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Your #Career: Best Value Colleges 2016: The 300 Schools Worth The Investment (Entire List)…In the Coming Weeks, High School Seniors, Transfer Students & their Families will Make One of the Most Important Personal & Financial Decisions of their Lives: What College to Attend?

March 31, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

For this reason, FORBES has compiled this newly reimagined Best Value Colleges ranking based on tuition costs, school quality, graduation success rates and post-grad earnings.

Have you heard, American higher education as we know it is fast approaching the cliff’s edge. Costs are way up, not to mention individual and collective student debt levels (now at $1.2 trillion nationally). State funding remains well below pre-recession levels. While the admissions race for spots at elite universities is ever more insatiable and manic, other schools are facing collapsing enrollment. The classic liberal arts are threatened by a surge in STEM programs, and there is talk of disrupting or “unbundling” college degrees in favor of digital portfolios of marketable skill sets. We idolize millennial billionaire dropouts such as Mark Zuckerberg, Elizabeth Holmes and Palmer Luckey.

A Google search of “is college worth it?” yields nearly 500 million hits. While that’s a pretty good time stamp of the alarm, it’s more abstract than actual.Federal data reveals enrollment among 18-24-year-olds in four-year degree programs holds at 28% for 2013 and 2012 (most recent years available), up from 26% the year this fall’s freshmen were born in 1998 and from about 20% when their parents’ generation graduated in the 1980s. In the case of parents, 94% say they expect their children to attend college, according to the Pew Research Center.

With a college degree still a near universal aspiration in this country, FORBES looks at the U.S. colleges and universities that provide students with the most value for the dollar. In partnership with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, this is our newly reimagined Best Value Colleges ranking, an analysis of the brainiest research universities and leading liberal arts schools, both public and private, that are well worth the investment. (Our methodology appears below.)

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The Top 10

University of California, Berkeley is the No. 1 Best Value College, followed byBrigham Young University and University of Florida. The top 10 include three more U.C. schools — UCLA (No. 4), U.C. San Diego (No. 5) and U.C. Irvine(No. 10). MIT and Harvard University are the only East Coast private schools in the top (No. 6 and No. 9). The Midwest makes a showing at No. 7 withUniversity of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign while the South’s public Georgia Institute of Technology comes in at a No. 8.

We’ve tapped into something very interesting. The top Best Value Colleges are not bundled in the Northeast and founded prior to 1800. Rather they are mostly West Coast, public and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-oriented.

STEM and Liberal Arts

Research universities make a strong showing in the top 50 Best Value colleges, taking 38 of the spots. Caltech and Stanford University show at No. 11 and 12, respectively, followed by Carnegie Mellon University (No. 27), Virginia Tech(No. 29) and Colorado School of Mines (No.45). Many of the baccalaureate colleges in the top are also STEM-oriented: Harvey Mudd College (No. 13) andCooper Union (No. 38), to name two.

This is a practical issue. Forty percent of bachelor’s degrees earned by men and 29% earned by women (mind the gender gap) are now in science and engineering, driven largely by growth in the “hard sciences.” Thank the explosion of technology and drive for competitive innovation in all industries, along with federal and state incentives (such as performance-based funding), for this increase. STEM is where the jobs (and bigger salaries) are.

The 13 Most Important STEM Colleges For Women

In a testament to the attraction, resilience and value of the liberal arts, this ranking is full of schools that develop the “philosopher’s touch.” Claremont-McKenna College (No. 30), Williams College (No. 43), Carleton College (No. 62) and Davidson College (No. 75) all make the top 100. Even among research universities, not everyone is in the lab or coding: at Rutger’s University (No. 49), one-third of the most popular majors lie outside the hard sciences, while at the University of Chicago (No. 56) some 42% opt for social sciences or English language/literature. That’s far from idealistic or unhireable. As outlined in “That ‘Useless’ Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech’s Hottest Ticket:”

Throughout the major U.S. tech hubs, whether Silicon Valley or Seattle, Boston or Austin, Tex., software companies are discovering that liberal arts thinking makes them stronger.

Methodology of Best Value Colleges

For this new Best Value Colleges ranking, our sights are set directly on one question: What schools are worth the investment? To answer this question, FORBES partnered exclusively with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity. CCAP gathered data from a variety of sources. The formula, five general categories and weights are noted below:

Quality (35%) + drop-out risk (15%) + graduation time (15%) + alumni salaries (25%) + alumni skills (10%) / gross tuition and fees.

Quality (35%): This is based on the 2015 FORBES Top Colleges ranking. Full methodology is here.

Drop-out risk (15%): This is based not on retention rates but rather the percentage of students who do not graduate in six years. For example, if 80% of students earn their diploma within six years time, our factor is that 20% remaining. This is reported by the schools to the Department of Education database (IPEDS).

Graduation success (15%): Similarly, we look to IPEDS data for the average expected number of years it takes to graduate — of those who do graduate within six years. For example, a stellar school might have an average of 4 years while its not-so-successful counterpart may be looking at a 5.7 year average rate.

Post-graduate earnings (25%): We use our own blended model of mid-career earnings (meaning at least 10 years of working), based both on PayScaleand the new U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Each has its benefits and its drawbacks. PayScale is the market leader in global online compensation data but that data is wholly self-reported. The College Scorecard is based on federal income tax returns. Can you get any more accurate? Well, yes. Because the Scorecard pulls only from former students who received federal financial aid. We feel a blended approach is the most accurate snapshot currently available.

