Article For Those Picking A College Major

[4588686]

[quote name='Totus Tuus' timestamp='1324492229' post='2355227']
The only reason I know about conditional is because I'm a Classics major
[/quote]

Or you took a basic philosophy/mathematical logic class.

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='Hasan' timestamp='1324495604' post='2355256']
Or you took a basic philosophy/mathematical logic class.
[/quote]
Both. lol.

[tinytherese]

[quote name='Totus Tuus' timestamp='1324484200' post='2355122']

I'm not sure what you mean. I go to a liberal arts college and I have not found there to be any emphasis on racking up credits to graduate. It seems like the focus is on completing the "core," which does require a certain amount of credits in each subject, but it's designed to make the student well-rounded, not to accumulate credits. Granted, a lot of students look at non-major classes as a to-do list to be checked off. But I think I might be misunderstanding what you're saying.
[/quote]

Yes, I meant the core. It's a really big pain especially when you transfer to another school, especially if you had to do it multiple times like in my situation. I didn't expect to do that more than once, but my circumstances called for it. I tried to get in classes at my first school that would transfer to meet core requirements, but they weren't enough.

I've noticed that at a lot of the schools on the Newman Guide that they have very particular core requirements which make it super hard to transfer to after 2 years going full time at another school. You pretty much have to start over or do a lot to make up for the classes that you need to fulfill the core, even if they have nothing to do with your major. Some of those schools don't even have majors, but are simply four years of liberal arts.

Yet I wouldn't give up attending my first years of college at the original two year school I attended. Ironically I learned more there than at the places I transfered to, made many friends, had staff who did a much better job than at either of the transfer schools, and I was very happy. The college is very unique and I wholeheartedly endorse it (Cottey College). I even got to go to Florence and Rome during my spring break my second year since second years get to go on a trip.

Even though I'm unhappy where I'm at, I'm a senior who graduates in early May, so it would be silly for me to transfer a third time. Unfortunately, I've just had really bad experiences and am saddened that I won't get to learn most of what I intended to until graduate school. At least I've never had debt at any of the schools I've attended.

[DMcB]

If these choices and consequences exist when my children are mulling these issues, and assuming they're choosing to go to college at some point in their young lives, my advice will be to double major: classics/social science & a professional degree. It will cost more and take longer, but if they're in this conundrum, it may be a good way to keep them interested/satisfied with their studies while acquiring career credentials.

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='tinytherese' timestamp='1324510924' post='2355486']
Yes, I meant the core. It's a really big pain especially when you transfer to another school, especially if you had to do it multiple times like in my situation. I didn't expect to do that more than once, but my circumstances called for it. I tried to get in classes at my first school that would transfer to meet core requirements, but they weren't enough.

I've noticed that at a lot of the schools on the Newman Guide that they have very particular core requirements which make it super hard to transfer to after 2 years going full time at another school. You pretty much have to start over or do a lot to make up for the classes that you need to fulfill the core, even if they have nothing to do with your major. Some of those schools don't even have majors, but are simply four years of liberal arts.

Yet I wouldn't give up attending my first years of college at the original two year school I attended. Ironically I learned more there than at the places I transfered to, made many friends, had staff who did a much better job than at either of the transfer schools, and I was very happy. The college is very unique and I wholeheartedly endorse it (Cottey College). I even got to go to Florence and Rome during my spring break my second year since second years get to go on a trip.

Even though I'm unhappy where I'm at, I'm a senior who graduates in early May, so it would be silly for me to transfer a third time. Unfortunately, I've just had really bad experiences and am saddened that I won't get to learn most of what I intended to until graduate school. At least I've never had debt at any of the schools I've attended.
[/quote]

I have heard a lot of complaints about the core interfering with transfer credits. I know it's inconvenient, but I don't think that the structure of the program should be adjusted to accommodate transfers in that they not be required to take the same courses, because when you graduate from a liberal arts four-year university, you're graduating with a degree that has a sense of the whole. I don't want to say that these kinds of schools are not meant for transfers, but I would say that you should want the whole package at any four-year liberal arts school you go to before you go, otherwise you'll be disappointed. I don't think liberal arts schools are geared towards their majors as much as they are the core + the major, with emphasis on the core, because that's the part that sets their students apart from other four-year universities. If we compromised that for anyone (transfers, or whomever) that would not be good. My school recently got rid of its Latin requirement, and for that reason, I won't be contributing as an alumna, because I feel a compromise has been made that I can't reconcile with.

