The value of a liberal arts degree?

[Anonymous]

So many are angsty about the job prospects for liberal arts grads. The spin of this article tracks with my experience - that liberal arts grads tend to be critical thinkers and also better writers.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/liberal-arts-education-waste-of-money-or-practical-investment-studys-conclusions-might-surprise-you/2020/01/13/5a197b14-3649-11ea-bb7b-265f4554af6d_story.html

[Anonymous]

Liberal arts is so misunderstood. It doesn't just mean being a philosophy major. You can be a science major. You can be a math major. You can even be a computer science major at many school. I an not even sure there is something called a "liberal arts degree". You can get a degree in a particular subject from a liberal arts college or the arts and sciences program of a university.

DH and I went to liberal arts colleges and our combined income is over $1m. One kid went to a liberal arts college and the other to the Arts and Sciences school of a flagship university and both have great jobs.

[Anonymous]

I couldn’t agree more. I went to a liberal arts degree & worked in investment banking in ny. There were more colleagues with liberal arts degrees than finance/business majors (for undergrad). I loved having them on my team bc pretty much across the board they were great writers and stepped back and looked at various approaches to everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Liberal arts is so misunderstood. It doesn't just mean being a philosophy major. You can be a science major. You can be a math major. You can even be a computer science major at many school. I an not even sure there is something called a "liberal arts degree". You can get a degree in a particular subject from a liberal arts college or the arts and sciences program of a university.

DH and I went to liberal arts colleges and our combined income is over $1m. One kid went to a liberal arts college and the other to the Arts and Sciences school of a flagship university and both have great jobs.

Please tell us what you do to earn that kind of money.

[Anonymous]

The return on investment for a STEM degree is about double that of a LA egree, based on the same data set.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Liberal arts is so misunderstood. It doesn't just mean being a philosophy major. You can be a science major. You can be a math major. You can even be a computer science major at many school. I an not even sure there is something called a "liberal arts degree". You can get a degree in a particular subject from a liberal arts college or the arts and sciences program of a university.

DH and I went to liberal arts colleges and our combined income is over $1m. One kid went to a liberal arts college and the other to the Arts and Sciences school of a flagship university and both have great jobs.

Please tell us what you do to earn that kind of money.

Consulting, although we have different areas of expertise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I couldn’t agree more. I went to a liberal arts degree & worked in investment banking in ny. There were more colleagues with liberal arts degrees than finance/business majors (for undergrad). I loved having them on my team bc pretty much across the board they were great writers and stepped back and looked at various approaches to everything.

There’s a well documented reason for this, and spoiler alert, it’s not the inherent superiority of a liberal arts education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The return on investment for a STEM degree is about double that of a LA egree, based on the same data set.

and the number of people who have the skill set for some of the most lucrative STEM jobs is very small, so many of your kids are more likely to succeed in other fields.

[Anonymous]

If you’re rich and connected, or at least have an extensive network, then you can get a job.

If you’re from a working class background, you should major in STEM or business.

[Anonymous]

I think some of you are confused as to what a liberal arts education is. Maybe you think it means majoring in a humanities or social sciences discipline? It doesn't.

A liberal arts education means that you take core classes in a wide range of subjects, from humanities to social sciences to hard sciences. Your ultimate major can be anything from poetry to physics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_arts_education

A liberal arts degree is typically contrasted with a technical or vocational degree.

[Anonymous]

Worked out for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I couldn’t agree more. I went to a liberal arts degree & worked in investment banking in ny. There were more colleagues with liberal arts degrees than finance/business majors (for undergrad). I loved having them on my team bc pretty much across the board they were great writers and stepped back and looked at various approaches to everything.

There’s a well documented reason for this, and spoiler alert, it’s not the inherent superiority of a liberal arts education.

And the reason is??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think some of you are confused as to what a liberal arts education is. Maybe you think it means majoring in a humanities or social sciences discipline? It doesn't.

A liberal arts education means that you take core classes in a wide range of subjects, from humanities to social sciences to hard sciences. Your ultimate major can be anything from poetry to physics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_arts_education

A liberal arts degree is typically contrasted with a technical or vocational degree.

I'm sorry but in the common vernacular, a liberal arts degree pretty much always mean a humanities-focused degree. And that is the meaning of the original post. I took courses across many disciplines including taking as many humanities and social sciences as I could fit in with my STEM major, but I would never say I have a liberal arts degree. People would get an incorrect understanding if I did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think some of you are confused as to what a liberal arts education is. Maybe you think it means majoring in a humanities or social sciences discipline? It doesn't.

A liberal arts education means that you take core classes in a wide range of subjects, from humanities to social sciences to hard sciences. Your ultimate major can be anything from poetry to physics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_arts_education

A liberal arts degree is typically contrasted with a technical or vocational degree.

I'm sorry but in the common vernacular, a liberal arts degree pretty much always mean a humanities-focused degree. And that is the meaning of the original post. I took courses across many disciplines including taking as many humanities and social sciences as I could fit in with my STEM major, but I would never say I have a liberal arts degree. People would get an incorrect understanding if I did.

Not my common vernacular. You have a liberal arts EDUCATION, which means your education is broad in nature. But you were a STEM major and now a whatever.

And to make it more co fusing you can be a science or computer science major from a liberal arts college.

[Anonymous]

My political science degree has worked out well for me in the government contracting world, but I am not a STEM-minded person and knew that I couldn’t hack any degree of the kind. Plus, I always knew what I wanted to do for work.

I was lucky enough to get my resume in front of the right person for an internship - I think that is the key.