Going to college for the wrong degree is like purchasing a 4-year vacation, amirite?

It's SO HARD to pick "the right" degree when you're 17. I had no idea what I liked then, and majored in psychology. I work in tech now. I would have never chosen that degree when I applied to college. There's no right answer.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Agree. There is no right degree. Like other people note, you can pivot your profession at different points of your life. It really comes down to how you market yourself and how aggressively you push yourself. I know plenty of people with STEM degrees that are now bankers, SAHMs, bakers, and artists.

by Only-Driver7132 1 year ago

Two of my high school teachers were former engineers. My mom also has an engineering degree and now teaches. They all still loved STEM, but just not the actual field work.

by NoTap 1 year ago

I also studied psychology and am now in tech

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Tech isn't that hard to get into, just gotta put the time in. A lot of my colleagues were not STEM majors, neither am I.

by Harrisdamion 1 year ago

I did 10 years in the military and am possibly getting a tech position soon lol

by Embarrassed-Call-467 1 year ago

I studied English, and now I'm a GIS Analyst

by Anonymous 1 year ago

That's because our high schools do an absolutely terrible job in general at getting kids to explore degree fields before actually committing to college. It's a shame. I'm lucky my school had so many different things that were in my interest area for me to try. The same is not true for everyone.

by Ancient_Rule7011 1 year ago

I honestly recommend anyone that doesnt know exactly what they want to just go to community college first. If you know exactly what field you want then thats a different story but personally, I had no clue what the classes even were. Got accepted into a few schools for random majors but decided to go to community college where it took me 3 years because I changed majors like 2-3 times. Classes were free too so there was really no harm is switching majors. Transfered to a decent school and got hired immediately after graduating debt free. I would've racked up so much debt with the amount of classes I took from just having no idea what I wanted to do

by No_Manufacturer 1 year ago

I took a bunch of random classes freshmen year to see which I liked. Quickly figured out Biology wasn't my skill set but engineering was. Took an extra year because I didn't take summer classes or overload my schedule but worked out well.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I also majored in psychology and I'm now a software engineer. Tbh I don't regret it. Psychology was something I was passionate about and wanted to study in depth; I love technology too but I'd been doing that on my own time for a while.

by PuzzleheadedWord 1 year ago

Did you have to go back to school to make the career switch, or were you able to market self-obtained skills? I just think such a 180-degree pivot is interesting. Unless it's not as 180 as I think, lol

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I feel that. I originally chose pre-vet studies and was eventually pressured by my parents to switch to biomedical engineering (or any engineering). Then covid happened and I was depressed and struggling and realized engineering was NOT for me. Switched school and changed my degree to Environmental Science. Turns out I love this and am very good at it (even got a competitive internship!) but I never would've picked this major to start and I don't think my parents would've "let" me either. Ultimately I'll have debt that amounts to around the same (or slightly less) than what I'll earn coming out of college.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Right?! My degree worked out, but so many don't. I could probably chosen a different one and landed somewhere else. It's weird to put that kind of pressure on 17/18 year olds. And what are you supposed to do if you don't go at that point? It's much harder to go back and well paying jobs to save up are rare without the degree.

by NoTap 1 year ago

I went in for criminology and forensics and I work in tech now. 😬 Being pressured by adults to buckle down, have a plan, pick a career and figure your life out all at 17 wasn't good for me

by Christa79 1 year ago

The right answer is to not go to college until you know what direction to head

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Yeah sure then there's a market change and you're laid off

by Johnsoscar 1 year ago

Oh boy! Spend your life doing something you find "bearable" that sounds like a valuable use of 50 years! And it's not like markets change or anything. Especially when everybody does this and then there's a glut of candidates.

by NoTap 1 year ago

Psychology is a gateway drug

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Of course it is. Nobody has to go to college immediately following high school at that age and make those commitments. They're making the choice. Almost everyone suffering from those choices made at least in the last 20 years really had no one to blame but themselves given how widely available the pitfalls of choosing low earning degrees have been.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Almost like they want you to choose before you know whats good for yourself.

