Opinions on Liberal Arts degree?

SoCal78_IHB

SoCal78_IHB

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I'm wondering what the consensus is these days with regards to a liberal arts degree. My friend's daughter is headed to college and she has many interests. She wants the degree for its versatility however my friend feels it will not be as helpful as a major that has a more direct focus. Is a liberal arts degree a waste of time or does it have value in the work force for her later? Any opinions are welcome, thanks.
 
It is really important for those interested in the Liberal Art to seek out the pedigree schools. Cal State Universities are not well known for their liberal art curriculum and that force the schools to fill vacancy with under achieving applicants. This does not help the school reputation.



The Claremont Colleges are well known for their Liberal Art degrees and has a prestigious list of major endowment from the wealthiest individuals and companies in this country. The wealthiest families send their kids to the Ivy leagues and Claremont Colleges. The Dupont, Carnegie, Kennedy and Rockefeller all have heirs attended the Claremont Colleges.



Liberal Art majors are likely to be involved in humanity and philanthropy related businesses. To get the foot into the door one must mingles with the very rich and the diploma must be recognized among them.
 
When I was majoring in English Lit. I always got the "are you going to be a teacher?" response. But this is actually a great degree for law school. I think a Liberal Arts degree can be a useful education, but I think a focused grad school goal is necessary then.
 
[quote author="Irvinian" date=1243921419]$40k/year? vs cal state $12k/year. You better hope you meet some rich friends =)</blockquote>


Friends, husband, wife, and employer.



Agree totally. The best buy is a technical degree for 12k/yr from a Cal State university. A liberal art degree from there is viewed as University of Phoenix. It is not worth the money even for 12k. To land a job in a liberal art field it is all about connection. It is all about who you know and not so much on what you know.



Exposure to the rich is critical in this field. 40k is the fee for exposure. Liberal Art majors from the named schools are likely to find jobs that correlate to the applicants interest.
 
if you really wanna win influence why not spend that money to throw some nice swanky parties? 160k can throw a lot of parties.
 
[quote author="Irvinian" date=1243925029]if you really wanna win influence why not spend that money to throw some nice swanky parties? 160k can throw a lot of parties.</blockquote>


Why do you think students attend USC? This school has a powerful networking of Alumni employers. The boss would select his staff from USC instead of UCLA. There are more USC car plate frames in Newport beach that any other schools. It is not about throwing parties to meet people. It matters where the diploma is issued in order to land a job in most private sectors.



I am an employer and I do also know many top tier employers in Irvine/Newport area. School pedigree does help getting the foot into the door. For example, I will definitely hire a liberal art graduate from Pomona College over another applicant from Cal State Long Beach. I will hire a Business graduate from USC over Cal State Dominguez Hills.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1243927703][quote author="Irvinian" date=1243925029]if you really wanna win influence why not spend that money to throw some nice swanky parties? 160k can throw a lot of parties.</blockquote>


Why do you think students attend USC? This school has a powerful networking of Alumni employers. The boss would select his staff from USC instead of UCLA. There are more USC car plate frames in Newport beach that any other schools. It is not about throwing parties to meet people. It matters where the diploma is issued in order to land a job in most private sectors.



I am an employer and I do also know many top tier employers in Irvine/Newport area. School pedigree does help getting the foot into the door. For example, I will definitely hire a liberal art graduate from Pomona College over another applicant from Cal State Long Beach. I will hire a Business graduate from USC over Cal State Dominguez Hills.</blockquote>
Would you hire a UCLA grad with a USC MBA (aka a BROJAN)?
 
[quote author="Irvinian" date=1243921419]$40k/year? vs cal state $12k/year. You better hope you meet some rich friends =)</blockquote>
So glad I went to UCLA in the mid/late 90s and paid about $4/yr in tuition costs. Got out of undergrad with about $10k in student loan. The USC MBA cost me about $75k and I have about $80k worth of loans now.
 
[quote author="usctrojanman29" date=1243929714][quote author="bkshopr" date=1243927703][quote author="Irvinian" date=1243925029]if you really wanna win influence why not spend that money to throw some nice swanky parties? 160k can throw a lot of parties.</blockquote>


Why do you think students attend USC? This school has a powerful networking of Alumni employers. The boss would select his staff from USC instead of UCLA. There are more USC car plate frames in Newport beach that any other schools. It is not about throwing parties to meet people. It matters where the diploma is issued in order to land a job in most private sectors.



