<p>I’m not sure if I’m posting this in the right place but here goes. I am pretty new to this site (I was the mom reading Charlotte Simmons if anyone remembers) and to the college search process so at the risk of sounding totally dumb, may I post some of the things I have been worrying about. I posted some info on my d. and people were kind enough to give me good suggestions of schools which might be a good match for my daughter. She isn’t a stellar student but she’s gone to CTY and CTD for 3 years and loved it and she likes brainy, “nerdy?” kids, doesn’t drink or like sports. She’s a little on the quiet side. We’ve thought about Chicago, Barnard, Brandeis, NYU. She also doesn’t excel in math or science. We have a high enough family income that we will probably get no aid but money is an object as we have another child and must leave something for retirement, etc. Now should my daughter, in this day and age where people always have to be ready to change careers because of downsizing, outsourcing, etc. spend 4 years pursuing “navel gazing” - i.e. history, literature, and then go to law school or business school or would she be better off doing an undergraduate major in business, education, speech pathology or anything which might someday help her change careers? Also, if you major in linguistics or anthropology, how do you know you’d like law or business? Is the private liberal arts degree mostly for trust fund babies who don’t have to worry about these things? Also, don’t think I’m anti-intellectual but can’t you get enough from core required courses and electives and high school classes for that matter to enable you to “think” well enough to read the classics on your own dime later in life (like I did)? Thanks to anyone who gets through this (sorry it’s so long!).</p>
<p>You have many questions- some of which can be answered by a few days of reading back posts- but I will attempt to answer a few of your issues- cause it is either that or go to the gym.</p>
<p>We have a high enough family income that we will probably get no aid but money is an object as we have another child and must leave something for retirement, etc.</p>
<p>Then you probably want to look at schools that offer merit- which means not usually the very most prestigious schools, but great schools nontheless.</p>
<p>Now should my daughter, in this day and age where people always have to be ready to change careers because of downsizing, outsourcing, etc. spend 4 years pursuing “navel gazing” - i.e. history, literature, and then go to law school or business school or would she be better off doing an undergraduate major in business, education, speech pathology or anything which might someday help her change careers</p>
<p>My advice would be that a tech degree- can be much more limiting in the long run, than a degree that has classes where you were exposed to areas outside your comfort level, and where you were challenged.</p>
<p>Also, if you major in linguistics or anthropology, how do you know you’d like law or business?
Take a class? Talk to people in that field? How did you know you were interested in linguists or anthro?</p>
<p>Also, don’t think I’m anti-intellectual but can’t you get enough from core required courses and electives and high school classes for that matter to enable you to “think” well enough to read the classics on your own dime later in life (like I did)</p>
<p>I don’t really see what you are saying. Are you asking if the core curriculum at some liberal art schools is too much?
Well for some maybe it is.
My daughters hum class which is required for all freshman at her LAC has about 35 required books in the year long course- that would be too much for me- I would be more likely to read the cliff notes version. Universities also have classics course, although they may not be required for freshman year.
That is a significant difference in schools- do you want a school with a structured core curriculum across the disciplines, do you want a school with looser requirements enabling students to develop their own major or do you want something in between?</p>
<p>As kity said, you have a lot of questions. 