by dveum 1 year ago

Are you just ignoring the fact that parents exist? My parents strongly urged me to go to college, same with most of my friends. When you're a kid, you think they know what's right. Some parents even force their kids to go, threatening to kick them out if they don't.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Statistically, if you don't go to college straight away, life gets in the way and you never make it there. If you do make it there, you generally take a long time to finish your degree. High schools should be teaching the kids the basics, but they absolutely should be giving people an idea of different career realms to look.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

But "you are too smart not to go to college - 3 guidance counselors i make more than without a degree

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Did you have to study tech or just get certifications?

by dino57 1 year ago

That's why it's a good idea not to go right away. There's no maximum age restriction to go to college. No one has to pick a degree at 17.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Not only that but most 17 year olds aren't taught about which ones are more marketable or not.

by mariettarutherf 1 year ago

What kinda weird ass vacations are you taking that involve homework and exams?

by Mountain_Sir186 1 year ago

He's saying it's just as useless towards the long term goal as a vacation in terms of practical knowledge.

by DramaticEvent 1 year ago

A one week cruise costs like a thousand dollars. A semester is like 21 weeks? That's right around where most tuition is.

by jacobsonethan 1 year ago

Yeah, so I think they're saying that doing 21 back-to-back week-long cruises for an entire semester would be roughly the same cost as a semester of tuition. Or at least the same order of magnitude

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Think of a week long cruise 20 times That's what I am saying

by jacobsonethan 1 year ago

I've hear it said, jobs don't always require a bachelor's, but careers do require a bachelor's.

by khickle 1 year ago

I had a mentor who said "all a bachelors really shows is that you can start and finish something"

by Melodic_Love5996 1 year ago

Used to intern for a utilities company. Many of the people I met/interviewed while there had random ass degrees, from art to Japanese literature to biology. None of those people were actively using their degrees in their jobs, and yet were easily making six figures. And while they didn't all have relevant degrees, every last one of them had a degree. They might not be using their major, but they are using their degree.

by jacynthebotsfor 1 year ago

Looking down on other people's degrees is stupid. What makes you think you're better than other people just because of their degree. Every degree is hard in its own unique way and in the current climate you need a degree to get anywhere. Any smart person can pivot any degree to a positive financial future. Your youth is about exploring the world and learning about what your possible vocations are. And there is a lot more you learn from university than the classes you go to. I'm sorry you had such a bad experience and were too obsessed with money to enjoy life.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

A lot of people are 17/just turned 18 when they go to college and don't have enough experience or knowledge to create an entire financial plan or even know what they want to do in life. At the same time working in a shop somewhere on minimum wage is not going to expand their world view or give them the time to make this decision. College helps a lot in connecting with other people and learning from leaders in their field.

by Longjumping-Dog-2699 1 year ago

What if you just want to learn?

by Anonymous 1 year ago

OP's going to come scream, "then it's a VACATION" at you here in a minute. I'm imagining John Mulaney's voice.

by No-Side2240 1 year ago

I only hear John Mulaneys voice and picture Spider Ham. I think there is intrinsic value in education. University requires work, and dedication. I think it's very different than a vacation. Also, degrees outside of your career field, can still help you be better at your job. But ideally, it puts you on a path to higher earnings.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Then be prepared to pay for it

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Hire a tutor. It's far more efficient and often cheaper.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I think a better take would of been "College degrees are/have become inflated, people need to realize there are other ways of making it in the world". I think at least in my nation the notion of "College or bust" has been blowing around far too much (at least when I was in school not sure if that is still the same sentiment) and not encouraging students to look at things like Trades or other careers.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Except for all the knowledge that you gain that can be applied to many situations not just work

by Johnsoscar 1 year ago

I think vacation is the wrong word to use here

by Funny-Experience 1 year ago

So many suicides when I was in college, the deceased were majoring in a wide variety of things. In what world does that make someone think of vacation

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I don't like this take because it ultimately feels anti education. Education is always an investment. Maybe you invested in an area you didn't end up going into. That wasn't wrong, you still gained skills and knowledge. And in practice, having a degree is more important than what degree it is for probably most of entry level positions. Of course there are more exclusive fields this doesn't apply to. But I dislike the growing exclusivity of higher education. People should be more empowered to pursue higher education, not less.

