<p>So I realize this is probably a recycling of that question that seems to get tossed around here every couple weeks, about whether Ivy League colleges are worth it. But maybe with a twist? </p>
<p>Some background, I'm a current public university student transferring to Brown University in the Fall. </p>
<p>My (tentative) degree will be in English Literature. Which I've chosen because it's truly my passion. If I wanted to be STEM or Business, I really think I could: I've always been a top student regardless of the discipline. Sadly, that's just not where my interests for careers lie, and I've always idealistically seen higher education not as vocational training, but for the pursuit of personal knowledge. (Something I find strongly wrong with our country's educational system, but I digress.)</p>
<p>Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about my decision to switch schools lately. Brown's going to be a reasonable investment for me (a little bit more than the nat'l average of student debt), where as my public university would've got me off relatively debt free. </p>
<p>However, Liberal Arts majors seem to have difficulty finding jobs these days. And I'm really not sure if the Brown degree is going to be some sort of key to a better paying position. I don't think Google, Facebook or Microsoft are hiring Brown English majors for those six figure salaries right out of college like they might be for CompSci majors (top public or private university alike).</p>
<p>It's not really the fact that I'm worried about finding a job. I know that as a highly motivated individual, who's done internships and taken other steps to become appealing as a job applicant, I'll find a job. It's more the fact that I'm frightened about entering adulthood with debt and an unmarketable and low-paying degree--even if it is from an Ivy League school. Does the Ivy League quality of the degree enhance my marketability at all? Was my investment something that will pay off career-wise? </p>
<p>(NB: Just to be sure: the prospect of a better job wasn't the reason I chose to switch schools--it was the academic environment and motivation of peers. I feel like this post makes me come across as overly materialistic. Which I'm not--just worried about debt.)</p>
<p>There will probably be banks and consulting firms willing to hire an English lit major out of Brown but I’m not sure that is what you are looking for?</p>
<p>If you are a very motivated, energetic, top (high GPA) student, you will most probably do well from any school. A brand name or status school will be an extra benefit for sure. That is my D1.</p>
<p>If you go to a “brand name” school but get mediocre grades and are not motivated, you may end up in a job for which you are very over qualified. That s my S.</p>
<p>If you recently graduated (last May) from a top school and earned a very high GPA and are somewhat motivated but not sure what you want to do, ask me in a year or two. That is D2.</p>
<p>Conclusion: A highly motivated student with a high GPA will do well from State U to top Brand Name U. But a Brand Name School, in this situation ( high GPA), may give you an edge. Think the finance and technology fields. They basically hire the top students from only the brand name schools ( with some exceptions).</p>
<p>I suppose that might be part of the issue–I’m not really sure what I want. Some days I think I want to be an academic, other days I think I would like to pursue a more creative career or perhaps something in journalism. None of these are particularly lucrative routes, but things I think I might do well in. Which I guess is the point–I’d like a career I can do well in, be happy about and manage to pay off my private school debts. I’m just worried that’s not possible with a Liberal Arts Degree. But it seems like some posters, (like morrismm) feel that it’s less about the degree than the individual when it comes to securing a good (financially secure) career, which is encouraging.</p>
<p>As for Investment Banking, I never really considered the IB route before. Up until half a month ago, I figured an English major at a public university in Texas was never going to be working at Bain. Hard to commit against it, but it’s just something that doesn’t really appeal to me.</p>
<p>Academia is very tough to break into no matter what, but the CC consensus is generally that attending a more prestigious school is important in the humanities. I don’t know a ton about journalism but I think the emphasis there is more program-specific (for example, I know Mizzou has a top journalism program).</p>
<p>You should use a loan calculator to determine your monthly payments if you make the switch vs. if you don’t. Then add in an estimate for your future living expenses. You need your monthly income post-graduation to be >= this amount.
[Direct</a> Loans?Calculators and Interest Rates](<a href=“http://www.direct.ed.gov/calc.html]Direct”>http://www.direct.ed.gov/calc.html)</p>
<p>You will likely have a better shot at lucrative careers in finance or consulting as a Brown grad, but since you’ve already said you aren’t interested in business that doesn’t seem relevant.</p>
<p>For an English major, I’d pick Brown over any public university independent of what your career plans may be. In teaching, publishing, foreign service, law or anything, a Brown degree will open doors that a public university degree won’t.</p>
<p>From a state university, an English degree sounds impractical. From an Ivy, an English major is viewed more as a general degree.</p>