Value-added (10%): Last year our colleagues at Brookings came up with an exciting ranking system of their own, “A Value-Added Approach To Assessing Two- And Four-Year Schools.” Most simply put, this list is “an attempt to isolate the effect colleges themselves have on those outcomes [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][like salaries], above and beyond what students’ backgrounds would predict.”

Gross tuition and fees: Pulled from IPEDS, this is the sticker price without accounting for room and board. For public schools, we account for differences between in- and out-state tuition based on percentage of in- and out-state students. For example, if one state college has 5% out-state students while another has 27%, this would impact our tally of these schools’ tuition.

Think $100K Is Too Much For School? These 25 Colleges Are Worth Every Penny

How Much Do MIT, Stanford And Harvard Grads Earn?

In the last 10 years, students and their families paid out 37% and 25% percent more for a four-year public and private education, respectively. Tuition, fees, room/board is now some $20,000 annually for public students and $44,000 for their private school counterparts. This tab translates into a run on college loans, both in terms of the amount borrowed and the number of students turning to loans. The average borrower from the class of 2015 owes a little more than $35,000, according to an analysis of government data. Going back 10 years, that’s up from an average $20,000. And almost 71% of bachelor’s degree recipients will graduate with student debt, compared with about 64% in 2005.

That is concerning. The median U.S. household income was nearly $54,000 in 2014, the latest data available from the U.S. Census. The issue boils down to whether students and their families can afford to pay some $80,000 to $176,000 (at sticker price) for a four-year college education, more with multiple children in school.

Note: Absent from this ranking are the five U.S. service academies: theMilitary Academy in West Point, Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy,Merchant Marine Academy and Air Force Academy. These federal institutions charge little to no tuition or fees and instead require a minimum term of duty upon graduation. Similarly, we do not include schools, such as Babson Collegeand the Savannah College of Art and Design, that lie outside the main Carnegie Classifications.

Credits:

Editor: Caroline Howard

Reporters: Jennifer Eum, Natalie Sportelli with Chase Peterson-Withorn

Rankings exclusively compiled by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP). Director Richard Vedder and Justin Strehle with the assistance of Joshua Distel.

Below is Entire List:

1. University of California, Berkeley, CA

2. Brigham Young University, UT

3. University of Florida, FL

4. University of California, Los Angeles, CA

5. University of California, San Diego, CA

6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA

7. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL

8. Georgia Institute of Technology, GA

9. Harvard University, MA

10. University of California, Irvine, CA

11. California Institute of Technology, CA

12. Stanford University, CA

13. Harvey Mudd College, CA

14. Princeton University, NJ

15. SUNY, Binghamton (Binghamton University), NY

16. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC

17. University of Texas, Austin, TX

18. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

19. University of Virginia, VA

20. Rice University, TX

21. University of Pennsylvania, PA

22. College of William and Mary, VA

23. University of Washington, WA

24. University of Maryland, College Park, MD

25. University of California, Santa Barbara, CA

26. University of California, Davis, CA

27. Carnegie Mellon University, PA

28. Yale University, CT

29. Virginia Tech , VA

30. Claremont McKenna College, CA

31. Duke University, NC

32. Washington and Lee University, VA

33. Georgetown University, DC

34. Brown University, RI

35. Dartmouth College, NH

36. Cornell University, NY

37. Colgate University, NY

38. Cooper Union, NY

39. Tufts University, MA

40. Columbia University, NY

41. Haverford College, PA

42. University of Notre Dame, IN

43. Williams College, MA

44. Virginia Military Institute , VA

45. Colorado School of Mines, CO

46. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA

47. Swarthmore College, PA

48. Pomona College, CA

49. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ

50. The Citadel, SC

51. Northwestern University, IL

52. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

53. Lafayette College, PA

54. California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

55. Lehigh University, PA

56. University of Chicago, IL

57. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

58. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY

59. Amherst College, MA

60. University of Rochester, NY

61. Vanderbilt University, TN

62. Carleton College, MN

63. Santa Clara University, CA

64. Villanova University, PA

65. Johns Hopkins University, MD

66. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

67. California Maritime Academy, CA

68. Boston College, MA

69. University of Southern California, CA

70. Middlebury College, VT

71. Bucknell University, PA

72. University of Georgia, GA

73. Washington University in St. Louis, MO

74. Brandeis University, MA

75. Davidson College, NC

76. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN

77. Bowdoin College, ME

78. College of the Holy Cross, MA

79. Wesleyan University, CT

80. Bentley University, MA

81. Wellesley College, MA

82. SUNY, Stony Brook (Stony Brook University), NY

83. Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ

84. Colby College, ME

85. Union College, NY

86. Boston University, MA

87. Wake Forest University, NC

88. Case Western Reserve University, OH

89. Franklin and Marshall College, PA

90. Kenyon College, OH

91. Emory University, GA

92. New York University, NY

93. George Washington University, DC

94. Barnard College, NY

95. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA

96. The College of New Jersey, NJ

97. Manhattan College, NY

98. Clarkson University, NY

99. James Madison University, VA

100. Vassar College, NY

101. Hamilton College, NY

102. Whitman College, WA

103. Macalester College, MN

104. Centre College, KY

105. Wheaton College, IL

106. Bates College, ME

107. Occidental College, CA

108. Drake University, IA

109. Grove City College, PA

110. Bryn Mawr College, PA

111. Grinnell College, IA

112. University of Connecticut, CT

113. Smith College, MA

114. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

115. Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

116. Trinity University, TX

117. DePauw University, IN

118. Michigan State University, MI

119. University of Delaware, DE

120. New Jersey Institute of Technology, NJ

121. Loyola University Maryland, MD

122. Miami University, Oxford, OH

123. Missouri University of Science and Technology, MO

124. Clemson University, SC

125. St. Mary’s College of Maryland, MD

126. Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

127. University of Richmond, VA

128. Illinois Institute of Technology, IL

129. Oberlin College, OH

130. Providence College, RI

131. Southern Methodist University, TX

132. Scripps College, CA

133. Reed College, OR

134. Wofford College, SC

135. Trinity College, CT

136. Kalamazoo College, MI

137. Gettysburg College, PA

138. Dickinson College, PA

139. Skidmore College, NY

140. Colorado College, CO

141. Rhodes College, TN

142. Pepperdine University, CA

143. Fairfield University, CT

144. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC

145. Denison University, OH

146. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

147. Syracuse University, NY

148. American University, DC

149. St. John’s University, MN

150. St. Olaf College, MN

151. Marquette University, WI

152. Bryant University, RI

153. Mount Holyoke College, MA

154. Creighton University, NE

155. Stonehill College, MA

156. University of San Francisco, CA

157. Loyola Marymount University, CA

158. University of Tulsa, OK

159. SUNY, Buffalo (University at Buffalo), NY

160. University of Pittsburgh, PA

161. Wabash College, IN

162. Muhlenberg College, PA

163. Furman University, SC

164. Gonzaga University, WA

165. University of Miami, FL

166. University of Scranton, PA

167. Fordham University, NY

168. Hobart and William Smith Colleges, NY

169. University of St. Thomas, MN

170. Westmont College, CA

171. St. Joseph’s University, PA

172. Pitzer College, CA

173. St. Mary’s College of California, CA

174. Sewanee—University of the South, TN

175. SUNY, Geneseo, NY

176. University of Dallas, TX

177. Connecticut College, CT

178. University of Denver, CO

179. John Carroll University, OH

180. George Mason University, VA

181. Tulane University, LA

182. Bradley University, IL

183. Clark University, MA

184. Willamette University, OR

185. University of Mary Washington, VA

186. Yeshiva University, NY

187. University of Dayton, OH

188. University of San Diego, CA

189. University of Portland, OR

190. University of Redlands, CA

191. University of California, Santa Cruz, CA

192. Gustavus Adolphus College, MN

193. Lawrence University, WI

194. St. Lawrence University, NY

195. University of New Hampshire, NH

196. Auburn University, AL

197. St. Anselm College, NH

198. Juniata College, PA

199. University of Puget Sound, WA

200. St. Michael’s College, VT

201. Hampden-Sydney College, VA

202. Florida State University, FL

203. Ursinus College, PA

204. Illinois Wesleyan University, IL

205. Knox College, IL

206. University of Iowa, IA

207. Catholic University of America, DC

208. Siena College, NY

209. St. Louis University, MO

210. University of Vermont, VT

211. College of Wooster, OH

212. Beloit College, WI

213. Lewis & Clark College, OR

214. Emerson College, MA

215. Michigan Technological University, MI

216. College of St. Benedict, MN

217. Hope College, MI

218. Southwestern University, TX

219. University of the Pacific, CA

220. Hanover College, IN

221. Washington & Jefferson College, PA

222. Wagner College, NY

223. Duquesne University, PA

224. CUNY, Baruch College, NY

225. Merrimack College, MA

226. Sarah Lawrence College, NY

227. Austin College, TX

228. Butler University, IN

229. Allegheny College, PA

230. Seattle University, WA

231. Elon University, NC

232. Rockhurst University, MO

233. Hendrix College, AR

234. Baylor University, TX

235. Lake Forest College, IL

236. Spelman College, GA

237. St. John’s College, MD

238. Texas Christian University, TX

239. Florida Institute of Technology, FL

240. Washington College, MD

241. Valparaiso University, IN

242. Albion College, MI

243. Iona College, NY

244. Ithaca College, NY

245. St. Norbert College, WI

246. Millsaps College, MS

247. California Lutheran University, CA

248. Seton Hall University, NJ

249. Louisiana State University, LA

250. Agnes Scott College, GA

251. DePaul University, IL

252. Earlham College, IN

253. La Salle University, PA

254. Ohio Wesleyan University, OH

255. Lebanon Valley College, PA

256. Loyola University Chicago, IL

257. Augustana College, IL

258. Hofstra University, NY

259. Northeastern University, MA

260. Ohio Northern University, OH

261. Elizabethtown College, PA

262. Calvin College, MI

263. Xavier University, OH

264. Taylor University, IN

265. Pacific Lutheran University, WA

266. Quinnipiac University, CT

267. Bard College, NY

268. St. Mary’s College, IN

269. University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

270. Linfield College, OR

271. Le Moyne College, NY

272. Milwaukee School of Engineering, WI

273. Whitworth University, WA

274. Goucher College, MD

275. University of Texas, Dallas, TX

276. Marist College, NY

277. Presbyterian College, SC

278. Samford University, AL

279. Drexel University, PA

280. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL

281. Drew University, NJ

282. Chapman University, CA

283. Luther College, IA

284. Hampshire College, MA

285. Seattle Pacific University, WA

286. Cornell College, IA

287. University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

288. Susquehanna University, PA

289. Marietta College, OH

290. University of California, Riverside, CA

291. St. Vincent College, PA

292. Rollins College, FL

293. Transylvania University, KY

294. Simmons College, MA

295. Coe College, IA

296. Whittier College, CA

297. Iowa State University, IA

298. Sweet Briar College, VA

299. Adelphi University, NY

300. Bennington College, VT

Forbes.com | March 29, 2016 | Chase Peterson-Withorn & Forbes STa

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Your #Career : What Recent College Grads Don’t Know About Getting Their First ‘Real’ Job … What Many New Graduates Don’t Fully Realize is the Amount of Competition Out There that They’re up Against. While Employers are Hungry for Talent, They have a Healthy Pool to Choose From. And Many of Those Candidates Already have Experience.

