comradehoser
Well-known member
I'm very surprised and somewhat skeptical of that list. Physics and computer programming? Maybe if they don't go into engineering?
Oh noes.
- Thread starter bean
- Start date
darwin999
Well-known member
I think she should follow her heart w/ anthro, but also take some classes that have broad application for those other, more marketable, graduate degrees in law, business, whatever. She should go into this with her eyes wide open. So she should also take classes that keep her employability options open. And tell her that to work hard and do well, that there's always room at the top. (i.e., having a C average in anthro is definitely not a good thing...)
You know the story about Steve Jobs sitting in on a fonts class while he was an undergrad, right? Listen to the youtube of his old graduation speech to Stanford undergrads.
You know the story about Steve Jobs sitting in on a fonts class while he was an undergrad, right? Listen to the youtube of his old graduation speech to Stanford undergrads.
jessenator
Well-known member
Wait, you need a sociology degree? I'M A FRAUD
mckillacuddy
Active member
Nokia hired PhD.s from any discipline when they got going. New technologies always need people who know how to learn
Nokia hired PhD.s from any discipline when they got going. Emerging technologies always need people who know how to learnAs a graduate in Anthropology, I can tell you there's not many job prospects outside of academia itself*. BUT: anthropology opens a lot of doors to Masters and Postgraduate courses in lots of fields and disciplines, kind of a skeleton key to a whole array of specializations. Plus the insights into the workings of culture and society are such a perk in so many jobs/life in general. I am currently doing a postgrad in Conflict & Strategy (political sciences/laws field), and had absolutely no issues accessing it with an anthro degree.
* I live in Scandinavia. YMMV across the pond
Edit: not too bad, in your neck of the woods https://careercenter.americananthro.org/jobs/tennessee/
vigilante398
Authorized Vendor
Physics is an oddball one because pure physics is like the engineering equivalent to anthropology, there's not much to do outside of academia unless you're going to be a physicist pretending to be a mechanical engineer or aerospace engineer. I know a couple guys at my work with degrees in physics that end up doing things like thermal and materials analysis. It's not uncommon for them to pursue a graduate degree in mechanical engineering.
Computer science and computer engineering can be tricky but for different reasons. I can only speak from my experience, which is that a lot of the people on our software/firmware teams have degrees in electrical or electronics engineering but with a focus in software/firmware. Companies seem to like having software/firmware people that also have at least some understanding of how the hardware works, which is often lacking in computer science and computer engineering degrees.
vigilante398
Authorized Vendor
She also may get into it and decide to change majors. I did 2 years as a music performance major before changing to EE. My sister did 2 years as a creative writing major before switching to organic chemistry.
You don't need to tell your daughter this, but initial degree declarations aren't permanent.
Harry Klippton
Not Interested
This is such bad advice and if it was ever true, hasn't been for 40 years
Guardians of the analog
Papi Fuego
cwsquared
Well-known member
As somebody in the "Information systems and management: 5.6%", with 25 years experience, it took me just short of 8 months to start a new job (Laid off February 3, started new job September 26). So, not just new graduates.
jessenator
Well-known member
It's a very strange time. I recall getting closer to the end of the 20th/high school graduation, a loud portion of parents' generation vehemently railing against trades. How the turn tables.
I graduated with a degree in sculpture right into the start of the 2008 crash.Job market is rough. My degree is is studio art with a concentration in ceramics and sculpture, so of course not the most marketable degree around, but still… I graduated Magna Cum Laude with honors at a top ranked university, and the only potential lead I’ve found in the 6 months since I graduated is that a new Trader Joe’s is opening near me and they’re hiring cashiers soon.
I was lucky in that it was a top art college and we had some great tutors who pretty much taught us we could do whatever we wanted in life, as long as we realised we would have to work our arses off - and we were prepared to graft minimum wage jobs to make the dream happen.
I worked hard in cafes, ended up running them and managing a team, did vollenteer internship with arts charity and fell into graphic design - once in the 9-5 world I found that the skills of adaptability, teamwork, focus, attention to detail, person ability, understanding of people that you kinda pick up in sculpture degrees are fairly transferable into other fields, and being successful in those fields.
so the question is, what’s the dream you’re aiming for that Trader Joes is the first step en route to ?
