Fries With That: It's Getting Old

Some days it seems you can barely mention a subject like "sociology" or "English" on DegreeInfo without eliciting PAGES of posts about wanting fries with that, high-fives for the posts about wanting fries with that – good one! – etc.

I don't think it was always this way. And I think it's getting old.

Obviously, we should all have a resume like this one. There's an MBA, very practical, B&M school! There are certificates and/or degrees in Leadership, Criminal Justice, HRM… Legal Assisting, Real Estate, Aviation Technology… All so practical! But hear the man himself: "I have more degrees than a thermometer. So, why can’t I get a job offer that exceeds $20,000 ???"

He may be an extreme case. But we'd all agree there are decent numbers of business, criminal justice, etc. degree holders doing line work in restaurants too. And there are almost certainly decent numbers of art history and French literature degree holders who've used their degree as one part of a portfolio to reach perfectly high-status occupations. Some will be more closely related to their degree subject (eg. master teacher of art, executive at a Paris office), some less.

I don't think I'm making a liberal culture war point. One of the other forums – the very practical one, lots about testing and the Big Three – is probably dominated by social conservatives. Its members almost never seem to grief those interested in social science and humanities degrees. It's a good place.

And, yeah, some joking around, part of life! But when more and more of a webboard seems to be given to the same tired joke over and over again… this may not bode well for the webboard. And I think people here are better than this.

 

I agree with you 100%. Not everyone is cut out to be a business major, or econ, or health, or any of the many others that seem to be the "preferred" degrees on this site as well as in real life. I actually tried both health and business. NOT my finest hour. I don't have it in me to go those routes. So I'm doing what I want, looking at the jobs I want, and I just tend to ignore what everyone else says on here.

There is a wealth of knowledge and advice to be had on this forum, but that sometimes comes with people's opinions about the chosen school, the price tag, the degree, the job prospects. You just have to have a bit of a thick skin. Take what you need and leave the rest. I like my school and my degrees, and I really don't care what anyone else thinks.

 

I've always felt the selection of one's major is an over-rated issue. While it's true that there are some occupations you can't enter without the proper degree (engineering or accounting, for example), most may be pursued with a degree in just about anything. Even the ones with very specific graduate degree requirements, those degrees are often open to people with a wide array of undergraduate degrees.

Except for certain, specific pathways, it's all in what you make it. Literature majors can take things as far as business majors can.

 

I think that there are multiple factors at play here. The first is that the economy has been pretty bad with a lot of people just hanging on. Often they are looking for something that might fatten their paychecks and create some additional job security. Also, most people here are mid-level professionals, not starry-eyed 19 year olds whose tuition is paid by their parents. They andtheir families are making big sacrifices when they to go back to school and so the overwhelming sense is "This just has to have good ROI." It's true that some people with these sorts of degrees have succeeded nicely. It's also true that some people without any degree have succeeded nicely (insert Bill Gates reference here), but this is about probabilities. If you say to yourself "Bill Gates never earned a degree and so I'm not going to either. I'll be just as successful (define as you like) as he is." then you are probably mistaken. Someone who earns a PhD in French Lit might get a chance to turn that into a great career doing any number of things but it's just as likely that they'll wind up driving a cab (that's one of those "fries" references you dislike.) Who among us is going to take that chance? Gladly some people still do but that, generally speaking, is not the demographic of this board.

I'm going to disagree with one thing that you said. You are making a point regarding our culture. This is about cultural values and the comment you've made is accurate and well written (a skill resulting from a good liberal arts education, no doubt). The vaue of a liberal arts grad degree is more abstract and not immediately apparent, especially to those whose basic temperment leans away from a more contemplative style. Personally, I'm glad that the liberal arts degrees continue to be supported by their universities and I wish there were more offerings of that sort. If you believe at all in the "supply/demand" concept then you'd have to conclude that if there's little supply it's because there's little demand. At the same time, however, there is some demand and we've seen over the years that people continue to ask about Philosophy degrees, History degrees, etc. Perhaps instead on criticizing people for making a choice in that particular direction we can simply ask what their motivation might be for choosing that area of study. Or perhaps just point them toward the information they are seeking without any comment at all. But this is America, free speech, etc. and it's the internet, anonymity, etc. and so outside of the TOS there's little control. What you are seeing is a microcosm of the most highly educated people in the USA (and some other places). Don't be scared, we're mostly good people. I'm sure that no one is try to be offensive. I'm also sure that we're fortunate enough to have a member such as yourself to stand up and say, "This is wrong." We can talk about topics without demeaning anyone and I hope that people will take that to heart. Thanks for your comment.

 

Thanks, Kizmet (and everyone).

A scuba diving instructor I worked with was an MBA/CPA who worked weekdays as a corporate CFO. I'm sure she took a fairly massive pay cut from what she could have made moonlighting in finance/accounting to teach scuba diving on weekends instead. She had no regrets. Kizmet, might be an example for you.