March 24, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

As a career coach and a mom with college-aged children readying themselves for the workforce, I hear from a lot of parents and recent grads with questions about how to best prepare for the “real world.” They want to know exactly what young adults can do today to position themselves powerfully to hit the ground running and land their first bona fide professional role right out of school.

I have my own thoughts about that, but I wanted to check in with a career expert who works extensively with recent college grads and who’s in the trenches helping young adults do what’s required to get hired quickly. I was excited to catch up this week with Ryan Kahn, a nationally-recognized career expert and star of MTV’s docu-series, Hired as well as creator of the video course How To Get Hired and founder of The Hired Group.

Here’s what Ryan shared.

Ryan Kahn (Photo Courtesy of The Hired Group)

Kathy Caprino: Ryan, what’s the first thing you think new grads should know about landing their first real job?

Ryan Kahn: What many new graduates don’t fully realize is the amount of competition out there that they’re up against. While employers are hungry for talent, they have a healthy pool to choose from. And many of those candidates already have experience. Many new grads have been led to believe there’s an ocean of great jobs just waiting to hire them and give them a signing bonus, but the reality is that, while new grads have a lot to offer, they’ll have to work extra hard to catch the attention of hiring managers.

Caprino: What’s the biggest mistake you see new grads making as they prepare to get their first job?

Kahn: Most often I see graduates missing the boat when it comes to planning ahead. And that’s understandable. Students are focused on classes and graduating. A lot of times preparing for the job market just doesn’t fit into their schedule. But there’s a lot students can do before they graduate to better position themselves when it’s time to start job hunting.

Get internships—as early and as often as you can.

Getting experience before you graduate is one of the biggest advantages you can create for yourself. Will it be a challenge to fit into your already packed academic schedule? Sure. Will it be worth it when you’re asked to list your qualifications and experience on a job application? Absolutely.

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Always be networking.

Not many people love networking, but it’s one of the most important secret weapons in your job search armory. Join clubs, attend meetups and conferences, and talk to your fellow students and faculty. Develop relationships with people that share your interests and you can learn from.

Start a portfolio.

Even if you don’t have tons of “real world” experience when you graduate, I’m willing to bet you have lots of great examples of college projects you can share.

Caprino: What are new grads missing when it comes to the interview process?

Kahn: Landing an interview is super exciting, especially if it’s for your first job. A lot of recent grads overlook some important rules of interviewing that could knock them out of the running. Here’s what they should keep in mind:

Be persistent, but not a pest.

One of the hardest things about interviewing is waiting for an update from the employer. There’s a fine line between following up and driving a hiring manager crazy with requests for updates. Establish a timeline for when you’ll be following up, and stick to it. For example, before you leave the interview, don’t be afraid to ask when you should expect to hear something. Also offer to reach out yourself in a week in the event you don’t hear anything.

Remember that you’re interviewing the employer, too.

A lot of folks new to the job market don’t realize that they’re not the only ones being interviewed. Finding the right fit is an important factor in succeeding at your first (of any future) jobs, so it’s important that candidates be prepared with a few insightful questions they plan to ask in an interview.

Study the culture.

Culture is increasingly becoming an important differentiator when it comes to attracting talent. And that means companies are really looking for candidates that fit into their existing culture. Do your research on a company before interviewing. Dig deep into the company’s hiring pages, read interviews with executives and scour social media for existing employees. Your goal is to get a sense for what the company values when it comes to culture, and make sure you’re aligned with that mission before you show up to interview.

Caprino: Any final words of advice new grads probably haven’t heard before?

Kahn: I think the biggest point most new grads miss is to remember that landing a new gig isn’t just about them—it’s about your potential employer, your mentors, and your network. Here’s what to know:

Celebrate failure.

When you’re looking for a job, it’s tempting to focus on your successes and shy away from failure. But the reality is that everyone who can help you along the way will be able to offer better advice if they know where you need the most guidance. Failure is a part of growing into your career, so embrace it and be open about it with your network.

Make yourself useful.

Your network will be filled with busy people. Take some time to figure out howyou can help them, and offer up your services. For example, if your mentor runs a blog, offer to write a few posts for them. Or it could even be as simple as forwarding along interesting articles you think people in your network might find helpful.

Don’t be so confident.

While a little confidence is always a good thing, too much of it can rub people the wrong way — especially those in positions to help you. Stay humble and let the folks in your network show you what they know. By giving them the opportunity to show off their skills, you’ll prove that you’re ready and willing to learn.

* * * * * * *

My favorite tip here from Ryan is “celebrate failure.” Truly relish it. After 30 years in business, I’ve found that it’s our failures, missteps and detours that provide the most vital lessons and shape our understanding of who we really are and where we want to go. The sooner we realize that “failures” are a healthy, useful (in fact, essential) part of building a great and rewarding career (and stop beating ourselves up about them), the sooner we can get moving doing the important work of attracting and creating the most rewarding roles, projects and relationships that will support our highest goals.

For more information, visit The Hired Group.

To build a rewarding career, join my free webinar series The Quickest Path To Your Happiest Career.

Forbes.com | March 24, 2016 | Kathy Caprino

Your #Career : 18 Awesome Career Choices Most College Kids Would Never Think Of…For many Students, a College Degree Puts you On the Direct Path to a Certain Career, Such as a Doctor, Teacher, or Journalist. But for Many Others, the Future Isn’t as Clear-Cut.

