People are such dicks about their majors

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: johnjohn320
It's kinda funny, I see it in real life and on the these forums. People get all high and mighty about what they're studying in college. I just left a thread where people are calling business degrees "fake" and worthless. A business major at my school here told me a couple weeks ago that non-business majors (including myself) will never be really financially stable because we won't have learned how to manage our money. Right...

Science and engineering majors think their majors are the hardest, as well as the most admirable, as they are the most necessary to the progression of humanity.

Business majors think they're the only people who will ever make any money.

Arts and humanities majors think they're only people who still have souls, and they're the only people who will actually one day enjoy their job (everyone else is money-grubbing freaks).


Everyone needs to put a cork in it. It's a wonder that people actually believe what they studied in college will have a direct impact on where they stand later in life, with regards to income or job description or whatever. Just work hard at what you do, that's what's gonna carry you far in life.

Sheesh.

edit for embarassing typo in subject line 😱

lol, you must be a liberal arts major

 

[jandrews]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: jandrews
"LA majors have decided that life is about enjoyment and fulfillment, therefore regardless of anything else they make time for fun. Science/Engineering majors are all about competition, achievement, jobs, etc and therefore are all about sacrificing fun in order to reach those things. These are stereotypes mind you, but just as logical as explanations for your points as any other reason. "

This is a ridiculous post, you are making way off base assumptions, LA majors typically are LA majors because they dont know what else to do and suck at math and science and they need a major. There are a few passionate english/sociology/history/psychology students who really want that career but most just want a degree.

Your comment basically makes science people look like they are robots who do not enjoy life and never will and LA majors are the only ones who understand what enjoying life is and what it is to have fufillment, give me a break! This is coming from an LA major fyi.

You sir, are full of shit.

First of all I very carefully pointed out that I was making generalizations, but that they did have foundation in fact and were therefore worth consideration. People who tend towards engineering, business, etc are typically more often classic 'A type' personalities, competitive, driven to 'succeed', etc. Not all, but it is much more common to encounter those personality types in business, marketing, engineering, etc than it is in art history or philosophy. Extrapolating from this, and other personality indicators, it's fair to say that LA'ers tend to be more laid back, more fun seekers, etc.

LA majors are LA majors for the same reasons that other majors chose theirs...it varies. However to claim that people default to LA because they're lost or stupid or whatever else is a load of ignorant, bigoted, bullshit. Flat out. Liberal Arts undergrads have a 10:6 ratio of eventual PhD's over other disciplines. A very large number of jobs require (or suggest) LA backgrounds, just like scientific work requires science backgrounds, and so forth.

I've been on both sides and in my experience, with support from studies, I'll stick by my statements as a plausible generality.

Hah! Yes, of course LA majors have more phd's than science majors because it is ten times easier to get that phd. For instance my sister has a phd in english. She teaches, thats it, she is a driven individual (as are most people with phd's) and now she hates her teaching job and wishes she did something else. She went into English because she enjoys reading.

You are completely contradicting yourself when you state that LA majors are more laid back and then you go to note that they have a greater degree of phd's. So are they laid back or are they the type that work a job and go to grad school all to succeed? At least get your argument straight.

Of course there are variables and these examples do not fit all cases. I am simply saying your generalities are innacurate. One of my best friends in college was in actuarial sciences and he liked to party more than I do! The only area I would even potentially agree with you is computer sciences. Of course your statement is plausable, it simply is not probable.

 

[jman19]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: Acanthus
I would argue that the only thing harder than a typical engineering program is med.

All i know is business admin majors arent taking Calc III.

LOL!

They don't have to. They tell the grunt engineers to do that work.

Just curious, what do you do, spidey?

 

[Vonkhan]

philosophy major = set sail for fail for sure!!!

