Psychologist asks parents not to push their kids to choose a practical major for a very good reason

For centuries now, parents have paved the way for kids to embark on their educational journeys. Be it via financial means or pieces of advice they offer, parents have been known to seemingly know what is best for their children. Adam Grant, who is a psychologist who often talks about education, parenting and work culture, has his two cents to share on how he thinks parents should navigate the decision involved in their children's major in college.

In a post he started on Instagram from his account, @adamgrant, he talks about how parents need to allow their kids to choose their major in college. He says, "Hey parents: You don't have to push your kids to choose a 'practical' major." He adds that this makes sense because the aim of liberal arts isn't to build a career but to build a mind. In his own words, "The goal of liberal arts education is not to build careers. It's to broaden minds." What he's trying to say via his post is that in today's world, an open mind is more important than a stereotypically great degree. 

In his last statement, he says, "No one knows which skills will be useful in the future." And he isn't entirely wrong. With the constant switch between which professions are more in demand and which ones aren't, the world seems to be in a confused state of being. It almost feels like the world no longer needs workers as much as it needs innovators. Grant ended his post by saying, "The true value of college is learning how to think and learn." In today's world, having a clear thought process can come in very handy. It is a quality one must work towards inculcating in themselves.

While most readers agreed with Grant's point of view, there were some who commented otherwise. @am_lly contradicts this and says, "I agree to disagree. I have a Master's Degree in liberal arts. I could have understood how to think and learn at the same level I reached in college just by using a free library card and some determination. I think what we need in education are hands-on activities. Learn how to: Everything." Adding on to that, @alparora said, "Hmmm. As much as I would like to agree with you, I struggle. It's not easy to earn a living right out of college with a liberal arts degree. And I would think that a college education would be a lot about earning a living for most."

Agreeing with Grants, @thoughtsbyjae says, "I’ve been preaching this since the beginning. The point of education isn’t to be a worker, it’s to be a better, more informed person. We have lost sight of that." Another reader, @i.heart.running says, "Agreed! English lit/pysch major here. Never had trouble in my career path. The world has been my oyster. I am happy and make enough to own my own house, work from home full time and I can retire at 57ish." @micholas_g explains how exactly his liberal arts education helped him. He said, "A liberal arts education is not the same as a liberal arts degree. I went to a liberal arts college and graduated with a degree in nursing. In addition to my nursing courses, I also took courses in philosophy, history, communications, writing and more. It was the core liberal arts curriculum that helped you learn how to think critically and not just practically."