<p>To rodney’s point, jobs don’t go to just the people with the right majors and the highest GPAs, they go to the people who have a passion for the industry and who can demonstrate that they “done it” in real life. Find and get internships and co-op jobs, add an “off-beat” minor like graphic design or Chinese, make yourself marketable. I guess I’m saying - Advertise.</p>
<p>Of course, while it’s true that money isn’t everything, sooner or later eating moves from being optional to necessary.</p>
<p>My D has known since she was 11-12 that she wanted to be an actress in musical theatre. That sounds like the most impractical major of all, but she planned for it with voice lessons, dance lessons, acting groups, plus excellent grades. She did the work to find the best schools in the country for her major, handled the rigorous audition and application process and then set to work to get the money. She will attend NYU and yes, there will be substantial loans both student and parent. BUT she has the talent, the ambition, the work ethic and full parent support. She has also been accepted into one of NYU Tisch’s multi-disciplinary studios that has a good track record for graduates who actually find work in the business of theatre. It’s her life, her dream, she worked for it, and I support her 100%.</p>
<p>Our family may have a different set of parameters from others. Our DD wanted to study Theater-she lived, breathed, slept Theater. She also wanted a college experience where she could interface with bright, articulate and engaged students. We agreed to take on college loans so she could attend a top tier university.
Now, many of my friends thought-oh-your DD is too bright to be getting a degree in Theater…or…oh-your DD should be getting a more practical degree if you are going to spend that kind of money to send your child to college.
We believe college is a time for exploring who you are, and what you want to do with your life. No one can take that degree away once earned. Many people don’t ask WHAT you studied-just DID you earn a degree and from where?
and, now she is coming onto her final year-actually in her case final quarter. She is graduating early-with honors and 2 degrees and a minor…Theater, Political Science and Environmental Policy.
I encourage you to follow your heart, pursue the major you are interested in, and trust yourself. You may find you EXCEED your expectation with that freedom to choose!
APOL-a mom</p>
<p>My D is another one that knew she wanted to be a musical theatre actress and she worked hard in school and at her auditions this year and is attending a school that she loves. D will get a wonderful education and then she will decide what to do with her future. Many people end up in careers that have nothing to do with their majors. Education is important and my H and I believe that our D needs to follow her own path not one that we choose for her.</p>
<p>
And then there’s the girl who majored in religion at NYU and took out $100K+ in loans, who is scratching out a living as a photographer’s assistant. She had major regrets about the path she took, and will be buried in loans for the foreseeable future. There was a big thread recently about this.</p>
<p>So I can totally understand why parents want their kids to have a major that they think will lead to a decent career.</p>
<p>There seems to be a lot of musical theatre majors who have decided to study what they love. I totally encouraged my D to do so. This is her chance to pursue her passion. I think I would have hesitated more if my D followed up her intent to major in MT with a statement that she will only be happy if she ends up on Bdway. Luckily she is a realist and knows that there are different ways to earn a living and keep music/ theatre in your life. </p>
<p>She would be thrilled beyond belief to end up on Bdway, but she would also enjoy a different role in the entertainment industry. She has been balancing performance opportunities with internship opportunities in music/theatre/film doing production and marketing.</p>
<p>She has been able to minor in the Business of Enertainment, Media and Technology which has given her a niche when combined with her music degree.</p>
<p>The one stipulation that I did have was that I wanted D to major in music and earn A BM degree so that she could teach someday whether it be teaching voice privately or in a school setting after getting a 1 year master’s degree. I don’t consider education a back up plan, but rather a path she may someday want to pursue.</p>
<p>One majored in computer science and the other in economics. These were their choices; I had no input in either case. </p>
<p>It would be hard to find any grounds for disapproval of either major.</p>
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<p>The problem here isn’t about what this girl majored or didn’t major in. Why on earth did she take out $100,000 in loans? That’s the problem.</p>
<p>It’s not what you study; it’s how you use it.</p>
<p>I was a Speech & Theatre major, with a concentration in Broadcasting (as was DH) so I don’t feel like I have any right to judge what is a “marketable” degree (and to the OP: I worked in advertising for 5 years & felt like I’d sold my soul; make sure that you get some real life experience during your college years to see if it’s really as you imagine it will be.) D is planning on a double history/anthropology major; DH keeps trying to steer her. First away from history (how about international business?) then when he was comfortable with history, he’s suggested that she start working on her masters earlier and not do a double major (her school/scholarship allows her to do that.) I smile and tell D to take the classes that she and her advisor think will be best in a given semester.</p>
<p>Of course, it goes without saying that we expect her to be employable at the end of the degree (to the extent that the economy will allow her to be) and she has a realistic view of that.</p>
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Had she majored in accounting or engineering, for example, she would likely be making a decent salary and have a chance to pay the loans back.</p>
<p>I agree she was stupid to take out $100K in loans, especially with that degree.</p>
<p>The prevailing opinion on this thread though is “let your kid major in whatever they want, and let the chips fall where they will.” And not to pick on music theatre majors in particular (although they seem to be overrepresented in this thread, maybe this is a sensitive issue?) , but what is the average first year earnings for a person with a MT degree?</p>
<p>To me there should be some economic relationship between what degree you get, what college costs, and what your prospects are when you get out. If you can follow your dream and come out without loans, go for it. If you can’t, you need to think hard about what you are majoring in.</p>
<p>Just my opinion though.</p>
<p>My first major is a degree in “Residential College in the Arts and Humanities”. (Yes, that really is what the name of my major is. It’s new… they’re still working out kinks lol). </p>
<p>My parents weren’t really thrilled at first. They thought that I was wasting my intelligence on something “beneath” me. However, when they went to our first open house that showcased the research and projects that we did, they finally understood. Now I have their approval :).</p>
<p>My new majors/degrees are:
First BA: RCAH with minor in Spanish.
