I collect art and had an opportunity to buy Adrian Ghenie a decade ago and I'm still kicking myself for not being on top of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a top 10 consulting firm. Most of the C level had undergrad degrees in liberal arts. A large number of philosophy majors which I thought was surprising.

Because they came from wealthy families. That’s why they are c suite and why the were comfortable majoring in those non practical majors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:funny thing is how many board members at my (major) university run big corporations or otherwise make a lot of money and were humanities majors.

Yes, humanities majors from top schools.

DP.. it's the networking and connections through the alumni, not the major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD at SLAC notices it's the wealthy and URM first-gen students. The latter not for say fine arts, but Sociology, English, etc.

'

I don't understand what you are saying.

The wealthy legacy types, as well as lower income URM students, are the vast majority of the English department.

And no middle class.

[Anonymous]

Our DC2 is at MIT in the art program. We are independently wealthy but he had great internships and will be able to support himself comfortably from his job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But are people like us short-changing our kids in not providing them with a liberal arts education at an elite school so they can join the rarefied alumni clubs and networking opportunities that lead to the truly big bucks?

I'm not sending my kids to liberal arts colleges so they can earn big bucks. I'm doing it because I think it's how they'll get the best education.

Isn’t it kind of virtual signaling to say that you are sending kids to college to get a “good education” rather than the more crass, but not entirely untrue, “to get a high paying job”? Some people don’t have the luxury of studying the classics to expand their minds.

My kids want to get Ph.D.s, and liberal arts colleges offer great preparation for that. (By the way, liberal arts colleges offer more majors than just philosophy.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STEM degrees from state school is a dream for middle class.

Is this mentality keeping the MC from reaching the UC though?

Totally. But MC STEM majors look for jobs at stable big companies, because working at a cool startup or founding their own company is much riskier — and even one month without a paycheck could mean disaster, eviction, etc until they have worked for years to build their own emergency funds. They usually can’t live at home since their parents likely don’t live near the high paying jobs. And the idea of pursuing a law degree, medical degree is a terrifying amount of debt. Finance might be good fit, but pedigree is a problem there since finance bros give side eye to poor culture fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD at SLAC notices it's the wealthy and URM first-gen students. The latter not for say fine arts, but Sociology, English, etc.

'

I don't understand what you are saying.

The wealthy legacy types, as well as lower income URM students, are the vast majority of the English department.

And no middle class.

Again, just not what you consider “middle class.” What you consider middle class is really “affluent.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:funny thing is how many board members at my (major) university run big corporations or otherwise make a lot of money and were humanities majors.

Yes, humanities majors from top schools.

DP.. it's the networking and connections through the alumni, not the major.

Yes, which you’re most likely by a mile to get use out of from top schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I worked at a top 10 consulting firm. Most of the C level had undergrad degrees in liberal arts. A large number of philosophy majors which I thought was surprising.

Philosophy is a discipline that trains you to really think deeply about the world. Most philosophy majors I know are wicked intelligent.

Philosophy is the hardest major and it's almost close to impossible to find philosophy professors - math major here.
Art is a huge business now and good artists make millions. Even the very commercial ones make 6 figures. Etsy and Saatchi made marketing incredibly easy and people use art as an investment and/or for money laundry purposes. I collect art and had an opportunity to buy Adrian Ghenie a decade ago and I'm still kicking myself for not being on top of it.

I majored in philosophy at a rigorous liberal arts college and loved it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STEM degrees from state school is a dream for middle class.

Is this mentality keeping the MC from reaching the UC though?

Totally. But MC STEM majors look for jobs at stable big companies, because working at a cool startup or founding their own company is much riskier — and even one month without a paycheck could mean disaster, eviction, etc until they have worked for years to build their own emergency funds. They usually can’t live at home since their parents likely don’t live near the high paying jobs. And the idea of pursuing a law degree, medical degree is a terrifying amount of debt. Finance might be good fit, but pedigree is a problem there since finance bros give side eye to poor culture fit.

A lot of what you are saying must be based on hearsay.. The "rich" you talk about around here made their money as wage slaves (which includes a partner at a law firm or a surgeon). A lot of STEM kids working at top companies make a ton of money by the time they are 30. if they marry right (i.e. someone with a similar job) you are talking $700-$1mil HHI. Nothing to sneeze at and surely something that will set them up to be worth $20+ millions (or a lot more if their stock options work out) by the time they hit 50.

Also, a lot of the enterprising ones go on to join startups at that point or do an MBA and go into finance. I personally know a ton of Indian kids in Finance (either after undergrad or after an MBA) and almost all are doing extremely well (MD level or above at GS or VP+ at PE or venture capital outfits). These are a mix of immigrants and first-gen kids and I don't see "pedigree" or "culture" as a problem they are facing. Reaching those levels in your late 20s/early to mid-30s is impressive for anyone.

Same goes for med school/law school. A ton of very MC Asian families send their kids to those schools and the kids end up doing very well.

You'll have to set aside the immigrant communities (East/South Asians, Nigerians, South Africans, etc.) for your "this mentality keeping the MC from reaching the UC" thesis to work.