About That Expensive College Degree You're Getting....

If you didn't see this item over the weekend about how the #Occupy movement may successfully kill college funding, go read it and then come back here.  One consistent theme of the #Occupy movement has been the complaints from a bunch of people with big student loans that were used to purchase an unmarketable degree.  And they want us to pay for their mistake.

Let me just say something about the whole issue of college degrees and their value in the marketplace.  I have absolutely no problem with the idea of a kid going to college and studying something they're passionate about.  Being excited about the subject matter is the best way to make the months fly and keep your interest up.

However, it's long past time to inject some reality into college programs.  The olden days of "just get a degree in anything, it doesn't matter what it is" are over.  If a student is passionate about "Womyn's Studies" or "Interpretive Dance", fine.  Just don't expect society to make up for the big loans and the loss of future income those majors will bring.  If a kid chooses a degree with sketchy future opportunities, they should be warned first by their parents and then by the school that following that course of study may not yield anything other than personal satisfaction.

Of course, colleges are loath to do such things because they're marketing degrees like Wal-Mart markets lower prices.  If they think they can sell enough of them, they'll come up with a degree in just about anything, even if those four years of study are essentially worthless once the student is handed their sheepskin.  But instead of preparing a kid for their future, they're just preparing them for #OccupyWallStreet.  They'd be better off teaching a course in "Fast Food Terminology" than some of the majors that are offered today.

I'm glad that both my kids have chosen majors that have good potential for future careers.  Their degrees will mean something someday.  That's the way is should be.

And if you're looking for a degree that might actually mean a decent standard of living, check out this list from the Wall Street Journal.