 

[steppinthrax]

Originally posted by: duragezic
Your major doesn't matter in 10 years, but for someone in college, whos main motivation is likely getting that decent job after graduating, well it certainly does matter then. Sure it would be better for people in college to consider other skills, soft skills like interacting with people and so on, as no doubt they are very useful for most jobs, well a necessity often. Same as GPA. I'll be the first to admit how many damn classes I've gotten an easy A in (EE and CS classes) yet really have no clue about anything useful on that subject. But it does matter when it comes to getting that first job, which when I get, I'll work on achievements at that job, as the next job will be very heavily based on what I learn and achieve at the first one.

My knowledge of this is fairly limited and really only what I've learned recently while interviewing with various peeps in anticipation for graduation. But most of the people I talked to that were managers were engineers or such when they started. I guess it depends the company. A few companies I've talked to are quite heavily "engineering companies" where that kind of work is the backbone of the company. So naturally even the bosses who don't do that work anymore have most often come from an engineering or science background.


edit: And yeah, I agree with the OP. As an engineering major, it does get a bit ridiculous how elitist some engineering or science types get. You can't say for example an Economics major is useless or easy. But I do believe there still are a few quite useless majors... where really I have no problem with people doing this if that's what they want to do.

I guess what I should've added in the first paragraph is it would probably be better for college students to look a little further ahead but as you know, not exactly the case.

:thumbsup:

Yes, your major more/less gets you in the door. You have to then concentrate on making your career. After about 10 years or so of job related experience your 10 yo degree is only used for HR purposes to verify credentials.

We all know and no matter how much tries to hide it there are easy majors as well as hard majors. THE COMMERCIAL VALUE OF YOUR TRAINING IS RELATED TO THE "HARDNESS" OF OBTAINING IT AND THE AMOUNT OF SATURATION IN THE JOB MARKET. i.e a brain surgeon requires several years of training and medical licensing. Not everyone can do it. Therefore the income is quite high. If Brain Surgery was so easy a layman could do it there would be many brain surgeons and so little money could be made.

Eng and science majors make the most because their knowledge is a requirement for humanity and they knowledge is quite hard to obtain. There is a practical use for their knowledge that benefits mankind.

You can?t dis a eng or science major unless you want to dis: Vaccines that save your life, how safe your car is, how healthy you are, the bridges you use every day, your ipod, very computer your using, this forum, the clothes on your back and your very basic human existence.

 

[EGGO]

Originally posted by: steppinthrax

Originally posted by: uclaLabrat
Technology is driven by science. It wasn't a fast-food worker that discovered penicillin. That said, society needs all the elements in order to function correctly. Not everyone can be an astronaut when they grow up.

You ever been to a supermarket recently and see those automated checkout lines. That's the begenning and we all know once the door opens it only gets wider.....

You've seen toy story and the other animated films. <---Another example.

It only takes a small team of people to make those movies. I remember watching the academy awards ceremony and I think it was over the hedge or something but it was simply this geeky looking computer neard accepting the award..... Of course he didn't make the whole movie and was probably the head of it all (in an IT enviroment of course).

You've just successfully confused a software developer with a computer animation artist.

 

[Finalnight]

I am so happy that at my school, Econ is part of CLA not the Biz school. While I meet many great people at the biz school when taking classes there, there is definitely a much higher percentage of douches than the other schools like IT, CLA, etc. And they all like to wear suits like they are already upper management, roflcopter....

And for the record, econ is VERY hard at my school as we have the 10th ranked econ program and have put out 4 econ nobel winners in the last decade. The biz school kids would cry if they had to take our courses. 😀 😀 😀 couldn't resist...

 

[RESmonkey]

Business majors aren't real majors 🙂

Science/Engineering majors are the best 🙂

 

[BarneyFife]

I'm an engineer and am real elitist about my degree.

 

[johnjohn320]

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL!

Anybody that honestly believes their major has much to do with anything has a lot to learn. I'm not trolling, but if you honestly believe your major or degree matters much after 5 years in your career, you are severely mistaken.

