Article by Meridian Pearson, Reporter

One of the first questions people ask college students is, “What’s your major?” It becomes a part of our identity, seen as an indicator of our personality, our future. But how important is it, really? Less than a third of college graduates work in a field related to their major. If that seems shocking low to you, that’s because it is. In fact, half of the college graduates in America are either unemployed or underemployed (having a job that does not require a bachelor’s degree). However, though your area of study may not always bring you to a job in that field, I believe the college experience still makes a difference in your future.

I often find myself panicking about the future, and whether I’m securing myself a job after graduation. Thankfully, just having a college degree can make you more desirable as an employee. Employers generally believe that candidates with a college degree (and that’s any college degree) are more “job ready” than those without, even if the job duties would not change due to the education level of the employee. I tend to agree with that philosophy. Having a college degree may indicate someone’s level of commitment to a goal, as well as self-discipline, organization, communication, and time management skills. Plus, salaries for employees with college degrees are typically higher than those without!

So, does what you study in undergrad matter? My short answer: not really. I think the fact that you have a degree is much more important than your area of study, generally speaking. The subject may not be applicable to your future job, but the skills you’re picking up along the way will! So let’s try not to panic too much about the future while we’re here. We can focus more on enjoying the college experience knowing that, no matter what we’re studying, we’re setting ourselves up for success the best that we can.