I am an employer and I do also know many top tier employers in Irvine/Newport area. School pedigree does help getting the foot into the door. For example, I will definitely hire a liberal art graduate from Pomona College over another applicant from Cal State Long Beach. I will hire a Business graduate from USC over Cal State Dominguez Hills.</blockquote>
Would you hire a UCLA grad with a USC MBA (aka a BROJAN)?</blockquote>


You mean a bear that wears a condom?
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1243927703][quote author="Irvinian" date=1243925029]if you really wanna win influence why not spend that money to throw some nice swanky parties? 160k can throw a lot of parties.</blockquote>


Why do you think students attend USC? This school has a powerful networking of Alumni employers. The boss would select his staff from USC instead of UCLA. There are more USC car plate frames in Newport beach that any other schools. It is not about throwing parties to meet people. It matters where the diploma is issued in order to land a job in most private sectors.



I am an employer and I do also know many top tier employers in Irvine/Newport area. School pedigree does help getting the foot into the door. For example, I will definitely hire a liberal art graduate from Pomona College over another applicant from Cal State Long Beach. I will hire a Business graduate from USC over Cal State Dominguez Hills.</blockquote>


people attend usc because of certain preceptions...I agree that networking is one of them but not the sole reason why people attend usc.



2nd point-



Money [del]=[/del] success
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1244028317][quote author="usctrojanman29" date=1243929714][quote author="bkshopr" date=1243927703][quote author="Irvinian" date=1243925029]if you really wanna win influence why not spend that money to throw some nice swanky parties? 160k can throw a lot of parties.</blockquote>


Why do you think students attend USC? This school has a powerful networking of Alumni employers. The boss would select his staff from USC instead of UCLA. There are more USC car plate frames in Newport beach that any other schools. It is not about throwing parties to meet people. It matters where the diploma is issued in order to land a job in most private sectors.



I am an employer and I do also know many top tier employers in Irvine/Newport area. School pedigree does help getting the foot into the door. For example, I will definitely hire a liberal art graduate from Pomona College over another applicant from Cal State Long Beach. I will hire a Business graduate from USC over Cal State Dominguez Hills.</blockquote>
Would you hire a UCLA grad with a USC MBA (aka a BROJAN)?</blockquote>


You mean a bear that wears a condom?</blockquote>
haha More like a Trojan who is bearish. ;)
 
[quote author="Irvinian" date=1244030467][quote author="bkshopr" date=1243927703][quote author="Irvinian" date=1243925029]if you really wanna win influence why not spend that money to throw some nice swanky parties? 160k can throw a lot of parties.</blockquote>


Why do you think students attend USC? This school has a powerful networking of Alumni employers. The boss would select his staff from USC instead of UCLA. There are more USC car plate frames in Newport beach that any other schools. It is not about throwing parties to meet people. It matters where the diploma is issued in order to land a job in most private sectors.



I am an employer and I do also know many top tier employers in Irvine/Newport area. School pedigree does help getting the foot into the door. For example, I will definitely hire a liberal art graduate from Pomona College over another applicant from Cal State Long Beach. I will hire a Business graduate from USC over Cal State Dominguez Hills.</blockquote>


people attend usc because of certain preceptions...I agree that networking is one of them but not the sole reason why people attend usc.



2nd point-



Money [del]=[/del] success</blockquote>


I meant money DOES NOT EQUAL success (dang <del> didnt cross the equal sign)
 
But money is the most convenient indicator of success:).



Plus with $$$, wouldn't the humanity work be much easier and efficient?



That being said, I went to USC for graduate school, but didn't like it...





I meant money DOES NOT EQUAL success (dang <del> didnt cross the equal sign)</blockquote>
 
[quote author="purpletulip" date=1244093788]But money is the most convenient indicator of success:).



Plus with $$$, wouldn't the humanity work be much easier and efficient?



That being said, I went to USC for graduate school, but didn't like it...





I meant money DOES NOT EQUAL success (dang <del> didnt cross the equal sign)</blockquote></blockquote>
Why didn't you like it? I enjoyed myself at USC more than I did at UCLA.
 
How did this thread get turned around to big SoCal universities, rather than liberal arts degrees?





You can get LA degrees at both small LA colleges and some of the better colleges inside larger universities (e.g. Harvard college, etc).



LA degrees usually indicate a broader course of study, as opposed to "professional degrees" like engineering, compsci, etc. These latter studies are probably best at larger state-type universities, where they are the focus.



Personally, I would probably avoid getting a LA degree from anywhere other than the top 100 colleges or universities (e.g. Williams, Cornell, Stanford, Cal), since it is the intense focus of the students and faculties that make them worthwhile. I don't think you will find this so much if you get a LA degree from Chapman in OC, for example.
 
btw, I do admissions for one LA college in the midwest (alma matter), and am happy to discuss this subject further with your friend and the student, if the student is in the range academically.
 
I'm just thinking she's 18, you said she has a broad range of interests and so if she has to decare a major, then why not liberal arts. She may very well change it if she discovers what she really loves.
 
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