by Adept-Concern-9054 1 year ago

I agree here. Education is rarely ‘useless'. I learned a lot in college that wasn't specific to my area of study, including how to write well, think critically, analyze information, organize my time, etc. The whole experience helped me grow as a person and I notice a lot of skill gaps amongst people who didn't get a higher education. I do feel like, at least when I was in high school, we were sold a somewhat false narrative that going to college guaranteed a decent job (not high paying, I wasn't ever concerned about getting rich I just wanted to be comfortable), but the job market turned out to be a lot worse than I expected. So I can understand some people feeling cheated, but I ultimately don't regret getting my degree. Not everything is about how much money something makes you.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Society has convinced you ACADEMIA is JOB TRAINING. It may sort of operate like that, but it is not the intent of educational institutions. Colleges are for learning information not to train you for jobs.

by loysipes 1 year ago

Except there are many jobs that need degrees that you would not think should.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

There's no such thing as a "right" degree. College graduates earn on average one million dollars more over the course of their lives than their non college educated peers, regardless of degree.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

College degrees tend to mean you will show up and do the work l, I've met people who's careers have nothing to do with their degrees

by CashKey4140 1 year ago

Don't freak out but I didn't go to college for job purposes

by Anonymous 1 year ago

All college degrees have the potential of leading to a successful career. At a minimum with a four year degree, you can take the LSATs and attend law school.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I actually went to university for this reason, I could either sit at home with my parents and no friends (as they all went to uni) or I could fork out the money and go to uni. If I actually gave a single 1 about my career I would have done an apprenticeship. But I wanted to party and live with people my age, so I decided it was worth the money for a four year holiday. 4 years later, I'm months away from the end and looking at almost certainly failing my degree, having done absolutely nothing but partied. Do I have any regrets? Obviously it would be preferable for me to have a degree, but I have made lifelong friends, incredible memories and I honestly think that in and of itself has been worth the debt.

by Qabbott 1 year ago

You won't feel that way in about 2 years. Finish your degree and get after it.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

One could argue that living abroad will likely teach you the language (assuming it is not your native tongue) better than foreign language courses will, especially once you have mastered the basics. That said you don't get the piece of paper - but on the other hand you can take a certification type exam for it. Maybe the real goal should be to separate the processes of gaining knowledge and certifying knowledge.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Hey, this guy gets it!

by Adellterry 1 year ago

Yeah but also if you're insecure then you can look down upon those who didn't get a college degree and tell yourself that you are smarter than them, so there's that. For some people that can be worth the $100k of debt.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

More like a four year without any equity...

by Anonymous 1 year ago

And if you do it wrong, you are in debilitating debt.

by Adellterry 1 year ago

The purpose of college isn't necessarily job placement because the fields change all of the time. Vocational school is much better at job placement because it is training for a skill that is used directly for a job.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

The purpose of college isn't necessarily job placement because the fields change all of the time.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

If you go to the right school the degree is less important

by Anonymous 1 year ago

This assumes that the only benefit of college is the financial outcome. I wonder, OP, if my net financial benefit should be the primary factor in all my decisions?

by Leorastoltenber 1 year ago

i dont think every decision we make in life should be for a financial benefit.

by Danyka91 1 year ago

Many jobs require a 4 year degree. It doesn't matter what it's in.

by Xzavierbalistre 1 year ago

But, what are you going to do when society since you were a kid, told you there would be all these great jobs in STEM someday? What do you do if you honestly like a field but it just doesnt pay or doesnt pay unless you have a Phd?

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Sounds like someone who didn't have to work full time going through college

by Advanced-Buffalo 1 year ago

Disagreed. College, in general, teaches you how to problem solve and how to learn. If you think any particular degree guarantees you money, you're dead wrong.

by Wellington04 1 year ago

100% My undergrad was in business. 2.7gpa. Masters in data science. 3.9 gpa. Four years later I'm now C level at two companies with the same ownership and my degrees had nothing to do with it. I was able to pivot myself due to my problem solving skills.

by Wellington04 1 year ago

Some people actually study psychology and arts there. I am not even kidding

by Anonymous 1 year ago

>mfw I used the GI Bill to get a "useless" degree and now make 6 figures a year

by Keanu65 1 year ago

What was the degree and what are you now doing?

