[quote=EconProf]Not mentioned so far is the importance of the major the student takes as a determinant of their future occupational success. There is a huge difference in outcomes for humanities, ethnic studies, gender studies, social science majors vs. STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) and other more difficult majors.
Freshmen are rarely informed of this by the professors in these easier majors who need upper level students to maintain their employment. A little truth in advertising is needed…plus the parents need to step in to exert their influence–and pocketbook.[/quote]
Econprof, I did address this issue earlier, here:
[quote=bearishgurl]FT college is the right thing to do for recent HS grads IF:
-snip-
-they know what they want to major in;
-and, their major of choice is one in which they can easily get hired into FT employment (w/benefits) … even if they have to relocate to do so.[/quote]
And yes, I think parents SHOULD influence (their student’s choice of major) with their pocketbook, REGARDLESS of the size of it. They’re not doing their kid any favors by financing their kid’s “degree” in “underwater basketweaving.”
Either the student is going to “go along with the program” of majoring in a currently-in-demand and highly-employable field or they have to find their own financing for college or drop out.
Parents who are financing their student’s education (in whole AND in part) should also insist on seeing their student’s grades in a timely manner after every semester and get their student’s promise that they will chain their academic advisor to their ankle so they will NOT make expensive class-selection mistakes (which cost them additional semesters to finish their degree programs).
In most cases, parents today are sacrificing a large portion of their retirement funds to “launch” their kid into the world properly and I feel they are “entitled” to practical results … or their student should at least bail out after the first semester/year (or after 2nd yr with all their GE credits finished) if they cannot decide on what they want to major in.
College is now far too expensive to be “child’s play” anymore. Many of these college-bound and college freshman kids need to “grow up” and appreciate all that their parents have done (and are doing) for them, which is not without great sacrifice to their own futures.