YourGuitarist
Active member
OOF RANT ALERT I apologize in advance.
College shouldn't be just about employment. Ofc it's important but there's something to be said about doing something interesting. Lots of people go to school just for employment only to be painfully mediocre at what they do bc they don't care; it's only a means to end. Now we have doors falling off planes and people thinking democracy means 3 terms.
Our society is sliding into a s*** pit bc we collectively undervalue any degree that doesn't directly lead to high earnings. We wouldn't be falling into obvious fascism if people were more literate on history, more inclined towards ethics and philosophy and more multicultural and plural in their worldviews. Neither engineering ethics nor sustainable business courses will actually instill the critical thinking skills necessary to raise A GOOD CITIZEN and well rounded person. That is the other side of academia that is lost when we treat college as rich kid trade schools rather than centers for societal and individual learning. I say all this as an EE by degree and trade.
I get that the economy being what it is instills uncertainty in their ability to live without a professional degree but we got a have some faith that if they're passionate, they'll find their way. Just ensure that they are USING school resources to relevant experience outside of coursework. There needs to be drive.
That being said, if they're picking humanities bc they think it'd be easier.... That's a huge waste of money and time.
College shouldn't be just about employment. Ofc it's important but there's something to be said about doing something interesting. Lots of people go to school just for employment only to be painfully mediocre at what they do bc they don't care; it's only a means to end. Now we have doors falling off planes and people thinking democracy means 3 terms.
Our society is sliding into a s*** pit bc we collectively undervalue any degree that doesn't directly lead to high earnings. We wouldn't be falling into obvious fascism if people were more literate on history, more inclined towards ethics and philosophy and more multicultural and plural in their worldviews. Neither engineering ethics nor sustainable business courses will actually instill the critical thinking skills necessary to raise A GOOD CITIZEN and well rounded person. That is the other side of academia that is lost when we treat college as rich kid trade schools rather than centers for societal and individual learning. I say all this as an EE by degree and trade.
I get that the economy being what it is instills uncertainty in their ability to live without a professional degree but we got a have some faith that if they're passionate, they'll find their way. Just ensure that they are USING school resources to relevant experience outside of coursework. There needs to be drive.
That being said, if they're picking humanities bc they think it'd be easier.... That's a huge waste of money and time.
bean
Legume Liaison
I'm right there with you. I've always taken this viewpoint and I drilled it into J for years. It doesn't matter what you study because college is about learning how to learn, develop critical thinking and hopefully forming lifelong friendships and networking opportunities. We had her in a college prep HS, too.
But, here in the last year or so my viewpoint has shifted a bit. GenZ is getting a very raw deal compared even to my GenX generation so I have a greater concern for her future than I did just a few years ago. I don't want to get into my opinions on why I think that. I'll be writing all night. I'm just a worried dad.
Shoot, I had 4 majors and 8 years of college. And, I plan on going back (community college) at some point for personal development.
Bricksnbeatles
Member known well
Idk, maybe an employee discount on scotch bonnet cheese.
YourGuitarist
Active member
Trader Joe's actually treats their employees pretty well...
YourGuitarist
Active member
Yeah that's the hard part, the economy isn't friendly right now. Even safe fields like stem are at risk due to idiots wanting to replace everything with AI. I have a friend who studied anthro and history and is very gifted in the subjects she indeed has had a rough go of it financially. I also know engineers who took a year + to find a job and had to go out of field. In this day and age, most people can only go to college once (if that). College isn't the only pathway to careers. It's the convenient one that is well understood but not the only way.
That's all I got. Don't wanna abuse silver linings.
Paradox916
Well-known member
bean
Legume Liaison
I don't think it's bad advice. What Jimi said was true for a very long time. Jimi himself went back to school just a few years ago and built a whole new sucessful career for himself. But, something has fundamentally shifted over the last decade and especially since COVID. Economically and politically. I don't want to open that can of worms here though. I do appreciate all the responses. I'm being a worrywart.
Last edited:
