Stay in School…No Really, Stay in School

College student thinking about what course to take. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The collegiate degree is the new high school diploma. What does that mean? That means that employers who used to be happy with a simple high school diploma are now requiring candidates—even those for low paid entry level positions—to have a college degree. This means that college isn’t really optional anymore.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you don’t still have a lot of wiggle room when choosing your field of study. Most employers, with the exceptions of a few highly specialized industries like medicine, engineering and teaching, do not really care what kind of degree you have, as long as you have one. So why not consider one of the following degree programs?

Music

Music isn’t just for people who sing or play an instrument anymore. Today a good music program will also teach students how to incorporate engineering with music. Students will learn how to work with digital and analog recording equipment. They will learn the mechanics of music composition. As a music student you will learn how to make music happen whether it is with your own body or a computerized instrument. The skills you learn—particularly those in engineering—can be applied in a variety of other fields as well.

Literature

Do you like to read? Why not pursue a degree in literature? You don’t have to want to be a writer to justify a degree in English, Writing or Literature. A literature degree is applicable elsewhere. People who major in literature can go into any field they want because they will have studied a degree that forces them to learn how to communicate effectively via the written word (a priority for many employers). Or you could use it to jump start a career in journalism or teaching. You could become a literary agent or work in publishing.

Engineering

Engineering is a highly specialized field, yes, but that doesn’t mean that you have to actually become an engineer to use this degree. It’s worth noting that there are many different types of engineering. Right now the hottest fields of engineering are computer software engineering and environmental engineering. You could parlay your engineering degree into a job at a hot software startup or use it to help you save the planet!

Math and Statistics

Mathematics majors, particularly those who specialize in statistics, are in incredibly high demand right now. Think about all of the polls you hear about on the news. Those are made possible by statisticians. Think of all of the studies that you hear about in pretty much every field ever—those are set up and interpreted by statisticians. Other math degrees can be used to facilitate careers in finance, business, and education.

These are just four fantastic college majors to look at. The key is to choose something that you enjoy doing. After all, you’re going to be forced to focus on that subject in depth for at least four years; you might as well enjoy it, right? And trust us when we tell you that later, when you’re immediately employable after graduations, you’ll be glad that you put in that time.