This thinking is quite naive. What good does your $20,000 to $100,000 degree do if it does not help you find employment? Learning to think critically, learning about cultures, etc. can be done by any reasonably intelligent person with a library card. The point of going to a college or university is to get a better job than you can get without a degree.
Also, the fact that an engineer is infinitely more employable than a philosophy major proves your assertion of what employers are looking for false. Employers want employees who add value to their company, and they could care less about the employee's cultural sensitivity if that doesn't bring a tangible benefit to the company.
Perhaps I am an idealist, but I also previously worked my way up in a top 100 civil engineering firm, became licensed, and made good money: All without a degree!
🙂 (Then I decided to become a doctor... which does require a degree.... grrrr....)
I do recognize, though, that I was an outlier in my field. Most of my colleagues had a BS in CE or Geomatics. (Emphasis on the "BS"... hehe
😉) So, yes, if you want to do something specific like CE, then a major in Civil is probably the best option - esp. now that the economy is in the toilet and the hiring market is competitive. I warn everyone thinking of going into engineering, though, to shadow!! and intern!! The daily work in many branches of Civil is somewhat non-mathematical (algebra is primarily used), so if math is what floats your boat, you may be disappointed. (I also
don't miss working in a cubical and staring at a screen for 40+ hours per week!...but that's just me, others may love it.)
Moving on, most students do not know what they want to do with the rest of their lives. And the truth is, most people will change their minds about their career choice multiple times. This is why your major isn't that big of a deal for most people. And once you land your first job, all that really matters then is your contribution to the firm. Sure, skills are required to initially get hired, but there are multiple ways of gaining them. For example: you can pick up tons of skills through interning or volunteering; you can also take a few select classes which fill in key knowledge/skills gaps; or, you can even pick-up a minor in something 'marketable' like business, accounting, or economics; you can also self-study things like programming, finance, etc. Then, once hired and working, if you feel that you need a specific degree to advance your career, you can pick up a Masters degree (MBA works for most careers.)...Plus, you can add "MBA" or "JD" or "
MD" to your business card. Same can't be said for your UG degree...even if is was an 'Honors' one...which is further proof that your major doesn't matter!
To conclude, my advice is really simple: why bother spending that $20-$100K on a degree that didn't add value to you,
you personally? You'll find that after two to five years out of UG, no one will care what you majored in... no one!! So why not try to make the time matter to you! Life is short and you won't get the time back!! There are countless example of successful people that have all kinds of goofy majors, so rest assured that success or failure in life is not dependent upon your college degree! Success is a result of creativity, hard work and a bit of luck (like I had). So why not major in something that will foster your creative abilities! Find something that challenges you. Find something that helps you notice the broad connections in life (between religion, politics, geography, economics, and history; for example). College is a marketplace of ideas, so take advantage of it! Then you will have properly invested your $20-100K.
🙂
PS - I do agree with you that college is required to learn! However, many people benefit from a well structured learning environment.
OP - sorry for the hijack
Good luck with that.
