Class of 2009 to Be Largest Graduating High School Class in American History

[Bluer White]

Most schools have gen ed requirements that take over two semesters to fulfill anyway, don't they? You might as well be undecided while you're knocking these classes off.

 

[onebloodonelife]

I know there are many people who will disagree with me, but these days a BA or BS alone (unless it's in something like engineering) is pretty useless. You will of course always find exceptions in certain areas, especially technical areas, but for the most part these degrees will not enable you to really do much. And that is partly because most people out there are pushing forward with grad degrees or professional degrees and that turns everything into a vicious cycle.

Also with today's job situation and outsourcing and the global markets, the only somewhat secure jobs are ones that (a) must be performed by actual, real people and (b) require licences to practice.

Precisely. And, that's the reason why I'm going to grad school...which makes me part of that vicious cycle, but there's really nothing else I can do with my BA without going on to get at least an MA, but my actual plan is to go for a PhD and go into academics.

Isn't this an awfully costly way of making such a decision? As long as you're there, you're blowing really substantial amounts of money on a year or 2 that is not going to achieve anything for your long term goals. I don't like to ever think of any education as a waste but there is a line, surely, when you're talking of 10's of thousands of dollars in school fees, living costs, etc.

Yes, it is. In my situation, I was lucky enough to take advantage of a program available to high school juniors and seniors in Minnesota, where the state will pay for students to go and take college classes. I did that my senior year, and came into college with a year of credits under my belt. So, the year I spent figuring out what I wanted to do wasn't completely a waste. But, I'm still going to end up here for four years because of the degree I'm getting. I think it ends up a wash, honestly.

The other thing to consider is that the first year or even two of a four year program is spent on liberal education requirements. It's not essential to pick a degree path until the end of the second year, and even then, for most degrees, the required coursework for the major only takes up a little over a year's worth of credits.