I think the first thing I’d ask is what does your daughter want to study? What is she interested in? If she’s interested in linguistics and anthropology then perhaps she should research schools which have good programs in those areas. Does she want an urban school? Large, small? It’s pretty difficult at age 17 to be making the decision to attend law school or business school someday. The reality these days is that most accepted students to law schools or MBA programs are not recent grads. Most graduate with their undergrad degree then work for a number of years prior to applying. So concentrating on the first degree is what she should be doing now. If she’s not sure, then she should probably apply to, for instance, a College of Arts and Science where she will be able to apply ‘undecided’ as to major. As an example, NYU allows you to do this. However, as a parent of a child at NYU, I’d have to say that if your D is ‘on the quiet side’, is perhaps bothered by students drinking, ‘is not a stellar student’ (although I’m not sure exactly what you mean by that), and that you have a definite need for assistance whether need or merit-based, then NYU is probably not the best fit for her. If you could give us a bit more information as to what type of school she’s interested in, where you’ve visited, etc., I’m sure you’ll get lots of suggestions. I personally do not see a liberal arts education as ‘navel-gazing’.</p>
<p>this may help
we were deciding between two schools which were very similar
( same Northwest environment- similar student body- both small ) but very different ( private /public/ - strict distribution requirements/no distribution requirements)
She opted to attend the more structured, private school, however, while the other school was a bit more free form, it has served many people very well and proved to be a great jumping off point for some very successful people who might not have gotten there without the navel gazing of their undergrad years</p>
<p>Hum… I think that a college degree is always a good thing - and you don’t need a degree in a trade to be employed. I was an engineer and realized that I didn’t want to be an engineer - still loved the eduction, so it was worth it, but if I weren’t a math/science nerd, it would hae been a waste of time. </p>
<p>An economics degree may be useful for your D - coupled with programming courses (which companies LOVE to see), she would be in good shape to be employed upon graduation but would also have enough room in her schedule for other courses. Some of the problem with a tech degree is that you just don’t have many electives - engineers were given five electives at my school! Think a bit outside the box, if you are worried about employment: economics, pharmacy (six years, but some great job opportunities at the end), business, nursing, etc - hopefully something that can also allow some extra time for the “navel gazing.”</p>
<p>that is a problem with some engineering schools
I know some engineers who I don’t think have ever taken a history class, an English class that wasn’t about technical writing, or an art class.
Frankly, while they seem to be doing fine in their careers, I think they would be much more interesting people if they had a little broader background ( donning flameproof suit)</p>
<p>Amazon - this approach worked well for me umpteen thousand years ago - find summer jobs that expose you to different types of work, and shape your college career based on what you learn from those jobs.
To me, this is one of the best arguments for going to a less expensive school, and/or requiring your offspring to pay some of their expenses themselves - nothing focuses the mind better than a couple of months is an unpleasant, dead-end job, unless it is a couple of months doing or observing secondhand work that seems stimulating and enjoyable.</p>
<p>It went this way for me - first summer, Head Start aide, teaching (the family profession) got a big no way; then secretarial work in industry, business was OK, engineering, aahh, no: then, I worked in medicine, yep that was it, I prepared for med school, as well as developed a Plan B and C if I didn’t get in.</p>
<p>Most kids don’t know what they want to do, and need the flexibility of time and finances to figure it out - there is nothing wrong with nursing or engineering or teaching, particularly if you have a calling and experience, even from observing parents, to know that’s for you. Most other kids may need 4-6 years plus a couple of false starts, to find their path. They need strong general skills (which is the best argument for a liberal arts education), but they also may need to minor in accounting or get that education certificate or some Microsoft certification, etc. Mostly they need good career counseling early in their college time, and few will ever go to the career center.</p>
<p>To clarify - it’s not the core requirements that bother me, it’s the fact that it seems that most of the private, “good” colleges don’t offer majors in anything that seems very useful outside if you are not a math or science person. I know the arguments for the liberal arts education but I’m wondering if 4 years on top of rigorous classes in high school is more than someone who is going to have to think about making a living in a very challenging, changing environment should spend. And I’m not just talking about my particular child but am being a little philosophical here. I just assumed that all the people who majored in things like history or comparative literature just went straight to law school but they get jobs?</p>
<p>But back to my kid. We could finance a private education for her at a sacrifice but it should be something that would pay off in a better life for her down the road. Is spending 4 years exploring and being with like minded spirits better than having one or two practical majors like merchandising (whatever that is) or speech pathology given that you will also take a lot of liberal arts courses as part of your core requirements?</p>
<p>Also, I majored in Economics - I actually got a Master’s in it and at one point I got a job that took my M.A. in Econ in lieu of an MBA but to be honest I really felt like I was over my head and didn’t have the tools which I needed to do the job. </p>
<p>And thanks but engineering is not on our radar screen because she isn’t very good in math. And, do liberal arts schools even have classes in business or law that you could try?</p>
<p>Many liberal arts colleges today are keenly aware of what people think of them as far as “navel gazing” goes. Any good liberal arts program will also offer internships and other programs with career exploration in mind. I was a Psychology major at a small womens college, and did internships in NYC at Mobil Oil and Citibank. Those internships got me my first banking job in New York. My friends did their internships in publishing, medicine, etc…I think liberal arts combined with “practical” internships is a one-two punch towards career goals.</p>