# My college degree has nothing to do with what I do **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2002, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988 "2002-08-28T21:24:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/41 "2002-08-29T23:06:39Z")
BA in Archaeology. I wanted to be an archaeologist. Been doing technical support as a career since I graduated in May '99. Sometimes, your dreams and reality don’t quite collide. But I got the degree so that someday, they might. ---
**Author:** ![Neidhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Neidhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neidhart)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/42 "2002-08-30T01:14:14Z")
I have a BA in History, but all of my jobs have been clerical/data-entry type things. Looking back, I think I would have been better off going to work full time right after high school. College was all right, but I didn’t get all that much out of it. I most enjoyed the library, and you didn’t have to enroll to use it. 🙂 Sometimes I even think I should have gone the vocational route in high school and taken up a skilled trade like welding. ---
**Author:** ![dono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/43 "2002-08-30T13:51:34Z")
BS in Chemistry. I put myself through school working as a technician in an analytical laboratory. During this time, I slowly came to the realization that: 1. To do anything _interesting_ in Chem, you have to have a Ph.D., which wasn’t in the cards, and; 2. I absolutely _detested_ working in a production laboratory, which is about all you’re going to do with a BS. But by then it was way too late to change majors. So now, I work for a Federal land-management agency, where I’m the NEPA (environmental) coordinator for a field office, and an IT project manager. Every so often, though, somebody will come by to ask a chemistry question related to an air quality or water quaity issue or some such. Chest swelling with pride, I go to the bookshelf, blow the dust off the old CRC Handbook (53rd Edition, 1972-3) and look up the answer. They leave obviously impressed with my knowledge of All Things Chemical. And for the rest of the day, I feel like those four years of my life were well spent, after all. ---
**Author:** ![AV8R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@AV8R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AV8R)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/44 "2002-08-30T18:33:51Z")
> [@](#): > > Was four years of life wasted on a piece of paper that is only good as a resume entry? I’ve always felt that achieving something, _anything_, helps you in all other endeavors. The process of expanding your mind, learning something new, concentrating to solve difficult problems, all serve to increase your overall brain-power. The musicians who posted above, if they were dedicated to their studies and practicing, I believe are doing better in computers because of their experiences. People who worked very hard in their theater studies but later switched to a job in accounting had an easier time of the switch because of the discipline involved. In general, I think that all learning increases your mental agility, making you a more well-rounded person. _(Music Education/Performance major, who has worked as a band director, camera salesperson, radio announcer, and programmer.)_ ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/45 "2002-08-30T18:41:12Z")
AV8R said > [@](#): > > "The musicians who posted above, if they were dedicated to their studies and practicing, I believe are doing better in computers because of their experiences. People who worked very hard in their theater studies but later switched to a job in accounting had an easier time of the switch because of the discipline involved. " That is so true. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do now with databases if I didn’t have the musical background. Music, theatre, and other art jobs are very demanding of your time and put a lot of focus into what you do. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/46 "2002-08-30T19:43:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ResIpsaLoquitor \* > \*\*BS in Secondary Education (minor in Spanish) \*\* Me too, except a major in Spanish & minor in English. My current job is still VAGUELY related to education - developing web-based training/reference materials. But not at all what I envisioned doing after graduation. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/47 "2002-08-31T03:13:22Z")
Put me down as another music major who’s now in computers. Although, unlike many people here, I’m not happy with the way things have worked out–I wish I’d majored in something like English or history or philosophy, and I wish I hadn’t gone into IT, since it’s much harder and less fun than I expected. I also can’t believe the percentage mentioned in the OP isn’t closer to 50%. Fewer than 50% of my coworkers majored in computer science or information systems. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/48 "2002-08-31T05:24:40Z")
Degree in music. Was a total ski bum for a few years. Still deciding what to do for my masters. Ski bum/musician does not seem to be an option. damn. I can’t take processing payroll for much longer:( Must check out porn star options. ---
**Author:** ![Osakadave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f07891/32.png) [@Osakadave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osakadave)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/49 "2002-08-31T12:54:02Z")
I’ve been teaching conversational English here for 10 1/2 years on my BS in poli. sci. with a history minor. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988/50 "2002-08-31T13:50:00Z")
**Degree** : MA (Honours) Politics (with additional courses in Psychology, Moral and General Philosophy, Sociology and Social History). Specialised in International Relations and Ethics. **Career** : at the moment, senior technology risk consultant for an audit and consulting firm. Generally working either on telecoms revenue assurance or general IT security and controls audit. Not really much of a link there, I suppose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-college-degree-has-nothing-to-do-with-what-i-do/125988.md?page=2)