I feel like every major is useless.

academentia
Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:26:11 +0000

So you only want to do an undergrad and make a lot of money and change the world? No wonder you feel stuck.

Most undergrad degrees are not useless, even though they don’t create six figure incomes nor prepare you to change the world. That usually requires much more hard work (either more school or a convoluted career path of hard work). If it was THAT easy, don’t you think everyone would be doing it?
(you are not unique in wanting to make a lot of money AND having meaningful work).

Why don’t you work backwards from the kinds of jobs you see people doing that you envy? I dunno, a scientist finding a cure for AIDs, a national politician, a lawyer defending civil rights cases, a doctor working in Africa. There are many ways to change the world, big and small and have a comfortable life. Figure out wha tmeaningful jobs fit YOUR interests and abilities, and THEN find out how those people got there. Don’t look at majors and work your way up the line; look at the jobs and work your way down.