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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Not everyone wants the steady (boring) life that comes with being basic economic security. As the child of immigrants, I understand the desire my parents have for me to be be a little higher up the ladder from them. But they just didn't know enough about American society or culture to know what to encourage beside doctor, lawyer, engineer, pharmacist. They knew to want me to go to an elite college, but they had no idea what doors that opened.

I want my DC to pursue a life and career with meaning and purpose.  Every field -- including art history and English -- has people who earn more than a comfortable living and enjoy things that most techies couldn't imagine. Telling my child they have to pick a major with a high average starting salary is the same as telling them I want them to have an average life. I want them to have an extraordinary life and to choose a field where they will commit and perform at extraordinary levels. No one is great at something they don't really care about. That's the difference between mediocrity and excellence![/quote]

No one is telling kids or anyone to pick something they are not passionate about.  I don't direct my kids to pick something because of a higher salary.  However, there is a reality in how society values and pays various positions and a teenager should be aware of that before picking a path in life.  If Art History is your passion, then go ahead and major in that.  But think early on about how to parlay this into a career/employment.  And also think about what your starting pay might been those jobs.  Then pick what your college accordingly.  Don't take $100K in student/parent loans that the student will be expected to pay back if your staring salary is only $40K.  Instead pick a school you can afford.

My kids are free to pick whatever major they want.  I can afford to pay for their college, so they can major in Philosophy at Harvard if they get in and so choose.  I can and would pay the $80K expenses yearly so they don't have any debt. 
However, if they needed to take loans I would encourage them to not take loans worth more their starting salary with desired degree.  So if you make $40K, then you shouldn't take more than 40K total in loans.  Find a university that allows you to not overtake loans.  Ideally find a university where you can have even less in loans. 
Simply put, pick what you want to do with your life, explore enjoy life, pick a path that interests you, but look realistically at what that means for finances and plan accordingly.

When I went to college, I spent an extra year and did 2 full degrees.  Why?  Because I knew it wasn't not the best idea to just get a music performance degree when I loved STEM as well. While I Loved music, I knew that it was hard to land jobs.  500 People audition for 1 position in an orchestra--and 300 of those will be highly qualified for the position, yet only 1 is going to walk away with the job.  I was torn which to get and growing up poor, I also really didn't want to end up poor.  Doing well academically was my way to at least middle class, but hopefully upper middle class lifestyle.    So I got both an engineering and a Music degree. That way I had choices and if I didn't make it in music initially, I could get an engineering job while I kept up my music.  I had no desire to work random temp jobs or waiter while piecing together various music jobs to make ends met.  Ultimately I did the engineering and did music on the side for years, and ultimately taught music for 10 years. Best of both worlds for em. [/quote]

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