Second BA: Anthropology with minor in Religious Studies (might be changing to museum studies concentration). </p>
<p>They like it more now that I switched from double majoring to getting 2 BAs. Not sure why.</p>
<p>S is a theater major, focusing on theater tech. That’s fine with me. It’s his life, not mine.</p>
<p>I always remember how I wanted to major in African American studies, but my mother convinced me not to because she said I wouldn’t get a job in that major. I majored in government instead, and have never gotten a job related to that major. </p>
<p>I wish I had majored in African American studies, something that still interests me and that would have given me very useful knowledge for some of the fields that I worked in. The people who went to school and majored in African American studiesdid far better economically than I did.</p>
<p>I don’t think there are any “bad” majors, as long as the student goes into it with his/her eyes open and realistic expectations of your likely salary right out of college. I still remember the soon-to-be graduate with a Sociology major complaining that the only job offers she had were for a salary much less than her accounting, chemisty, and math - major friends.</p>
<p>To me its a complex game that involves personality type, willingness to network, minors and related skills, etc. </p>
<p>take the following, for example:</p>
<p>An anthro major who takes accounting and econ, is very driven, and wants to work on wall street</p>
<p>An anthro major who is brilliant, studious, and wants to get a PhD and teach/research</p>
<p>An anthro major who is kinda nerdy, and is going to minor in comp sci, and hopes to work for the govt or an ngo combining the two fields, but if that fails, will go for a straight comp sci job</p>
<p>An anthro major who intends to go to law school, and has the will and the funding to make it happen</p>
<p>An anthro major without what it takes to go on to become a Phd anthropologist, who isnt really driven, and who doesnt have a fall back minor. Who is just hoping “something will turn up”</p>
<p>These are all people with different career prospects, wouldn’t you say? Enough to account for the difference between the Liberal arts majors who do fine, and the ones who become sad stories, eh? </p>
<p>It would be nice if it were as simple as “your major has no impact on your earnings prospects” or “Liberal arts is a straight ticket to poverty” cause then it would be much easier to give advice. But AFAICT neither is true.</p>
<p>My s is majoring in Physics in a small LAC. Up til his senior year of HS he was going to major in engineering at a large state university. I am happy he is following his passion, but with today’s economics it might have been more practical (and cheaper) to major in engineering. I wanted him to follow his dream. I wont know for a few years if this gamble works out.</p>
<p>Our kids know that they can major in whatever they want. They can also rent whatever housing they like, in whatever city they can afford, with as many roommates as they may need, after graduation. As long as they keep the second in mind as they work through the first and are happy with their choices, I’m good.</p>
<p>blue_box - D1 wants to major in managment; I looked at the specific requirements for her major at her school and found lots of room for embellishment. Together we planned a four year program that would give her a certificate in international business and a minor in Chinese language, looking at that four year program gave me a much stronger sense of flexibility and employability. Being a business major will allow her certain other perks at her school in terms of building connections on campus and off.</p>
<p>If you are really interested in business think about your other interests and find the best way to combine them at the schools you are considering and see what you could do, not simply what they require for a degree.</p>
<p>Very funny, archiemom, and profound.</p>
<p>Brooklynborndad - I liked your examples, with the rising cost of college I think the days are long gone when the less than stellar student can take on debt for a major only marginally related to the job market and hope for any financial return on their investment. They may receive other benefits, but if their debt is too high those untangibles will lose their luster under the heavy burden of poverty.</p>
<p>Kids need to think further ahead than their next semester and plan accordingly - that’s not particularly easy for a 17 or 18 year old to do. I don’t think it’s the parents job to criticize a choice of major, but to make sure the options are thoroughly explored - and to draw the line on going into debt. There are many people employed in the film industry who graduated from my local community college at (currently) $71 per credit hour.</p>