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='DMcB' timestamp='1324517579' post='2355561']
If these choices and consequences exist when my children are mulling these issues, and assuming they're choosing to go to college at some point in their young lives, my advice will be to double major: classics/social science & a professional degree. It will cost more and take longer, but if they're in this conundrum, it may be a good way to keep them interested/satisfied with their studies while acquiring career credentials.
[/quote]
Double majoring for the reason you present could be worthwhile, I agree. I am only two required classes/4 credits short of a double major, but I chose not to stay at my school the extra summer it would take to complete because both of my majors were classical. If one had been career-oriented while the other was what I am actually doing (Classics), then I probably would have done both.

[4588686]

I'm not trying to dump on Classics majors, by the way. Very few majors are inherently valuable. A Bio major is pretty useless unless you do grad or medical school.

[4588686]

I miss taking logic classes

[arfink]

OK, I am fully aware of the desire to rant in here, but, for the sake of making this at least a little bit constructive:

What do you do if you're, say, in my situation? I went to seminary and thusly got two liberal arts degrees. (technically, anyways. Philosophy and Catholic Studies, but IMO it's really just one thing, the university just happened to give me two degrees from it. Woot.) I am now fairly sure I am NOT supposed to be a priest, or at the very least I am definitely NOT supposed to be going back into seminary. It's a long story, I'll save it for the vocations board, if I ever get around to writing it up.

I don't have the money to go back to school right now, and I need decent work. However I have a physical handicap which would make a life in a factory (or driving a truck, or doing other unskilled labor) a living hell, not to mention the problems of not being able to make a living wage at nearly anything unskilled these days. I attempted to get into teaching or somesuch, but again, don't have the needed qualifications. Not to mention it's not something I particularly desire to do.

I am not entirely unskilled, being actually very skilled with computers (I'll leave it at that, to avoid boring everyone) but lacking in formal qualifications. IE, a college degree in comp-sci or somesuch. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

[DMcB]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1324531341' post='2355790']
I am not entirely unskilled, being actually very skilled with computers (I'll leave it at that, to avoid boring everyone) but lacking in formal qualifications. IE, a college degree in comp-sci or somesuch. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
[/quote]

Find a computer/tech company that will use your skills. Many won't care about your lack of "formal" credentials, but will care about what it is that you can do to help them make more money. This will usually be a smaller, local/regional, company. OR, put your shingle out there, and drum-up business doing what it is that you do.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1324531341' post='2355790']
OK, I am fully aware of the desire to rant in here, but, for the sake of making this at least a little bit constructive:

What do you do if you're, say, in my situation? I went to seminary and thusly got two liberal arts degrees. (technically, anyways. Philosophy and Catholic Studies, but IMO it's really just one thing, the university just happened to give me two degrees from it. Woot.) I am now fairly sure I am NOT supposed to be a priest, or at the very least I am definitely NOT supposed to be going back into seminary. It's a long story, I'll save it for the vocations board, if I ever get around to writing it up.

I don't have the money to go back to school right now, and I need decent work. However I have a physical handicap which would make a life in a factory (or driving a truck, or doing other unskilled labor) a living hell, not to mention the problems of not being able to make a living wage at nearly anything unskilled these days. I attempted to get into teaching or somesuch, but again, don't have the needed qualifications. Not to mention it's not something I particularly desire to do.

I am not entirely unskilled, being actually very skilled with computers (I'll leave it at that, to avoid boring everyone) but lacking in formal qualifications. IE, a college degree in comp-sci or somesuch. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
[/quote]

What about starting over, taking a small loan, and doing a two year certificate at a vocational college like DeVry? People look down on that sort of thing, and they're stupid to do so. Plus it's much cheaper than a university, and much less time consuming.

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='Hasan' timestamp='1324526058' post='2355714']
I'm not trying to dump on Classics majors, by the way. Very few majors are inherently valuable. A Bio major is pretty useless unless you do grad or medical school.
[/quote]

Oh well I never picked up on any dumping. I am actually lamenting the fact that it's only through my major that I understand certain things, the emphasis being on the fact that I don't know English as well as I should. I've taken lots of philosophy both in high school and college and so I get your point.

