“Follow your dreams and the money will follow” is something people hear from a young age. When in school, many teachers make it known that students should never focus only on money. Pursing their dreams is important whether it be aspiring to be an astronaut and walking on the moon or a famous musician selling out stadiums around the globe. Finding an activity that a person is passionate about should lead to their career, ideally that is. Thus when students have the opportunity to attend college, they use this thinking in selecting a major. Many students will stay away from engineering or biology and select a liberal art such as dance or English. If someone is following their dreams should this be a problem?

First it is important to highlight college should be viewed as an investment in someone’s future. On many occasions, I’ve had peers tell me they come to college for the parties, experience, the free food and all the activities. While there is nothing wrong with that, most people are in college simply for the degree. The degree is critical as it is a stepping stone for some, future lawyers, doctor, accountants, graduate students, and others it’s important in getting a competitive edge. A study, from Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, shows that college graduates make 84% more than high school graduates which suggest financial stability is one of the main reasons people attend college. The problem then is why do people select liberal arts majors? On average people with liberal arts degrees make the least amount of money in comparison to the leading fields such as STEM. Well the answer then is people are following their childhood dreams. Yet many people are misled.

It seems as if many people are misled into selecting a certain major. In many instances, family plays an important role in influencing which major a student chooses. While many students are unable to case their dreams and are forced to major in biology and sit through chem labs when their true passion is journalism. Majors do not define a person anyways? Well I disagree. There are plenty of people that are on full ride scholarships where they don’t pay a dime to receive a college degree. But colleges are asking a lot from students. Colleges take away four years of a person’s life. Those four years could have been spent making money at a job, touring the world or simply relaxing. Not to mention these are four years of one’s youth. Youth should be valued even more as it is usually the best part of many people’s lives.

Colleges are asking for a lot and thus you should gain something from going to college. That’s why I think it is important to pick a degree that has a better chance of supporting you in the future from a financial standpoint. In many instances selecting a STEM field will still make you qualified for many jobs in the liberal arts department anyways. For example you do not need a degree in dance to start your own studio or even become a famous dancer. It’s all about applying yourself. In deciding on a major the economic benefit should be considered. Engineers and scientist produce products or builds important for the society. Someone could argue that an English teacher or a dance major offers value as well, which is true in a sense but I’d disagree. Most teachers, at least for younger students, have little to no control over their curriculum and not to mention, students will only remember the aspects they find interesting. I recall reading an abundance of poems for my English class yet if I had to recall the meaning or name of the poems I wouldn’t be able too. There is a problem then in the education system but the person that selected this major was probably unaware of this.

I would say although it’s not always about money, you should think twice before selecting a liberal arts degree. I personally don’t think they are not worth the investment. Yet if someone makes the decision and they are happy than that is all that matters. There has been an incline in the number of liberal arts majors which should cause worry. As a nation, producing people such as doctors and engineers is important for the U.S. economy. Little people are actually looking for liberal arts degrees to hire due to a high supply and low demand. Thus the value of a liberal arts degree has decreased. It’s all about pursing dreams though and if that is the case then its fine. Just a strong consideration should be taken.