by andykuhic 1 year ago

BA in Music, work for one of the largest production companies in the US as a manager for hundreds of musicians and techs across the US.

by Keanu65 1 year ago

What about going to college simply to learn? That's pretty much the main reason for going to college, at least historically. It never started out as a job or career-training endeavor; it was all about learning. A degree nowadays is often used as a proxy to determine a person's employability (at least it often is), but that's a perversion of the original intent for going to college.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

if you're not working your ass off for your classes in college, you're wasting your money fo sho

by Xkunde 1 year ago

People can go to college without a financial reason or plan. It's not smart, but it's their life.

by nyaheller 1 year ago

I love that you call it a vacation cause I think that's what it is for most people. I didn't enjoy my university experience cause I was in a super difficult program and I was studying basically every second of the day..but everyone else seemed to really enjoy their time.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

There are 2 things wrong with this: the first half and the second half. Going to college isn't a vacation for most. If you aren't enjoying yourself at all in a difficult program, it's too hard for you.

by Head_Cheesecake 1 year ago

If I worked for like a year before school id have maybe had a better sense of what I wanted from school when I did join. However I'd also graduate a year older and that would suck. I really don't know the right answer here.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

GOOD memories? Lol.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Not really.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

A lot of department chairs and directors lie about the job prospects of the degrees and give false information about the future outcomes

by Anonymous 1 year ago

What is so bad about a 4 year vacation?

by Gmccullough 1 year ago

Man, I wish my undergrad was easy enough for anyone to consider it a "vacation"

by Anonymous 1 year ago

If you get a gender studies or athropology degree or something that there just isn't a career path besides being a college professor for that degree… then yes. Lots of good degrees but lots of pointless ones.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I'm currently at a community college and I'm saving so much money

by Gaylordava 1 year ago

It's way more complicated than this. Some people get "good degrees" and still don't get jobs. Some degrees are very difficult and still don't lead to a job - a degree in mathematics, Latin, or ancient Greek, for example. And sometimes just having a degree in anything is helpful in getting a job, getting promoted, etc. this is most obvious working in government or military.

by crempel 1 year ago

I think a big issue is that jobs in many fields of study are filled with nepotistic hires which allows people to shame those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds for pursuing certain degrees.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Default for freshmen should be General Studies. With maybe one or two classes that lean towards what they're interested in. After that year, they can either commit yo a specific degree - or continue general studies if they're unsure at all.

by ckris 1 year ago

College is no vacation I'll tell you that

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I personally think you should wait till you're 21 to enter college, unless you're a genius and are pursuing academic research or have a logical and carved out plan of where ur degree takes you. Too many ppl get pressured into school and take out loans with no plan. It's a predatory system.

by Plus_Entertainer_446 1 year ago

Yeah you are right a society would do so well if everyone only went to school for the 4 career paths that pay well. We only need accountants, engineers, lawyers and doctors. Yep that's it a society can completely function with only those careers.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

having a degree is useful, even if it isn't in the field you end up working in. and asking a teenager to pick the perfect life plan that they'll never want to deviate from doesn't tend to work well.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Kinda. Going to college and leaving w/o a degree is a vacation. Having a 4-year puts you in that category of having a degree period. I mean realistically yes, gender studies wont get you an engineering job but it might land you a gig at a non-profit compared to someone with only a HS diploma.

by Bechtelartaya 1 year ago

And then asking the US tax payers to foot the bill for your vacation.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

It's not an "unpopular opinion" per se, more like "here are my judgements."

by Anonymous 1 year ago

all considered, it's probably one of the best vacations you could have, considering the amenities and social opportunities. just do it. not everything in life is about roi.

by Upbeat-Can 1 year ago

I agree with the spirit of this but it's said in a way that makes it seem like this is easy The social pressure to go to college right out of high school is insane. You'll go in for a degree you don't want and isn't feasible and while it should be that going should provide benefits regardless on if you go into that field or not. The financial barrier of entry means it might not be possible to go again for something more feasible. In essence it's kinda a one shot kinda deal for a lot of people and very few people are equipped to make that decision right out of high school.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I never said it was easy! Life is hard and full of important decisions, that forced us to grow up quickly! I'm saddened for the people that got a degree and have little more than a piece of paper commemorating their degree. Similar to a picture of a landmark visited on a vacation. It was fun, had great experiences, but the money is gone and if the degree doesn't help me earn more, I'm stuck with essentially a life long bad investment.