-edit-
I've tried so hard to stay out of this thread but it keeps becoming so unrealistic that I had to respond. The engineering/sciences are the worker bees, the grunt. Sure the grunts can move up but that is rare. In my experience the grunts will always be grunts. If you want to have the best chance for success be well rounded and understand basic business concepts. If you don't then you will always be staff level...for the rest of your life.

So...your "edit" completely contradicted the rest of your post....yeah...

Anyway, it's funny. I posted this thread and didn't check for a few days. I came back and found 4 pages of people having e-penis battles regarding business versus engineering degrees. Far fewer people here are discussing the topic of this thread than are simply exemplifying it. :roll: I'm going back to work. Have fun, kids.

 

[Confusednewbie1552]

I find it funny that the exact same thing the OP was talking about is happening in this very thread.

Edit: Woah, I just had this thread in one of my tabs and responded to it. Didn't know it was 2 months old, must've clicked on this link by mistake somewhere...

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Special K
Yeah, I notice this on AT a lot. People tend to get very defensive about whatever field they chose, and bash everyone else who picked something else, or anyone who mentions they want to try something different.

Closely related to that are the people who love to bring statistical outliers into the discussion. Example:

ATOTer #1: OMGZZZ liberal artz majors are t3h suck!!!11oneoneone have fun working at starbuckz0rz
ATOTer #2: my uncle was a liberal arts major and is a billionaire; therefore, all liberal arts majors can become billionaires

EE sux. CS 4 lyfe! 😛

You sux! 😀

😉

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: Special K

Prepare to be flamed by the business degree crowd. Their undergraduate studies may not be as difficult, but they make up for it by working 80+ hour weeks on wall street. Oh yea, and their bonus this year will be more than you will ever earn in your lifetime. They could buy and sell your sorry ass 😉

Working 80+ hours a week isn't just exclusive to business majors working on Wall Street. However, I'll agree with you on the bonus line.

Oh, and my major was better and harder than the OP's ever would be! 😛

(just kidding)

Well if you are working 80+ hrs/week and aren't being compensated for it in some way (a bonus or large raise/promotion in the future would be a good example) then I think you need to ask yourself "why am I doing this?".

I get paid overtime, a rarity among salary employees! 😉

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL!

Anybody that honestly believes their major has much to do with anything has a lot to learn. I'm not trolling, but if you honestly believe your major or degree matters much after 5 years in your career, you are severely mistaken.

Quoted for more truth than any of the other BS in this thread. Experience > Major, especially after a few years of it.

 

[IronWing]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL!

Anybody that honestly believes their major has much to do with anything has a lot to learn. I'm not trolling, but if you honestly believe your major or degree matters much after 5 years in your career, you are severely mistaken.

Quoted for more truth than any of the other BS in this thread. Experience > Major, especially after a few years of it.

Unless, of course, you majored in something real and worthwhile. Then it matters. 😛 😉

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: ironwing

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: spidey07
LOL!

Anybody that honestly believes their major has much to do with anything has a lot to learn. I'm not trolling, but if you honestly believe your major or degree matters much after 5 years in your career, you are severely mistaken.

Quoted for more truth than any of the other BS in this thread. Experience > Major, especially after a few years of it.

Unless, of course, you majored in something real and worthwhile. Then it matters. 😛 😉

LOL! :laugh:

 

[Rudee]

I went to University and got my Mech Eng Degree when I was in my early 30's, many years after graduating high school. What I was most proud of was the fact that I did it on my own, without financial help. I worked part time and studied like a ah heck, even though being an older student did make me feel uncomfortable on an occasion or two. A couple years ago I got my P.Eng designation. People think I must have amazing math skills because I'm an Engineer, but to be honest, my high school math ability was only average. I really had to do some math upgrading in University just to get the pre-req's. So yeah, if I can do it, so can most people... you just need to have the desire and and determination, and some basic smarts. You don't have to be a know-it-all to have a respectable Major.