March 5, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Maybe you want to go to med school, but don’t necessarily want to be a doctor. Maybe you love maps, but aren’t sure how to incorporate that passion into a career. Or perhaps you just haven’t found anything that sounds appealing yet.

Mining engineer

Luckily, there are tons of great career options out there that many college kids have no idea even exist. In this helpful thread, Reddit users shared some of these under-the-radar occupations that most students probably haven’t heard of. And they pay fairly well, too.

Here are 18 of our favorites, including salary data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, for those who need some inspiration finding their dream job.

Air traffic controller

USACE HQ/Flickr

Average annual salary: $118,780

“After school and training it pays an average of 100k a year, but there is an age limit to get accepted.” — Kate1320

“My father is an ATC at Pearson. 200k a year with brilliant benefits. He provided a great quality of life for my family.” — 1stOnRT1

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Court stenographer

Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

“It’s a three-year program (on average — took me four to finish), but if you’re proficient in grammar, have strong language skills, have solid finger dexterity from playing an instrument or video games, and are able to work independently, it’s an incredible career.

“You work from home most of the time, lawyers very rarely schedule depositions before 10:00 am, you can make your own schedule, and the pay is great. Your pay reflects how hard you want to work and the jobs you’re getting, but I made 65k my first year and nearly 80k my second.” — Bad_Karma21

Dental hygienist

Boston Globe/Contributor/Getty Images

Average annual salary: $71,970

“I’m starting dental hygiene school in the fall and I would have never looked into it while in college. It’s only after I graduated and realized that I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do that I started seriously doing some research. Most dental hygiene programs only require a certain amount of prerequisite courses and a standardized test score for admission. Most are also bachelors degree programs as well, so mom and dad are pleased and you’re spending the minimal amount of time you would earning a traditional university/college degree. Plus, salary starts at 50-60k a year with ridiculous benefits, at least in my area. Dentists treat their hygienists well!” — WinnifredBurkle

Industrial design

Screenshot from Netflix

Average annual salary: $67,030

“As a career, industrial design is a great fusion of art and engineering. The problems are challenging, the work is varied and creative, and design consultancies have some of the best work environments and cultures you could ask for. And at the core of it all, you’re tasked with answering the question, ‘What sort of future do we want to live in?’ Design is so much more than making things shiny.” — Grizzleyt

Anesthesiology assistant

Flickr/isafmedia

Average annual salary for similar position*: $97,280

“You have to do a premed track in undergrad, but then go to a two-year masters program which has 100% job placement and the average starting salary is about 120k. I never knew about it as an undergrad and wasted a few years getting another masters in an unrelated field.” — parallax1

*Some median salaries were not available via the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so data for similar positions was used.

Geomatic engineering/Land surveying

flickr/axelhartmann

Average annual salary: $60,310

“Most surveyors are old. For instance, the average age of a surveyor in the state of California is in the mid to late fifties, which means you will definitely get a job out of college and you can quickly work your way up to a decent six figure income once you get your professional license.” — TheGeomatician

“Yes. Definitely yes. My dad actually worked for a surveyor for a while and has done surveying off and on as a technician. Made a livable income for someone who dropped out of college after a semester and funded a very heavy smoking habit. I’ve considered getting a side job with a surveyor in a year or two since part of my current degree involves Geographic Information Systems.” — da_asparagus

Packaging engineering

NashvilleCorps via Flickr

Average annual salary: $85,110

“There are only a few schools who offer this degree but the level of difficulty is not high and the unemployment rate after graduation is incredibly low. Also you are likely to be hired to Fortune 500 companies, (P&G, Johnson & Johnson, Bemis, etc.)” — Klarkson1273

Hearing-aid practitioner/Audiologist

flickr/_e.t

Average annual salary: $76,790

“Jobs jobs everywhere. Same goes for speech pathologists. Requires a grad degree and a lot of clinic hours, state certification, but the pay is great and jobs are plentiful. Work is rewarding too, helping people communicate who otherwise couldn’t is pretty rad.” — PaleoVision

Physician assistant

COD Newsroom/flickr

Average annual salary: $97,280

“The short of it is a two to two and half year long post-grad program, and then you’re able to work in the industry with a comparatively high level of independence and earning six figures doing something that results in one feeling as though they’re making some sort of difference.

“It’s not an easy way out, of course, but it’s so much less commitment than medical school, and with the way med school costs are going, it’s very possible that throughout the entirety of your career you can out-earn many doctors who don’t specialize in a particularly expensive specialty. And this also comes with the ability to change specialties without going back to school.” — You_Dont_Party

Hospital technology repair

flickr/digitalcat

Average annual salary: $48,540

“My brother in law works for a medical repair company. He made 55k starting, 15 an hour during the internship, and owned his own house at 23. They fly him around for free whenever someone out of state calls.” — CurioustoaFault

“As a former biomed technician, I can confirm that it’s a very solid industry to get in on. Medical equipment (even on the smaller scale, infusion pumps, defibrillators, and portable suction machines) are ridiculously overpriced, and with this comes huge maintenance prices too. I remember one week in particular, our team of four technicians working on a particular job billed $35,000+ for our company simply doing routine checks on certain equipment in one of the nearby hospitals.” — Bananaman_lives

Internal auditing

Flickr/Phillie Casablanca

Average annual salary: $76,670

Mining engineer

REUTERS/Pav Jordan

“It can be cyclical (bit of a miner lull right now in my specific resource/location right now) but on a good year it is white hot. I signed on to a $100k salary (plus bonus and benefits) straight out of my bachelors degree at 23 for a job that had me moving across the planet (Canada to Australia). The year I graduated we finished school in May and 80% of my graduating class had jobs lined up already and the remainder found jobs by the end of July.

