Is College Worth It?

Dr. Hellen writes:

I wish I had known more prior to choosing my field, for if I did, I would definitely not have gone into the field I chose. What about you?

Other than wishing I had discovered economics earlier, I am mostly happy with the fields I've chosen. (Although if I were to do undergrad over again, I'd major in either electrical engineering or computer science rather than mechanical engineering. I'm also not sure I would have come to law school if I knew more about it ahead of time.)

Unfortunately, I have many friends are not happy -- either about their choice of major or (in some cases) the schools they went to or even their choice to attend college. I continue to be surprised by how little readily available information and guidance is about expected salaries and career prospects for various majors. This is particularly important information to give to college students who have never had to face the real job market before. I wonder how much economic gain could be acquired simply from giving better guidance to students when they are choosing a major?

See my previous posts:

• Some Career Advice If You're Thinking of Returning to School
• Expected Salary By College Major
• Choosing A College Major
• Helping Students Find Their Way
• Not All Majors Are Created Equal
• The Value of Being "Numerate"