 

Kizmet makes a number of very strong points. I think some members might associate the criticized majors with traditional residential colleges, which to them represents impracticality, i.e., something you would study if your parents were paying for you to attend some fancy private school and you didn't have other responsibilities. So, the "want fries with that" (BTW, I would love some fries right now) mentality: good luck getting a job with that philosophy degree, John Locke. Just a theory. Now, about those fries...

 

As someone who actually went to college FOR learning the fine art of frying, I think it's worth pointing out that the distinction in every case (and your scuba instructor) is choice. I make damn good fries, but that was always the plan. Paying $25k per year plus dorm fees to pursue a degree requires a plan that includes their obligation to repay their loan, as well as support themselves and potentially a family. A plan that includes doing whatever they choose. The argument AGAINST the social science/humanities/liberal arts degrees (I have one of those too) is that those people END UP AGAINST THEIR WILL in low paying entry level jobs. And frankly, it's true. That doesn't stop people from pursuing them, in my case it was to "check the box" to enter grad school (and I was mid-career almost 40) - but seriously, would I fund my 18 year old son enroll in a distance learning program to earn a philosophy degree? No, I have plans for a sewing room, so I'm counting down the dependency years on one hand- not two.

I also have to throw out there, as an active member on the "other board" that you're talking about apples and oranges. Over "there" you're working on 100/200 level credits and options for earning an undergrad degree. There are FEW, and I mean few, that discuss anything beyond that, and the age (in my estimation) is young. Here, you're in different company. This board consists disproportionately of graduate level degree holders-or in progress- who are adults. Adults at 40+ view the ROI and where to start the mountain climb differently than those who are 16-25 just starting out. Maybe this board is a little more tough, but this IS America, and this board is free. So, simply, if you don't like the culture, click the X.

 

I'm not sure that I have any serious disagreement with Jennifer but I'd like to point out that this site goes to some lengths to help people avoid the scenario described above. We talk extensively about cost effectiveness and clearly the whole concept of DL is to avoid things such as dorm costs. Also, I have a question . . . there's another board? Surely that can't be true.

 

Yeah, what board? This was the first one I happened upon 8 months ago, so this is where I've been. But maybe a board with younger people just starting out would be a better fit for me. Apparently, I tend to annoy some of the older, more established and respected members on here.

 

Not me ... I hope.

 

I would assume you mean me...you do not annoy me. Honestly, this week "everyone" annoys me. It is not a good week.

 

I think you know this isn't true of the traditional-age crowd – mostly homeschool or post-homeschool I think, with many shouts out to God in signatures and such. These are very earnest, serious, diligent young people who've come this way for cultural and/or financial reasons, not to knock things out quickly without much effort or learning.

Some people over there, okay, do emphasize knocking credits out quickly without so much effort or learning. There are hundreds of thousands of this kind at B&M schools, too.

I hadn't found this myself, though I don't discount your account. :\

 

Meh. I have two social science degrees. The truth hurts.

 

Randell, we worked it out. It's all good. And maybe I will avoid the other board after all. lol Sounds like a bit much just to look for DL info. I can get that here. Admittedly, I don't know as much as most of you here, but I'm getting there. Even if my questions seem, at times, redundant or silly I subscribe to the theory that the only stupid question is the one left unasked. How can you learn if you don't pick the brains of those who already know? We were all newbies at one point.

 

A few months ago, I went to a domestic where the male half was (at least he claimed, and he knew all the correct terminology) ABD for a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Boston College, and he works the overnight stock crew for a local supermarket. He seemed very bitter at his lot in life, underemployed while ABD and having a M.A. in Philosophy.

Conversely, I work with people who break 6-figures with a high school diploma....they work their asses off and basically have no social/family time, but it can be done.

IMO, unless you have a very marketable degree from a very prestigious college/university, the job market is a crap shoot for most people.

 

I kind of figured the same thing. And let's face it. I'm not getting into anywhere prestigious anytime soon. lol So I just chose degrees that I enjoy, that will hopefully open up the doors I want, and have a bit of versatility. They may not work for everyone but they sure work for me. At the end of the day, we have to learn what we want, the way we want, from where we want. It's up to us to open the doors with the degree(s). And I plan on using mine to bust open a few when the time comes.

 

+1, sadly.

This is also sad. Of course, people trained in high-demand fields fall far off too.

 

Wow Maniac, I totally disagree! I think maybe the new members (like under a year or two) might fall into some of those generalizations, but anyone whose been there for any length of time and posts regularly (fewer than 10 I think) have all taken the exact opposite stance. I routinely - and with enthusiasm- suggest picking a field first, then finding the degree that best suits it. Also, that anyone completing their degree via testing also take CLASSES for their major (for a number of reasons). Lastly, I just wrote a friggin book about how to LEARN the material available in tests rather than just testing out. I think I need to bake you some Christmas cookies, it's a good day. Smile.:flowers1: