“This may come as a surprise to you, sir, but those “liberal arts” degrees do have value. I think that a substantial number of people on Wall Street have such degrees. Mine was in political science (I had hoped to go to law school but when the time came I couldn’t afford it) and I got a job as a surety bond underwriter trainee (the firm didn’t hire anyone who didn’t have a college degee).”
I would suggest that today’s job market is very different from when you went to school.
Today, many schools grant degrees where the student has learned next to nothing useful; and many employers are starting to figure this out.
For example, I am familiar with fixed income traders. In 2010, it is hard enough to find an entry level job in finance, and to the extent that a rookie is hired, it is because that candidate had factors that made him stand out. I know that young graduates with degrees such as a BS in Finance (with extensive math) have gone through many applications until finding a job. The chances of a pure liberal arts major (say, history) landing a finance job in this market is just about zero. A Poli-Sci major may need to get a MBA to be competitive.
And another thing: in today’s market, the wide majority (I would estimate at about 90 percent) in this field above the entry level, except for those of older generations (say, over 55) has a graduate degree.
My problem is with the whole concept of college as a training facility, as opposed to providing a country with an educated citizenry. And you touch upon this with this quote:
Today, many schools grant degrees where the student has learned next to nothing useful; and many employers are starting to figure this out.
Don't you see that you have bought into this idea? That "learning next to nothing useful" states succinctly how you see the role of higher education. What a small and limited role that you perceived advanced education to be.
I was simply pointing out that a political science degree was a negotiable commodity, at least once upon a time.
And yes, you could rebut me by my noting that I had intended to use the degree as a stepping stone to law school, which would have given me a profession from which I would benefited economically.
I do like to think, though, that I learned a lot about the society in which I live while in undergraduate school. That was augmented, BTW, by my second degree (in economics).
Gotta run now. That's all I have to say.