Q: I don’t know what I want to major in. I enjoy a lot of things, but none are very practical, and I’m not really passionate about anything. Would it be more beneficial to take a year off from school to work, so I can decide what I want to study before I attend a college?

A: Thanks for your good question, which many of us have asked at least once in our lives.  Let me try to answer in two parts.

Q:  On the Internet and in the news recently I have noticed that a lot of people are saying that college is not worth it anymore and that the opportunity cost for school is just not worth it as it once was. I am a college senior and am excited to graduate and hopefully get a better job than I currently have. I believe that my 5 or so years in college have not been a wasted and that I have learned how to learn.

Just yesterday I watched a 1-hour documentary about how college degrees are useless because everyone has one and we all end up with mountains of debt with low paying jobs that don’t allow us to realistically pay back the debt. The sad thing that I noticed about this documentary was that I was agreeing with it. Not all of it but many of the statements seemed to be true to me. My real question today is what is the real value of a college education? Is even graduate school really worth it anymore?

A:  The world in which we live provides ever-greater rewards those who can make high-stakes judgments.  At the same time, rising costs for the necessities of life, such as health care, heighten the importance of making a living with our minds and not just with our hands.  Thus, education is becoming simultaneously more valuable and more essential. 

Q: Should a woman consider going to Medical school? I already know about the other careers there are in the health field, but I would like to be a doctor. I already know how long it would take, and what makes me hesitate is that one day I will get married and have kids, so I may not finish at all. Is it worth it?

A: Your questions remind me of the Savior’s challenge to the multitudes who followed him early in His ministry.  He warned them that they could only succeed by putting His work first in their lives (see Luke 14:25-33).  He specifically made reference to the importance of counting the cost of a project before undertaking it.  Congratulations on following that injunction.

Q: I’m a successful entrepreneur and executive in a family company.  I’m in my mid-thirties and have five children, but I’ve always wondered about getting an MBA from a top school and testing myself in the corporate world.  My undergraduate grades are good, but the GMAT looks like Greek to me.  What do you recommend?

A: As for the GMAT, it’s a form of aptitude test that’s not like riding a bike.  It’s best taken when you’re in college, taking similar timed tests frequently.  It also tests basic college math and English skills that aren’t used much in the workplace.  I’m confident that with practice you could recover your college skills and memories and raise your score.
 
That begs the question of how much effort you should put into the GMAT.  Many top business schools may worry about your age.  They cultivate relationships with companies that give new MBA graduates entry-level professional positions.  You could be viewed as over-qualified in terms of work experience and thus difficult to place, as employers might ask whether you’d be happy in this kind of position.
 
From a personal standpoint, you would face a great opportunity cost in leaving your current employment and a significant out-of-pocket cost in relocating to a traditional college campus.  You’d certainly learn a lot there, but your greater life and work experience might make you feel as though you’re getting relatively less than your younger, less-experienced colleagues.
 
If you’re set on getting into the Fortune 500 world, a full-time MBA at a top school may be worth the effort and sacrifice.  The one thing they offer that is hard to get otherwise is career placement with these firms. 
 
However, your greater experience and current employment opportunities make an alternative such as a Western Governors University MBA something to consider.  You could complete the degree without relocating or giving up your employment.  You’d get most of what you want in terms of substantive learning while moving at your own pace and perhaps saving time because of what you already know.  Also, WGU does not require the GMAT.
 
It really comes down to your desire to take the corporate career path.  I enjoyed that path for several years but have also found satisfaction in other things.  The bright lights of Boston and New York have their charms, but so do the starry skies of Idaho.  You can find intellectual challenges and opportunities to serve wherever you create them.

Q: I am a high school student trying to decide what I want to major in. I am very interested in Atmospheric Science, but the career outlook is not that good, especially since I want my focus in Physical Meteorology and not weather predicting. I’ve also been thinking about engineering (aerospace, civil, or ocean) but I’m not sure I want a job that involves a lot of building and design. I’ve considered majoring in physics or science and getting a teaching degree, because the job outlook is good and I still get to do science, but once I’m in I feel like I’d be stuck there doing the same thing year after year. What would you suggest a good major/minor would be?

A: Let me congratulate you on two points.  One is that you’re thinking ahead about both college and your career.  The other is that you enjoy science.  If you keep looking to the future and developing your talent for science, the world of work is going to treat you well.

Q:  I have my associates degree in general studies. My dream and passion is to design. I have been looking into getting a degree for interior design, but it is only another associates degree. Which would mean that is just two associates degrees and not a bachelors degree. Does not having a bachelors degree really make that much of a difference?

A: The way to test the value of a bachelor’s degree in interior design is to talk to professionals in the field, people whose work you find interesting.  In fact, it may be worth spending a summer working in a design studio, even at a low wage rate.  That experience would teach you many things, including (1) whether the career really is for you, (2) what college training and credential is needed, and (3) what courses will be most valuable.

Q:  Right now I’m trying to decide between majoring in psychology with a minor in business management, or majoring in business management and minoring in psychology. I’m looking perhaps to do consulting or future work in business and getting an MBA (or perhaps an MPA). What path do you think would be more valuable for me as a student?

A:  If you’re planning to get an MBA, remember that the top schools will require full-time work experience.  Thus, in choosing your major, you should be thinking about the job you’ll have before business school.  That’s not necessarily to say that you should major in business.  In fact, there’s a good argument for not majoring in business if you’re going to study it in graduate school.  But if psychology were your major, you would want to have a clear idea of how you would use it to get that first job.

Q: This is a great service you do in answering these questions. I just read “A dream of college teaching” and was surprised by the fate of the professor. I wonder, is the same true for engineering and business professors? I studied engineering and am headed to an MBA. I’ve flirted with the idea of a business PhD but worry some about job prospects. It seems to me though, that top business schools may be in a different situation than the humanities. Also, it appears like there is a broken link for the article “The Last Professor” from your response. But I found it here: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/the-last-professor/

A: Yes, there may be greater demand for PhD faculty in engineering and business at some schools; certainly the salaries are likely to be higher.  However, I’d offer a caveat:  supply can exceed demand even in these disciplines.  That’s particularly true in difficult economic times such as these, when some schools have hiring freezes in effect.  Thus, you want to be sure that the PhD program you attend produces graduates who are always in demand.  Also, you wouldn’t want to pursue the PhD path unless it was a matter of true love.  The path is long, and the competition is stiff.  You would need to be sure that university teaching and scholarship are your professional callings.

Q:  I am studying Industrial/Organizational Psychology with a minor in Economics, and am looking to receive an MBA later on, after about 3-5 years of work experience. Do you have any advice about how I could make myself extra-attractive to employers? My chances for admission into a top MBA program will likely be impacted heavily by the quality of learning and experience I gain from this first employer, and I want to secure the best job possible. What can I do to better my chances and prepare myself to get the most from the experience?

A:  You’ve got a good major/minor combination and a realistic view of the requirements for getting an MBA from a leading program.  Consider several additional steps to prepare for business school.  One is to take the GMAT before you finish college.  The score will be good for five years, and you’ll benefit from taking the test now, while your recollection of college English and math is strong and your test-taking skills are still sharp.

Q:  I finished my first year at college, but I don’t know what to major in.  I don’t know if I should be taking time off to try to figure it out, or if I should continue on and figure it out while in school.

A:  There are two good places to decide on a major.  The best is in a carefully chosen internship; the next best is at school, taking major classes.  Unless you have an internship already lined up, you might consider enrolling now in introductory courses for one or more majors that are of interest to you.  Simultaneously, you can begin looking for a internship–even an unpaid one–that you can fill during your next break from school.