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1324531341' post='2355790']
I am not entirely unskilled, being actually very skilled with computers (I'll leave it at that, to avoid boring everyone) but lacking in formal qualifications. IE, a college degree in comp-sci or somesuch. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
[/quote]


Not comparing your situations because they're very different, but my husband is super skilled with computers, but like you has no formal credentials for them yet (he's working on a computer-oriented masters degree but it'll be a while before we can afford to have him finish). One thing he has done is become the tech man for the local dentist's office. He went in to have some work done, and he realized the price was going to be more than he could afford, so he offered to trade his computer skills in exchange for his dental care. Now, they call him anytime they have a system down, or a technical question. Sometimes he can solve the problem for them over the phone, other times it's basically an 8-hour work day he has to go in for at their office, but it all evens out because he gets free dental care, and when he applies for "real" computer jobs in the future he'll have a great reference from this office. My point is that being savvy like that can get you far, because people are always in need of people with computer skills. With several of these kinds of "jobs" you could actually make some money.

[Innocent]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1324531341' post='2355790']

I am not entirely unskilled, being actually very skilled with computers (I'll leave it at that, to avoid boring everyone) but lacking in formal qualifications. IE, a college degree in comp-sci or somesuch. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
[/quote]

How about taking out a small loan and doing some short-term Electronics/Computers-related [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_certification_(computer_technology)"]professional certification course[/url]? (e.g., CCNA/RHCE/Sun Java Certification/ etc., or some electronics certification course that you find interesting. I don't know what you have over there, but here, there are many six-month courses in domains like VLSI, Industiral Automation, Control Systems, Robotics, Embedded Systems, etc. Perhaps you'll find something similar where you live if you look around.)

Edited December 23, 2011 by Innocent

[Amppax]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1324531341' post='2355790']
OK, I am fully aware of the desire to rant in here, but, for the sake of making this at least a little bit constructive:

What do you do if you're, say, in my situation? I went to seminary and thusly got two liberal arts degrees. (technically, anyways. Philosophy and Catholic Studies, but IMO it's really just one thing, the university just happened to give me two degrees from it. Woot.) I am now fairly sure I am NOT supposed to be a priest, or at the very least I am definitely NOT supposed to be going back into seminary. It's a long story, I'll save it for the vocations board, if I ever get around to writing it up.

I don't have the money to go back to school right now, and I need decent work. However I have a physical handicap which would make a life in a factory (or driving a truck, or doing other unskilled labor) a living hell, not to mention the problems of not being able to make a living wage at nearly anything unskilled these days. I attempted to get into teaching or somesuch, but again, don't have the needed qualifications. Not to mention it's not something I particularly desire to do.

I am not entirely unskilled, being actually very skilled with computers (I'll leave it at that, to avoid boring everyone) but lacking in formal qualifications. IE, a college degree in comp-sci or somesuch. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
[/quote]

I have a friend who is certified to work on different types of computers. I don't know how he got the certification, but it certainly wasn't a degree. He is using his skills to basically pay his way through college.

Is there some sort of technicians certificate you could get, and then you could do free lance computer repairs?

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1324531341' post='2355790']
OK, I am fully aware of the desire to rant in here, but, for the sake of making this at least a little bit constructive:

What do you do if you're, say, in my situation? I went to seminary and thusly got two liberal arts degrees. (technically, anyways. Philosophy and Catholic Studies, but IMO it's really just one thing, the university just happened to give me two degrees from it. Woot.) I am now fairly sure I am NOT supposed to be a priest, or at the very least I am definitely NOT supposed to be going back into seminary. It's a long story, I'll save it for the vocations board, if I ever get around to writing it up.

I don't have the money to go back to school right now, and I need decent work. However I have a physical handicap which would make a life in a factory (or driving a truck, or doing other unskilled labor) a living hell, not to mention the problems of not being able to make a living wage at nearly anything unskilled these days. I attempted to get into teaching or somesuch, but again, don't have the needed qualifications. Not to mention it's not something I particularly desire to do.

I am not entirely unskilled, being actually very skilled with computers (I'll leave it at that, to avoid boring everyone) but lacking in formal qualifications. IE, a college degree in comp-sci or somesuch. WHAT SHOULD I DO?
[/quote]

You could apply to a long-term volunteer job with a stipend and build up your resume. If I was not committed to CRHP right now, I would do the same, but it's just not feasible at this point in time. God needs me where I am. I've heard nothing but good things about LAMP in New York. You could do NET Ministries. Maybe you could get a job as a Catholic Youth Minister in your diocese. My diocese has an employment board and most openings require that you have a background in Catholic Theology or Studies. Just sayin'....