Ethnicsands
All-American
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2011
- Messages
- 22,724
Not sure we’re disagreeing. I think the type of degree matters for both the individual and prospective employers. Not that there is only one valid type for either group. And agree that it has to align with a person’s interests to work. But employers have plenty of choices and make quick screening decisions. Grades, name on the degree, and course of study are all screens. Experience and demonstrated commitment to a field or career path also matter. While they don’t guarantee anything, and some people can overcome a lot in an interview, the reality is you’re going to get fewer chances for an interview, and have more to overcome, if you are trying to compete with people who appear to be more focused and committed and knowledgable than you look to be from the perspective of a potential employer.As someone involved in talent development from K12 to HigherEd to Corporate, I promise you the type of degree (unless it's engineering and a couple others) will matter less in the coming years than it did when we were in school. He'll need to show evidence of a developing skill set, the ability to learn new things, and people (former employers) who'll attest to both. Whatever school/environment gets him closer to optimizing that portfolio, that's my suggestion. Again, it depends what type of role he'll seek out of undergrad, but more and more I see employers who openly state and seek self-directed learners, thinkers, and problem solvers.
Doesn’t require a business degree. Engineering is a common choice for kany people today. There are others. Also, selecting your peer set matters all along the path in life. That’s part of what you do when you pick a degree focus. Not just the relationships, but the culture and behaviors, they’re absorbed.
Now, if your interest isn’t business or management, then an undergrad business degree isn’t really very relevant.