In recent years, it feels like the sentiment around college has changed. From ‘guaranteed career’ to ‘expensive scam’ in a matter of decades, the opinion of your average American seems to have shifted dramatically.
The belief that college is a ‘scam’ almost always refers to fields of study that fall outside of science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors or STEM.
These have always been considered ‘safe’ majors that put you on a trajectory for careers in high demand with stable pay.
This is contrasted by other fields of study like English, philosophy, art, history and more niche studies that have been ridiculed as both time and money wasters for students.
I do not share the belief that college is a waste of time if you do not study certain topics. That somehow, your efforts and passions are somehow ‘less than’ if you want to study art history rather than mechanical engineering.
Majors in the humanities produce people that are needed to fill crucial roles in society that are extremely necessary.
Noble professions like school teachers and social workers typically fall under the humanities banner and are just as worthwhile as any job in STEM.
The pre-law track is almost always a humanities-focused major and a good portion of our entertainment industry is filled by people who studied their artistic passions in college.
Treating college and further higher education as some sort of binary system that places certain majors above others is a backwards mindset that takes the focus off of what I believe college should really be about.
The primary value of college may not even be found inside the classroom. Outside of course work, college is an extremely valuable place for young people to be for numerous reasons.
College is a breeding ground for life-long connections that can enrich your life far more than the piece of paper you are handed when you finish.
I would argue that often it is the connections you make in college that set you up far better for your future than your coursework ever could.
The beauty of higher education is the freedom to study whatever interests you have and you should not be shamed for what you choose to study just because the expected job growth is low.
College should be treated as both a practical route for students to continue their education and also a place where they can find what it is that excites them for the time when they move on to the next chapter of their lives.
No matter if you study STEM or not, I believe college is still worthwhile.
I think that at its best, college is a place for those who wish to pursue something that they are passionate about, regardless of what is deemed ‘practical’ or ‘safe’ by others.
In short, if you are fortunate enough to attend college, study what you want and hope to find what you love. Don’t worry too much about the ‘safe’ options.
Because you can fail at what you don’t like, so you might as well take a chance at doing what you love.
But of course, that’s just one man’s opinion.
Categories: Opinion
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