“I was on the higher end for salaries (most making about $80k) There’s worldwide options especially if you get educated in a Western University. Mining Engineers in the US make a little less (~$65k) but for the amount of people working for $30k on masters degrees in other industries, you can’t really complain. You do have to be willing to live in remote areas.” — truffleshufflegoonie

Tower technician

flickr/thebusybrain

Average annual salary: $49,880

“I’ve been doing this for a few years and I’ll pull in roughly 60 to 70k this year. It’s great if you like working outdoors, like heights, and enjoy traveling. It’s hard to get bored when you’re in a new town every week working with guys who have your back. The cool thing is you don’t need a college degree, or any kind of education (Personally, I have my Bachelors in an unrelated field).” — IClimbStuff

Blacksmith

REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin

Average annual salary for similar position*: $56,560

“Very few people know this, but blacksmithing is something still practiced in today’s society. Very few colleges have courses in it and I believe that mine is the only one that you can get a degree in it (Southern Illinois University of Carbondale). I am a student in this program. It is immensely fun. I have made knives, art, pedestals, hammers. I love talking about what I do but very few people understand it. And there is quite a job market for it too.” — FarlandMetals

*Some median salaries were not available via the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so data for similar positions was used.

Funeral director

flickr/ncindc

Average annual salary: $52,130

“My friends whole family are morticians and funeral directors. Not one of them makes less than $50k. One of them finished mortician science school at 20 and started making $60k as an apprentice and in a couple years he’ll be a full blown embalmer making twice that.” — Austronano

Geospatial/geographic information systems

Derek Hatfield/Flickr

Average annual salary for similar position*: $64,570

“It’s basically the 21st century version of cartography and it’s a field that ranges everything from making maps (think Google Maps or Garmin), pollution tracking, civil planning, interpretation of satellite imagery, and countless other uses. It primarily centers around the use of GIS programs like ArcMap or GrassGIS to graphically represent quantitative data.

“Employers LOVE it and demand for it is high. It’s one of the few jobs you can do well in with a bachelor’s degree too, masters are rather specialized and go more into satellite work or high level statistics generally. Starting wages are generally 40 to 60k a year from what I’ve seen but there’s a lot of room to move around and move up the ladder.” — Shorvok

*Some median salaries were not available via the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so data for similar positions was used.

Technical writing

Vancouver Film School/Flickr

Average annual salary: $71,950

“It’s an interesting an exciting field for people with diverse backgrounds (everything from a liberal arts degree to engineering).” — Anonymous

“If you say get onto the back end of a high technology firm writing manuals for the operation of there equipment, you will be exposed to some of the latest and greatest that technology has to offer.” — WilliamOfOrange

Healthcare administrator

Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires/flickr.com

Average annual salary: $103,680

“I wish I knew about healthcare administration when I was soul-searching for a major. Good pay, good job availability, and it isn’t half-bad.” — Anonymous

“Most fields you can think of in business have a healthcare component that is ten times more complicated because it is in healthcare. Also, a lot of people in healthcare administration have started out in clinical backgrounds, lab techs, LPNs, physical therapists, etc. A lot of MDs are even getting their MBAs in healthcare administration.” — deliciouslyinked

Businessinsider.com | July 21, 2015 | Emmie Martin, Jacquelyn Smith and Rachel Gillett

Your #Career : 25 Colleges with Alumni who will Jump-Start your Career…Networking can be Difficult & Time-Consuming, Especially Early in your Career. But Graduating from a School with a Solid Alumni Base means Diving Straight into a Built-in Network of Professionals.

February 26, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

The Princeton Review compiled a list of the 25 colleges with the best alumni networks in the country, featured in the book “Colleges That Pay You Back: 2016 Edition,” published in February, based on students’ ratings of how visible and active alumni are on their campuses.

Texas A&M former students

At Texas A&M University, you become an Aggie for life.

We’ve also gathered salary data from PayScale to show how much new graduates from these schools can expect to make.

Read on to see schools with active alumni who help students get ahead.

25. Colgate University

Colgate University/Facebook

Location: Hamilton, New York

Median starting salary: $54,000

Colgate graduates find themselves among good company; the school counts NBCUniversal CEO and president Stephen Burke and Ben & Jerry’s cofounder Ben Cohen among its notable alumni. Many are willing to lend a hand to undergraduates as well — students reported to the Princeton Review that “alumni would jump over any hurdle for you.”

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24. Stanford University

Stanford Alumni/Facebook

Location: Stanford, California

Median starting salary: $62,900

Stanford alumni — a network more than 217,00o deep – provide extensive help to their alma mater through a CareerConnect, a job board that exclusively lists job openings from Stanford grads. Alums also volunteer with “career communities” of undergraduates in a specific field who aim to stay on the best path toward finding a job.

The school boasts no shortage of big namesamong its graduates, including Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, author John Steinbeck, and former US president Herbert Hoover.

23. New College of Florida

New College of Florida

Location: Sarasota, Florida

Median starting salary: $39,800

Graduates of the New College of Florida stay involved with their alma mater long after graduation by mentoring current students, hosting alumni events, and working with students on independent study projects. The school’s Alumnae/i Fellows Program pairs current students with New College graduates who coach them through a semester-long course or workshop in a specific field.

