Why do some people spend a small fortune getting a worthless degree from a private college?

Question

Seriously, what the heck are you gonna do with a History degree or a Literature degree? The only jobs in those fields are teaching. There's no money to be made.

I picked a real major, Mechanical Engineering. Suffice to say, people in my major also aren't turned into military hating left-wing nutcases.

Answer 1

People go to college for as many reasons as there are people. Not all people go for a swell paying job. And not all graduates except engineers are military nutcases. You probably are a very sheltered person and probably brainwashed by someone close to you. Branch out and learn about society and people. Best of luck to you.

Answer 2

I think a history or literature degree is great. The way I look at it is that you could be a teacher and teachers are needed everywhere including Hawaii. If I had one of those degrees I could possibly get a job in Hawaii and move there. As it is, I used to live there in the 70's and trying to get back but all I get now is a rinky dink retirement check. About private colleges, my son will graduate from high school in 09 and I'd rather him go to a private college where the ratio is 30 students to 1 professor than 200 in an auditorium to 1 professor.
About the money, a teacher has many students in his lifetime and many of those students can learn alot about character to become great inventors, heroes, etc. I would rather change one person for the better than be a mechanical engineer making lots of money and not being influential in a person's life.....By the way where do you live in Hawaii and where do you work???? good luck

Answer 3

While it's true that some majors won't get you a huge paycheck when all is said and done, lumping everyone who decides to pursue an economically disadvantaged degree into nutcases isn't really fair.
Education for the sake of education IS a reason, whether it means banking thousands more dollars than the next chump or not. It might be hard to believe, but History and Literature CAN be interesting if you brush the chip off your shoulder. I'm a Chem major, but I still take as many different courses as I can outside of my major area just because I love learning.

Questions like these are the reason Engineers *ahem* especially MecE's get reputations as close minded jerks.

Answer 4

Interesting question... I think that if a person is willing to put forth the effort for a degree - in anything - then there's definately some value in it. Although you can't see it now, you will one day realize that for a person to work towards a goal for four years (or more) is valuable in and of itself. Also, some people feel that making money isn't the only path to success - and although it seems like it - not all educators are left wing whack jobs. One of the problems with the educational system in our country is that we've moved away from liberal arts, which means that people know a lot about only one subject, say mech. eng., and nothing about other subjects. This tends to leave people at a disadvantage because they aren't well rounded. It's kind of like a cook only knowing how to prepare meat. What about the potatoes, veggies, desserts? Makes for a dull meal, don't you think? So, celebrate the fact that you have something that you think is better than what others have, and be willing to accept that some people are OK with spending a lot of money on a less technical degree.

Answer 5

Well, I disagree with the premise of the question. History and Literature are great starting points for going to law school, where you have to be able to read, write, and research extraordinarily well in order to pass. In fact, law schools tend to favor applicants from the liberal arts (also including philosophy) for this reason. Furthermore, liberal arts degrees are the most common starting points for high paying jobs like museum curator, magazine writer or editor, and some advertising jobs. Finally, there are some jobs that don't require a specific degree, but only want college educated applicants (some sales jobs, management at a restaraunt, most jobs at businesses like starbucks). English and history are excellent if you plan to do something like this because you can study something fun while still having good career prospects. Thus, there's no reason why liberal arts majors have to get stuck in dead end, low paying careers.

Answer 6

It's good they do, ti would be a pretty dry world if everyone had your viewpoint. We need people with different prospectives, interest, and skills. History for example, strangely sad place if no one studied history.

There are various reason's why, some for prestige, family tradition, location; probably as many different reasons to this questions as to the questions why don't people want a well rounded education.....

Answer 7

Whoa, partner. Got up on the wrong side of the bed, did you? Slow down a bit.
Why are you bothering to complain about something that doesn't concern you? If you are really that better off, get a job and get off this site. Its obvious to me that you need something to do, because I know many Mechanical Engineers that if they aren't doing something constructive all the time, they'd be doing something destructive.
Make good use of your time, boy. You're not going to be young forever. (Sorry to have to tell you the truth... )

Answer 8

i understand lots of culinary arts graduates who're washing dishes for $7.00 an hour.........after making an investment 30-40k in a 2 3 hundred and sixty 5 days degree. Sillies......you do not opt for a level to bathe dishes. I also understand a tremendous type of liberal arts human beings operating minimum salary jobs

Answer 9

Well I have wondered the same thing myself. I went to a state college (IUPUI) and paid very little out of pocket for my education in chemistry, then got accepted into grad school at Miami with full tuition and stipend, and am starting a job at 80K per year, I say to those overpaying peers of mine..........."SUCKERS"

Answer 10

Well, with those degrees you can be a teacher and/or a writer. And if you're into those things, why not learn about them?