One Day at a Time

Well, yes, these are the hallmarks of a good liberal arts education, but these traits ("open-mindedness, ability to think outside the box, adaptability, independence in thought and action. Last but not least, I would count mere exposure to a wealth of ideas and philosophies, which means that hopefully you can relate to and communicate with people and cultures beyond the ones you have directly experienced") are not limited to liberal arts degrees, hence the U calling their general eds "Liberal Education Requirements."

It seems to me that this is what a good college education does period, whether you major in engineering, music, English, biology, chemistry, political science, finance, etc.

I firmly believe in education for education's sake (which most of my students do not), and would probably be happier if American higher ed returned to a more liberal arts basis for undergraduates and leave specialties to tech programs or further education.

I've also discovered first hand that while all of these highly desireable skills are transferrable, if you are not talking to the right person, you may not end up anywhere. Some administration here in CLA did not initially consider a colleagues 5 years in financial aid as advising experience. It also seems that especially at universities, skills are pigeonholed; once in student services, always in student services, never in admin, financial aid, teaching, etc.

Well, I think I do use my education in my field. I use the "facts" I learned when I'm working the reference desk, and more broadly, I rely on the writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in all aspects of my job. That's part of why librarianship is a great refuge for liberal arts graduates who aren't sure what they should do with their lives! (As you know, the other great refuge, though it is both more expensive initially and more lucrative in the end, is law.)

The problem as I see it is that lots of what's to be gained from a good liberal arts education isn't quantifiable: open-mindedness, ability to think outside the box, adaptability, independence in thought and action. Last but not least, I would count mere exposure to a wealth of ideas and philosophies, which means that hopefully you can relate to and communicate with people and cultures beyond the ones you have directly experienced. I don't think general ed requirements in more pre-professional majors quite get you there.

Part of the challenge, of course, is figuring out what to do with all of these great intangible skills you develop (like you said, the advisor's standard line: "you can do anything with an English major"). The options can be a little overwhelming, but I don't think there are generally a lack of opportunities for people who can think a little creatively about a job search (not to mention, who can present themselves creatively).

I think it's nearly impossible to have a sense at 18 (or even 20) of the nearly endless possible careers available. When John was in college, did he imagine himself doing anything like what he does now? I'm sure he didn't. For one thing, he had no idea that such a career path existed. But that doesn't mean that what he does isn't satisfying: it combines a frighteningly large number of his interests with the potential to make a real contribution to the education of others. Anyway, I'll let John speak for himself, but I don't think he's necessarily less happy than he would be if he were doing something more directly related to what he studied.

I certainly agree that liberal arts degrees enrich lives in a myriad of ways. But don't non-liberal arts majors have enrichment too? Everyone at the U has to take a course that fills: Biological Science w/Lab, Physical Science w/Lab, Historical Perspectives, 2 Social Sciences, Literature, Arts & Humanities, Mathematical Thinking.

But were the years at the beast worth it? If you had it to do over again, would you do the same thing, or go into some kind of sound design program like what's offered at Vanderbilt or other colleges? I know you didn't have dreams of working for OTR when you grew up (what is it you do exactly? :-P ).

I guess I just wonder if people who go into a field that uses their education are happier in their jobs, in general, than liberal arts majors are.

As one who majored in music, I can relate with this firsthand. There wasn't much of a "career path" to my undergrad study except the lottery-style job market that is the modern professional orchestra. I'm not *directly* using my degree, yet do not regret the study for it has greatly enriched my life. This is a concept that goes beyond the trade school mentality that higher ed is being pushed into.