22. Cornell University

Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University/Facebook

Location: Ithaca, New York

Median starting salary: $58,200

Cornell encourages its alumni to invest in the next generation however they can. The school continously looks for alumni volunteers to mentor current students, speak on panels, and host student shadows in their offices. Cornell’s thriving alumni associationalso hosts networking events, conferences, and other activities that keep connect graduates from every class.

21. University of Georgia

UGA Alumni Association/Facebook

Location: Athens, Georgia

Median starting salary: $45,900

Every year, the University of Georgia hosts an alumni career fair where current and former students connect with potential employers from nearly 100 companies, including Dish Network, Morgan Stanley, and State Farm. Alumni also have access to monthly webinars, online job boards, and networking events in Atlanta.

20. Florida State University

FSU Alumni Association/Facebook

Location: Tallahassee, Florida

Median starting salary: $42,700

Florida State University‘s alumni network runs more than 80 local chapters across the US, keeping its nearly 300,000 alumniconnected long after they graduate. In addition to networking opportunities, these chapters offer members job search assistance, résumé referral services, help with career planning, and more.

19. DePauw University

DePauw University/Facebook

Location: Greencastle, Indiana

Median starting salary: $46,600

DePauw undergrads enjoy access to an alumni database where they can meet and contact fellow Tigers in their respective fields. Students can also take advantage ofTigerTracks, a job board exclusively available to DePauw students and alums.

DePauw graduates join the ranks of numerous notable alumni, including ESPN founders Bill and Scott Rasmussen, author Barbara Kingsolver (“The Poisonwood Bible”), and former vice president Dan Quayle.

18. Lehigh University

Lehigh University Alumni Association/Facebook

Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Median starting salary: $60,400

Lehigh thinks of its alumni as a family and aims to maintain relationships with both people and companies. Every year the university holds events like the Conference of Accounting Professionalism, a weeklong program where students work directly with executives from major firms.

17. University of Florida

University of Florida Alumni Association/Facebook

Location: Gainesville, Florida

Median starting salary: $48,800

Across the globe, University of Floridaalumni can connect with one of almost 100 “Gator Clubs,” which organize cultural and academic activities, host speakers, provide networking opportunities, and keep Gator pride going strong.

UF’s alumni association also offers severalcareer resources to help graduates harness new skills, learn abut job openings, and network with fellow alums.

16. Union College

Union College Alumni/Facebook

Location: Schenectady, New York

Median starting salary: $50,800

Despite its small size — fewer than 2,500 students — Union College boasts an impressive alumni base, counting former Cosmopolitan editor Kate White and William Henry Seward, the secretary of state under Abraham Lincoln, among its distinguished alumni.

Current students can take advantage of the school’s Becker Career Center, which connects them with alumni in their field, helps them write polished résumés and cover letters, and teaches them valuable interviewing and job search skills.

15. Ohio State University at Columbus

The Ohio State University Alumni Association/Facebook

Location: Columbus, Ohio

Median starting salary: $48,000

Ohio State’s Buckeye Careers Networkconnects students and alumni with job postings, internship opportunities, and co-op listings. Even after graduation, the alumni association offers career management services to help every Buckeye perfect their résumé, find a new job, or hire a fellow Ohio State alum.

14. Gettysburg College

Gettysburg College/Facebook

Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Median starting salary: $47,600

Gettysburg College’s alumni relations office specializes in bringing current students and alumni together through regional events like happy hours, networking nights, performances, and sporting events.

Alumni can also sign up to speak with prospective students and their families, offer career advice to current students, and attend networking receptions, among other opportunities. “The support from the alumni helps with having lots of options for internships and jobs,” students told the Princeton Review.

13. Southern Methodist University

SMU/Facevook

Location: Dallas, Texas

Median starting salary: $50,000

Every spring, Southern Methodist University hosts a career and internship fair open to both current students and alumni. The school maintains relationships with a number of renowned companies, including AT&T, EY, and Oracle, to help every Mustang find their dream job.

Graduates join a distinguished group of alumni that includes former-First Lady Laura Bush, Academy Award winning actress Kathy Bates, and TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie.

12. Bucknell University

BucknellU/Facebook

Location: Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Median starting salary: $56,800

Even years after graduation, Bucknell alumni remain dedicated to the school — and current students take notice, according to thePrinceton Review. The university itselfstrengthens these ties through LinkedIn groups that help alumni make professional connections, career-related webinars, and opportunities for employers to recruit current students.

11. University of Virginia

UVA Alumni Association/Facebook

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

Median starting salary: $54,100

While the University of Virginia seeks to engage all alumni, it pays special attention tohelping its young alumni succeed through programs like the Young Alumni Council, “city parties” that connect alums with others in their city, and school-sponsored reunions.

UVA counts actress and screenwriter Tina Fey, news anchor Katie Couric, and iconic author Edgar Allan Poe among its esteemed alumni.

10. Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech Alumni/Facebook

Location: Blacksburg, Virginia

Median starting salary: $53,800

Once a Hokie, always a Hokie. And throughVirginia Tech‘s “Hokies4Hire” program, students and alumni can apply for jobs, internships, and co-ops. Current students can even land on-campus interviews from the program.

Post-grad, VT’s alumni association continues to keep Hokies in the loop through LinkedIn groups, webinars with career experts, and networking opportunities with fellow alums.

9. Wellesley College

Wellesley College/Facebook

Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts

Median starting salary: $45,900

“Wellesley’s alumnae network is one of the strongest I found in my college research, and Wellesley’s career placement services will assist alumnae no matter how much time has passed since they graduated,” one student told the Princeton Review.

