Why the Bachelor’s Degree is No Longer Useful

It ain’t what it used to be. I recall my parents telling me that I should obtain my Associate’s when I was attending SF State for my Bachelor’s, but that’s another story. Interestingly enough, if I did drop out of a state college I would be even more screwed even more with an Associate’s. No offense to people who hold an Associate’s. To be honest, it doesn’t matter what type of paper you have unless it’s an Master’s.

It seems to me that every degree has fallen a rank. The Masters is th new Bachelor’s, the Bachelor’s the new Associate’s, and the Associate’s is still the Associate’s. So why is this? Are schools secretly out to get us with even more debt for gaining more knowledge from them (like thieves)? Or does society believe that those who have been in school longer should be rewarded? Honestly, I don’t know.

But what I’ve come to find out is that it really does matter in what you study. Science, Business, and Math degrees have always had higher salaries than those in Social Sciences or the Arts. And, sometimes even someone with a Master’s in Psychology will make less than a individual with a Masters in Bioscience. Although there are exceptions to this since it really depends on the type of job.

For me personally, I believe that majoring in Psychology was a mistake. You see, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. I originally wanted to study Kinesiology but I was doing poorly in Organic Chemistry and Human Anatomy and Physiology. I wanted to become a Physical Therapist but didn’t have the discipline. Although I do not regret it, I believe I should have been more discipline and motivated. Currently , I work as a Case Manager at a non-profit, serving individuals with developmental disabilities. What I’ve noticed is that some positions similar this require no degree at all. So, is a Bachelor’s really useful? Of course, it is. But with everything changing, is it cost effective?

With minimum wage, rent, the housing market, and now education rising it is getting more difficult to do anything after high school but start working. For example, let’s say you finish and receive your degree or better yet, an advanced degree, chances you took a loan. Well, now after getting a job, you are now in debt. “The average class of 2015 graduate with student-loan debt will have to pay back a little more than $35,000, according to an analysis of government data by Mark Kantrowitz, publisher at Edvisors, a group of websites about planning and paying for college” says Jeffrey Sparshott, writer at http://blogs.wsj.com.

So what I wanted you to take away from this is to really think about your aspirations and passions. Make sure to aim high and be confident in yourself. Don’t settle for a study that’s easy or quick to obtain a degree because at the end of the day, you will pay. Get into you truly love and I guarantee you that it won’t feel like a job. It will feel like a hobby.

Photo above credited to: http://hubpages.com/literature/A-Summary-Of-Mainstream-Religion-For-Those-Too-Lazy-Too-Look-It-Up