Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 12:08     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC has an international affairs degree and is living independently. No grad degree.


While extremely admirable, this is atypical.


DP: My 2023 grad has an international relations major from W&M and their lease on their new apartment just outside of DC starts Oct 1 (with one roommate). They can afford their independent life on their federal government job salary. Their friends with international relations, government, and public policy seem to be in a similar situation.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 10:38     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
My kid is first year college student, majoring in business but hasn’t chosen a specialty yet . I’m hoping it leads to a successful, independent lifestyle.

Education majors need a Master’s degree
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 10:15     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Physics majors. It’s like engineering and CS on steroids. Extremely employable because involves a lot of higher order math. All physics majors can do engineering and CS, but the opposite is not true. However, physics is a difficult major and not for everyone. A lot of the underpinnings of AI math comes from theoretical physics.


You are attaching a Physics degree to engineering and CS.

A Physics major on it's own? Not many prospects unless you want to teach in high school.


This. We know a Physics major from an elite school that was struggling to get a job. He stayed an extra semester to do courses that qualified him as a CS minor which eventually got him a great job. PP's thoughts about Physics is correct but unfortunately does not translate to jobs.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 09:35     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Mine is doing well with an economics degree from a top 20 university.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 09:31     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC has an international affairs degree and is living independently. No grad degree.


While extremely admirable, this is atypical.


What are you talking about? I have one with an IR degree living independently also. I also have one with a Media and Culture degree (2023) living independently also. Neither has grad degree or looking to get one. It is more about parenting. Out you go so out they went.


Yours is atypical too. A Media and Culture degree?

Get real.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 09:01     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:Physics majors. It’s like engineering and CS on steroids. Extremely employable because involves a lot of higher order math. All physics majors can do engineering and CS, but the opposite is not true. However, physics is a difficult major and not for everyone. A lot of the underpinnings of AI math comes from theoretical physics.


You are attaching a Physics degree to engineering and CS.

A Physics major on it's own? Not many prospects unless you want to teach in high school.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:59     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC has an international affairs degree and is living independently. No grad degree.


While extremely admirable, this is atypical.


Very.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:58     Subject: Re:“Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:Assuming "independently" includes with roommates, I know recent grads at my company who are doing so after majoring in psychology, political science, history. Their jobs aren't necessarily directly related to those majors (history major is in marketing) but it's really about the skills more than the specific major.

Among my large extended family I know recent grads not living with parents who are in teaching, PR, nursing, sales coordinator, medical office. PR person was a communications major, medical office was kinesiology and still considering med school. I don't know what the sales one majored in.

I also wouldn't assume a recent grad living with parents is doing so because they can't afford an apartment (with roommates). If the parents home is in a reasonable location for the commute and everyone gets along, living there for a couple years and saving a lot of money is a great way to start life on a solid financial footing.


OP here- yes I assume roommates might be necessary. Especially in this area. Also I agree a kid may want to live at home to save up for their first place. Thanks for the suggestions above. I have jr in HS who is undecided- which I understand. I think kids are pressured to choose a major so early now. Just want to be realistic about the outcomes of certain choices. Also if he chooses something that requires a grad degree, we aren’t paying for it so he nerds to understand investment involvef on his end.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:56     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC has an international affairs degree and is living independently. No grad degree.


While extremely admirable, this is atypical.


What are you talking about? I have one with an IR degree living independently also. I also have one with a Media and Culture degree (2023) living independently also. Neither has grad degree or looking to get one. It is more about parenting. Out you go so out they went.


Major in Media and Culture Studies?
Sounds BS
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:54     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My DC has an international affairs degree and is living independently. No grad degree.


While extremely admirable, this is atypical.


What are you talking about? I have one with an IR degree living independently also. I also have one with a Media and Culture degree (2023) living independently also. Neither has grad degree or looking to get one. It is more about parenting. Out you go so out they went.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:43     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:When 22 year olds move out, they rarely are rarely in an upscale townhouse. They have roommates and crappy furniture. Some of you need to lower your must haves.

Agree, but I think it's harder for umc to do that.

I came from lmc, so it was easy to lower my expectations. My kids live an umc lifestyle, and it will be harder for them to lower their living standards.


They should have been doing this during college. I grew up in a nice big LA suburban house and was very happy in my first crappy apartment.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:26     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:When 22 year olds move out, they rarely are rarely in an upscale townhouse. They have roommates and crappy furniture. Some of you need to lower your must haves.

Agree, but I think it's harder for umc to do that.

I came from lmc, so it was easy to lower my expectations. My kids live an umc lifestyle, and it will be harder for them to lower their living standards.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:24     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
When 22 year olds move out, they rarely are rarely in an upscale townhouse. They have roommates and crappy furniture. Some of you need to lower your must haves.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:14     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What undergraduate degrees allow a recent grad to live independently (modestly but not with parents) these days other than CS and Engineering? Does everything else require a graduate degree? Maybe marketing?


I am sorry, what? Any major from any good school. I am excluding grad school.

dp.. not, that's not really true. Look at the pay for recent graduates by major. Some of those majors would not pay enough just out of school, or even 5 to 10 years out, to live on your own in hcol areas like DC.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/college-major-highest-lowest-incomes/
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2023 08:12     Subject: “Stand alone” undergrad majors beside CS and Engineering
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What undergraduate degrees allow a recent grad to live independently (modestly but not with parents) these days other than CS and Engineering? Does everything else require a graduate degree? Maybe marketing?


I am sorry, what? Any major from any good school. I am excluding grad school.


Maybe in Disney World. We live in the real world.