Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 18:22     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I majored in engineering and have lots of classmates who majored in "impractical" fields who are doing much much better than I am. In fact, several of the smartest tech grads in our class are close to the bottom of the college grad financial totem pole.


It’s somewhat inverted.

Most people coming into practical majors, esp engineering come from lower middle class families. They don’t have connections nor FOB resources to optimize career strategy. Also many of them like are passionate about science or tech which sometimes makes less optimal career choices.


So not true!! Plenty of engineering majors come from UMC/wealthy families. they just like STEM and pursue it. Or they are smart enough to know they can always fall back to business later on with an MBA if engineering isnt' their thing. Most that stick with Engineering are really smart and enjoy what they do
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 18:20     Subject: Re:How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:From my perspective as the parent (aka, person paying the tab), it also depends where my kids are going to school.

I would not pay $90,000 a year to a small LAC or other private school for an unmarketable degree. If we're talking about in-state at a public school, I would be more lenient in choice of major.

As a small example, DD is at a pricey private college, majoring in economics. She would have preferred to get a BA in econ, because it's easier. We are making her take the harder math classes so that she ends up with a BS in econ, which is much more marketable.


I think I might feel the opposite, because a very pricey LAC is going to give them a legup (presuming it's well ranked etc.) over a state school.


But anyone interviewing from those pricey LAC knows there are two Econ majors, and if you pick the "easier one" without having a valid reason (say a concentration in Foreign language or something else that is a real concentration with meaning for future employment), then they know you took the easier path

Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 18:19     Subject: Re:How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:From my perspective as the parent (aka, person paying the tab), it also depends where my kids are going to school.

I would not pay $90,000 a year to a small LAC or other private school for an unmarketable degree. If we're talking about in-state at a public school, I would be more lenient in choice of major.

As a small example, DD is at a pricey private college, majoring in economics. She would have preferred to get a BA in econ, because it's easier. We are making her take the harder math classes so that she ends up with a BS in econ, which is much more marketable.


Smart move---even if she were at a State U (non pricey schools). If a major offers a "more rigorous" option, it's usually smart to pursue that.
Only time it's not, is say for a CS degree in the LA school versus Engineering school. If your kid wants to take 2-3 years of a foreign language and use their CS degree in conjunction with that or some other LA concentration, then it might make more sense to get a BA. Otherwise, get the BS

Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 18:18     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:
The major is often different from the career you end up pursuing. What's important is to choose something that's in their wheelhouse, otherwise they're not going to last 4 years and it's your money down the drain.

That being said, you can advise them to tweak their choices to protect themselves. My son loves history and military strategy. He chose an International Affairs major, with a concentratino in security policy, and at my request, is doing a Bachelors of Science version that includes a ton of data science courses. Because the data science will come in useful for analysis positions in his field, or for switching to a different career.





Would love to know where this major is - sounds like up my son’s alley!
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 18:17     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:
The major is often different from the career you end up pursuing. What's important is to choose something that's in their wheelhouse, otherwise they're not going to last 4 years and it's your money down the drain.

That being said, you can advise them to tweak their choices to protect themselves. My son loves history and military strategy. He chose an International Affairs major, with a concentratino in security policy, and at my request, is doing a Bachelors of Science version that includes a ton of data science courses. Because the data science will come in useful for analysis positions in his field, or for switching to a different career.





Smart to suggest adding in the Data Science. It will open doors to many other areas as well. That is what OP DD needs to do. Start to figure out what she actually wants to do. Because like you said a IA major is more practical than just a history major. and your son gave it focus with the security concentration and data science (BS is almost always better than BA, it's more rigorous)



Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 18:14     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:FWIW **I** didn't have a practical major at all 35 years ago, and am just fine. And think generally it's fine. But I do wonder if things are different now.


+1 Major in what you like. But realize that there are not very many jobs for a BA in Psychology or Anthropology specifically. So you have to be a bit more motivated/creative with finding your first few jobs. You have to work harder to get an internship.
That being said, IMO I would major in what you want but consider a minor in business or something that will help you have skills for getting hired.

And know that both of those majors require advanced degrees to actually "use the degree" directly.

Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 17:12     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:It depends, does she have family money to fall back on in case of unsteady employment in her early career years?

Kids who pick "practical" majors often times don't have this. They need steady income right away after college graduation.


This was me. I majored in physics at MIT planning on getting a PhD right away. But I had no family money, had to help family, got an engineering job right away. Have had an interesting career in various fields but never got a physics PhD.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 16:02     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:She needs a job she loves, great mental and physical health, and master personal finance.
I retired early, because I understood how important knowing how to manage money was.
I made over $40k a year only once in 29 years. I still have every penny I have ever made and then some. I retired 15 years before early retirement age.
Young people got to learn personal finance as teenagers, college students, and continue as they build their career. It's an insurance against hard times, losing a job, changing jobs or even going back to college.
I made $50k the day after elections as I slept. All this was possible, because I took knowing all there is to know about money seriously. I had to or the minimum wage job was going to take my health.


Now we know what Warren Buffet is doing in his retirement — posting on DCUM!
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 16:01     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:I majored in engineering and have lots of classmates who majored in "impractical" fields who are doing much much better than I am. In fact, several of the smartest tech grads in our class are close to the bottom of the college grad financial totem pole.


It’s somewhat inverted.

Most people coming into practical majors, esp engineering come from lower middle class families. They don’t have connections nor FOB resources to optimize career strategy. Also many of them like are passionate about science or tech which sometimes makes less optimal career choices.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 15:56     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:Our child wants to major in psychology or anthropology. She is a humanities or social sciences kid.
Is a practical major important?

She doesn't have any interest in business, econ., engineering, hard sciences.


Psychology can be highly paid However, you need a masters degree at least and look the part. Good psychologists in Fairfax, VA for instance, generally charge between $100 and $250 an hours. A PhD is better.

Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 15:40     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:Learning for learnings sake is important, and if you can afford it, let them study what they want, because they'll figure it out and attend grad school at some point.

ie, get ready to spend more money for letting her learn whatever she wants.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 15:33     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
The importance of a "practical major" is inversely proportionate to both your family wealth and the prestige of your university.

If you are from a rich family and get in to Harvard, then yeah, it doesn't matter what you study.

If you're from a poor family and you go to State U branch campus, then yeah, you better study engineering.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 15:29     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Anonymous wrote:Has the way that this worked changed a lot in the last 30 years?

I went to a fancy-sounding school but I never thought it really mattered what I studied, and still don't. Heck I even think that a bit for my master's, in my case


Tell me you work in a non-STEM field without telling me you work in a non-STEM field.
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 15:22     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
Has the way that this worked changed a lot in the last 30 years?

I went to a fancy-sounding school but I never thought it really mattered what I studied, and still don't. Heck I even think that a bit for my master's, in my case
Anonymous
Post 05/07/2025 15:20     Subject: How important is a "practical major"
I majored in education, but got a second degree in education. I’d she’s willing to go into elementary education, then she’ll always be employable. If she’s not, I’d minor in anthropology and get a better second major.