I keep seeing articles about the supposed “worst college majors.” One this morning said that sociology was a bad choice because it appeals to students who are usually interested in helping people, and, “That kind of benevolence doesn't usually translate to wealth.”
I’m all for families making careful decisions about college costs. We’re not living in the same generation when a college degree alone was such a life changer that it was worth just about any price and sacrifice to get one. And you don’t need an MBA to know that the more you borrow to pay for your education, the more money you’ll need to make one day to pay that loan back. Return on investment is important.
But let's not start defining a college major’s worth just by the median salary of graduates. If a kid wants to be an elementary school teacher, why wave him off that dream just because statistics say he could make more money as an aerospace engineer? Instead, let’s applaud his choice, but give him enough information so he doesn’t take out $100,000 in student loans to pay for college. Information might be power, but we’ve still got to be careful how we use it.