Why Aren’t Black Students Picking Majors That Lead to High-Paying Jobs?

[iBrowse]

By STEM they usually mean Engineering and Engineering just isn't for every one. Only other things I really see beneficial would probably be Business/Finance , Medicine , and IT. And if all else fails try Teaching or get a Trade

Qft

 

[iBrowse]

Co-sign to @dora_da_destroyer and @Audemar

 

[Poitier]

Guys, the stability of the global economy isn't going to remain so stop thinking you'll be able to rely on your degree until retirement. Add new technologies and the employer-employee paradigm is going to shift soon. Just learn hard skills outside of your main career is what I am saying.

Please please please learn how to PRODUCE things even if just a hobby. You can make side income and more, if your job sector ever erodes.

 

[Jimi Swagger]

Biggest mistake that black students make is not interning/co-oping or networking once they graduate. I was a STEM major but my relative has an English degree from a liberal arts school. Job shadowed and moved up in rank and is head of production and planning/supply chain at a global Fortune 500 company. Even with a strong degree, if you don't network chances are you are going to be stuck in the same position or switching companies aimlessly in different entry-mid level positions. I know its hard for people to intern because many are working to supplement their education but the sacrifice will pay off in the long run. Another cousin just graduated cum laude and did an internship in India. Was recruited by an intel agency due to language skills. Also make friends with as many Asians, East Indians and upper class Whites as possible. You can learn a lot from them.

 

[Elle Driver]

The article mentions psychology and social work, if it's in the realm of mental health you'd have to go to grad school and get a state license. It's kind of weird getting simply a bachelors in psychology, if you're interested in that field you need to get a doctorate. The hustle of research ain't worth it though, unless you absolutely love it.

 

[BillBanneker]

connections >>>> school prestige >> experience >> >>>>>>>>>>> major as far a finding high paying jobs. yes you need to major in engineering to to be an engineer, you don't need to be an engineer to find other high paying jobs tho

secondly, STEM interest and capabilities start well before college, if you're in underfunded/average public schools, you probably don't have access to strong stem training which puts you at a disadvantage in college. there's a reason there are so many non-profit coding academies for students of color and girls, you have to be exposed younger and younger nowadays to even start base level courses in college.

This. I knew a lot (myself included) of black students in my freshman class that started off as Engineering/CS (you can make big bucks), but if don't have strong mathematical skill coming out of high school, you're climbing a very uphill battle academically if you want to graduate in less than six years, and there's still a lot of competition for internships and jobs (especially in the cities), at least at the state university I went to.


Not to discourage any brehs from majoring in engineering/cs but this whole "black people don't do stem" was hogwash in my experience. And honestly, imo engineering majors at descent/good HBCU's have a big leg up than if you're going to a regular state school.

My wife is an RN and she tells me all the time I (and men in general) should become RNs. Everybody is looking for male nurses and they're on a fast track because there are so few of them. There were only two men in her whole class. And 1 didn't end up graduating.

I would go but we already have a kid with one on the way, and too many bills for me to stop working, so i wouldn't be able to do clinicals.

Why in the world is there demand for male nurses specifically?

 

[EndDomination]

A lot of people were just not adequately prepared in elementary and high school for the demands/rigors of a STEM education.

Having said that, networking + school prestige goes along way to employment -- moreso than the degree from what I've seen

Depends on the field.
A non-engineering/mathematics/physics major will not be an engineer. Ever.
The medical and legal fields are exactly the same.
Investment banking and Finance fields don't hire a single non-Finance/Econ major that isn't coming from a top school.
Same thing with Accounting and the like.
If you're going into a miscellaneous field, it'll be easier to move around w/ networking.

 

[NinoBrown]

This is definitely the problem.

The idea of the "College experience" is no more and needs to be scraped for now until college tuition goes down or the bubble finally busts and everything baselines. Not saying you can't have fun in college, but the decision to go to college needs to be treated as a business decision instead of "finding yourself" and "enjoying the college experience".

If you want to just better yourself, then go to community college and take classes there or hell, at this point you could just do online courses.

Yes, agree wholeheartedly. Or if you know what you want prior to college, then you can really focus on your major and also enjoy the experience of attending a university.

College Administration is still pushing the Baby Boomer model of college and career establishment which is 50 years old and out of touch with reality.

 

[BlackAchilles]

The article mentions psychology and social work, if it's in the realm of mental health you'd have to go to grad school and get a state license. It's kind of weird getting simply a bachelors in psychology, if you're interested in that field you need to get a doctorate. The hustle of research ain't worth it though, unless you absolutely love it.

Yeah and that's a big thing people leave out ... like even if the rents have undergrad covered grad school's a different story, and a bachelor's in liberal arts is basically just a fancy HS diploma

 

[Elle Driver]

Yeah and that's a big thing people leave out ... like even if the rents have undergrad covered grad school's a different story, and a bachelor's in liberal arts is basically just a fancy HS diploma

If you are going from a bachelors to a doctorate, since it is research based you do not pay tuition, in fact they pay you a stipend. You also get a terminal masters degree, and an assistanceship. It's not for everybody though. shyt can be grueling.

 

[Prodyson]

RNs gotta deal with a code brown breh

Nah they don't... just asked my wife to be sure. She's only done it a couple times and she said it was just to help out since she was in the room.

The only exception she said there might be are ICU nurses since they usually only monitor a couple of patients at a time and they have to be tended to very closely. Otherwise it's not an expection for an RN.

If they are doing it, it's by choice or they're underemployed.

 

[Rawtid]

Guys, the stability of the global economy isn't going to remain so stop thinking you'll be able to rely on your degree until retirement. Add new technologies and the employer-employee paradigm is going to shift soon. Just learn hard skills outside of your main career is what I am saying.

Please please please learn how to PRODUCE things even if just a hobby. You can make side income and more, if your job sector ever erodes.

This can apply to anyone working though. Degree or not, always keep your skills fresh and up to date. Network. Have multiple incomes. The college vs. non college thing is so divisive.

 

[HeavyTheDon]

I was brought up to chase my dreams, not dollar signs.

That's the problem... You're not white ( or I think you're not), so you can't afford to follow your dreams, that's selfish. Most black people come from nothing, so you have to do what needs to be done and maybe your children can follow their dreams.

 

[Geek Nasty]

Here's the reality. Just because you get into college doesn't mean you can take the hard classes. The HARD classes take way more time to study for and someties the hard programs tack on more costs like engineering fees or mandatory computer requirements. So, if you have to work or take care of your kids, you aren't going to be able to put in the time.

I had an advisor flat out tell me that there's no way to graduate in 4 years as an engineer if you have to work more than about 5-10 hours a week. And, he was right.

 

[Poitier]

This can apply to anyone working though. Degree or not, always keep your skills fresh and up to date. Network. Have multiple incomes. The college vs. non college thing is so divisive.

Yes, everyone should have hard skill but its easier for those with careers to look past it due to the corporate world.