Educational institutions should actively encourage their students to choose fields of study that will prepare them for lucrative careers.
Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.
Given the financial struggles experienced by most college graduates, it would make sense for educational institutions to encourage students to focus on careers that will give them the highest likelihood of financial success. However, this is not necessarily the case. Students who choose majors that give them a meaningful education will enjoy a more satisfying experience in school, and are capable of finding meaningful work in any career field, regardless of salary
According to the 2012-2013 Freshman Survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 40% of college students 25 years old or younger have a job, but the vast majority of those jobs are not in the field that they studied in college. Of those who graduated with bachelor’s degrees, only 44% were employed in fields related to their majors. A 2009 survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education reports that 71% of college graduates are working in jobs that did not require a college degree. While these numbers may seem surprising, it is a reflection of the fact that most students do not fully understand what it means to choose a career. Choosing a career is a process, not an event. Just as choosing a college major requires careful consideration, so must choosing a career. Students need to explore their interests, both academically and socially, in order to choose a career that will suit them. While it is important to be financially secure, students should not choose a career solely because it pays well. Choosing a career that will fulfill them as a person is more important. For example, the ’80s and ’90s saw the rise of the ‘workaholic’ generation, which tended to choose careers that would give them the highest salaries. While this strategy may have worked in the short term, it led to increased rates of illness and stress, as employees often felt they had to work 100 hours a week. The increasing popularity of the ‘work-life balance’ concept has led to the development of more jobs that are flexible and allow employees to work less, but have more fulfilling lives. Thus, students should consider not only their financial needs, but also their own personal desires and needs when choosing a career.