by Adellterry 1 year ago

I had an exit interview with my high school football coach my senior year, he told me "anyone whoever says high school was the best time of their life never went to college, enjoy yourself son." And I did. 😎

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I disagree. If you go toy college and learn critical thinking and how to use it you're pretty solid with most entry level jobs

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Until you go to college you have no right to judge.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Most people don't finish! And most people don't do anything related to what they study! Don't feel shame !!! This idea that everyone goes for a solid 4 years and knows exactly what they want is sooo fake

by Anonymous 1 year ago

If you don't know what you're going for, WAIT UNTIL YOU DO! Go get a job, go do community service volunteering somewhere. Figure yourself out, while it isn't putting you into life long debt!

by Adellterry 1 year ago

I picked the wrong degree but it was far from a "vacation". Vacations to me are fun and relaxing. My university experience was far from either of those things.

by Aronschultz 1 year ago

College is harder than working a 9-5.

by dinabode 1 year ago

I understand what you're saying but not everything is about financial returns. If you or your parents have the means to pay for it, a 4-year vacation can be life-changing. They are potentially your most formative years during which you find out who you are and what your values are, build lifelong friendships, have tons of fun, develop your worldview and critical thinking skills, and form lasting memories. And once it's over, you may never have an opportunity like that again in your life. That said, it's not for everyone, and there are other ways you can experience many of the above benefits of college without the traditional college experience. And regarding the cost, I think it's really a personal decision how much you're willing to pay or go into debt for whatever degree you're getting.

by Forsaken-Bar 1 year ago

I agree with what you are saying completely. As long as you know what you are signing up for.

by Adellterry 1 year ago

Yea, that's not how it works. I got a degree in criminal justice and ended up getting a marketing job in Manhattan. The degree is what got me into the interview. Nailing the interview was alllll me. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. Getting any degree is worth it. Don't let people tell you otherwise.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

…where you have to work full time.

by Beautiful-Kiwi-4601 1 year ago

statistically if you pick any major you will be making at least a few thousand dollars more than just a HS diploma. Also picking a major isn't that big of a deal as most have transferable skills.

by Capital-Visit 1 year ago

Communications degrees have entered the chat.

by Hhand 1 year ago

College is about making your head a more interesting place to spend the rest of your life. Everything else is noise.

by Anonymous 1 year ago

Ironic, so are vacations!

by Adellterry 1 year ago

The whole point of a degree anymore is to just show you know how to learn. That's it. You don't go to college, employers are going to assume less of you. Do I agree with this, no, is it how the world works, yes. Also, any major is hard in its own way, it's not a vacation.

by Terrible_Active5629 1 year ago

People going without considering the financial ramifications are driving up the cost making it so that fewer degrees make financial sense. Universities pricing function simply on supply and demand. The more students that want to attend the higher the cost goes up, and ironically, the less valuable their product becomes.

by Adellterry 1 year ago

I bought my first house making portfolio websites for SCAD graduates. They graduated with debt. I never graduated but my 60k house went up 500% in value, is paid off, and covers 50% of my living expenses. If any of those students had saved their money (~200k for SCAD degree) they could have bought 4 houses and be worth well over a million by now.

by turnerdeshawn 1 year ago

Onion bag man bringing the reality. College is great, but the idea that is for everyone or mostly everyone is insane. Lots of man people that paid the $200k for their "SCAD" degree in here

by Adellterry 1 year ago

Well, the thing is there is no such thing as a "right" or " wrong" degree. People interests change over time throughout their life and even in college. Besides, people would eventually find jobs that are unrelated to their degrees.

by Dry_Analysis 1 year ago

A vacation implies a stress free environment. I don't know if you went to college….

by Anonymous 1 year ago

I believe that making such an important decision at the age of 18 is hard for most people. The best course of action will be to work in something and then picking your career based on that job experience.

by SimilarBid 1 year ago

A well rounded education impacts more than just your current day job.

by Anonymous 1 year ago