Bluethunder, I agree to some extent that you can't let the possible $$ of a particular career influence you if that's not really where your heart is. But I guess that I have a little bit of a different perspec b/c my Dad always encouraged me to study soemthing that would definitely yield me a job at the end and that would pay enough so that I could live at a standard of living that is acceptable for me. Given that, one thing that initially attracted me to Engineering (and later Law) was the salaries. I also liked math, reading and writing (somewhat) so it worked out. However, I found that it was possible for me to take as many electives as I wanted to take and was very interested in things areas too. I almost have a certification (whatever that is) in Psychology, and I loved the Humanities classes. However, at that time I did not know that I would go on for graduate work and did not want to major in soemthing that would not yield me a job unless I got a Ph.D. So my perspec is that college is a time to explore and learn new and different things, I would also encourage people to major in something that they at least think at that time will yield them a salary at which they will want to live (in addition to something that will make them happy) b/c at the end of the day, you may have the same $$ of student loans but no money to pay them. My Mother went back to school in the '90s and majored in Social Work, she loved it (until it burned her out) but she started out making $22,000/year in ATL. Um, ok, she was lucky that she was a married woman b/c otherwise, she would be like my sister who has a B.S. in Psychology and barely makes $25,000/year and can barely live given her student loans, etc.
Ok, I'm rambling but all that to say that I think there's something to be said for college being a time to learn and explore but also to begin to establish your later life, whatever you want it to be.
SC
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Originally Posted by bluethunder
[b]
well said! people(especially young people) neglect to reflect on the fact that A: money is not or should not be the primary reason to enter into any field or even for going to college for that matter. if money is your aim, there are a lot of ways to make it... B: there are a lot of high-paid people who get up every single day and hate what they have to do for a living! C: education is about making more of you time and talents. if you only come out with a degree and have not truly been engaged in the college experience and have not expanded upon the person you were when you came--you missed a big part of what higher education is all about. and D: if you come out of college only thinking about the money your degree will make you and never think of how you can contribute to the community and/or better the life chances of someone else, THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE EDUCATION HAS BEEN WASTED on you... many groups have been excluded from the academy for a long time...we can't afford to think of only ourselves!
(sigh) my sermon is complete...
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