The school’s powerful alumnae base includes: journalist Diane Sawyer, presidential candidate and former-Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Madeleine Albright, the first female secretary of state.

8. Hampden-Sydney College

Hampden-Sydney Alumni Association

Location: Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

Median starting salary: $49,800

Hampden-Sydney College believes graduates can go on to any career they want, and the school supports them in making whatever that is a reality. Hampden-Sydney takes advantage of its alumni network to fulfill that vision, including programs like TigerConnections, an in-house job board where alumni frequently share job and internship openings.

7. Clemson University

Clemson University/Facebook

Location: Clemson, South Carolina

Median starting salary: $51,400

With more than 136,000 alumni,Clemson‘s reach in the professional world stretches far. The school’s alumni association provides graduates with a number of servicesto help advance their careers, including job postings from fellow alums, networking opportunities, and connections within recruiting agencies.

6. St. Lawrence University

St. Lawrence University Alumni Association

Location: Canton, New York

Median starting salary: $44,700

St. Lawrence University has several programs in place that give current students the opportunity to be mentored by alumni in their desired field of study. For example, undergraduates can enroll in the “Shadow a Saint” program, which matches them with an alum to shadow for up to a week.

“Networking and alumni contact is HUGE!” a student told the Princeton Review. “Alumni are very helpful and are proud to lend a hand.”

5. Wabash College

Wabash.edu

Location: Crawfordsville, Indiana

Median starting salary: $44,700

Students at all-male Wabash College can “test drive” any career they’re interested in through the school’s externship program. Students spend up to a month intensively shadowing someone in their desired career — typically a Wabash alum — to see the ins and outs of the profession.

Students can take it a step further with the Peer Immersion Experience, where they test out a variety of positions through weeklong immersions that include networking opportunities, site visits, and hands-on experience.

4. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont McKenna College/Facebook

Location: Claremont, California

Median starting salary: $50,100

Before they even graduate, Claremont McKenna students are able to find mentors in their industry using the school’s Mentor Connect program. Based on their interests and experience, Mentor Connect matches current undergraduates with alumni who formally mentor the students over a 10-week period.

The school also touts an expansive internship database to help students bolster their résumés and gain real experience in their fields of study.

3. Texas A&M University at College Station

Aggie Network/Facebook

Location: College Station, Texas

Median starting salary: $54,300

Few graduates are as proud as those who callTexas A&M their alma mater. And that pride comes with more than just a profound sense of school spirit — it means joining a community more than 436,000 strong.

Through The Association of Former Students, Aggies can access tools to help them craft the perfect résumé, ace interviews, and learn effective networking techniques. They can also connect with fellow alumni through class reunions and game day meet ups.

2. Pennsylvania State University

Penn State Alumni Association/Facebook

Location: University Park, Pennsylvania

Median starting salary: $51,500

Penn State’s alumni base includes more than645,000 people — that’s more than half a million Nittany Lions worldwide. “One of the best things about Penn State overall is the fact that the alumni network is one of the largest in the United States,” a student told the Princeton Review. “Because of this, PSU alums seek out Penn State grads for jobs at their companies.”

Even after graduation, the university helps students further their careers. Members of thealumni association can take advantage of virtual networking events, career fairs, volunteer career coaches, and more.

1. Dartmouth College

Dartmouth Alumni/Facebook

Location: Hanover, New Hampshire

Median starting salary: $55,500

When it comes to networking and building professional connections, alumni are one of the most valuable resources Dartmouth offers its students. “They love to stay involved with the college and are often willing to talk to current students about careers — and many have been known to give internships and jobs to Dartmouth students,” a student told the Princeton Review.

Dartmouth’s distinguished alumni include actress and screenwriter Mindy Kaling, private equity billionaire Leon Black, and former US Treasury Secretaries Henry Paulson and Timothy Geithner.

Businessinsider.com | February 26, 2016 | Emmie Martin

You #Career : Four Job Search Mistakes College Students Should Stop Making Immediately…The Pressure to Nail Down a Summer Gig starts Early in the Spring Semester. The Best Opportunities often Appear during the Doldrums of Winter & Vanish Quickly.

January 25, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you’re a college student, For seniors, this final semester brings a blend of relief, nostalgia and, I can imagine, creeping anxiety about how to pay back those tens of thousands in student loans. As someone still young enough to remember my college days and the anxiety-filled post-graduation job hunt, but advanced enough that I’m now reviewing resumes from eager young students and about-to-be-graduates,

I’ve been taking careful note of the common mistakes I’m seeing from entry-level job seekers and would-be interns. Here are four of the top blunders to avoid:

Guessing vs. playing it safe.

When you’re taking a multiple choice final and come across a question you don’t know the answer to, conventional wisdom says you should guess. By leaving it blank, you’re guaranteed zero points, but with a shot-in-the-dark guess amongst A,B,C and D, you have a 25% chance of being correct. This logic shouldn’t apply to your job hunt. If the posting asks you to email your resume and cover letter toasmith@company.com, incorrectly guessing that the A stands for Alan and not Abby and addressing your letter to ‘Dear Mr. Smith’ (I’ve seen it done) is an easy way to look like you don’t care about details. Comb LinkedIn for all the A. Smiths who work at the company to find the right one. If that doesn’t yield results, “Dear Hiring Manager” is still preferably to being presumptuous.

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Focusing on the wrong achievements.

The types of accomplishments that got you into a good college are not necessarily the ones that will land you a good job. Putting your four years of varsity cheerleading ahead of your internships is not the path to success. Include only those extracurriculars that you can reasonably tie to the skills and experience the job posting is asking for or that are extraordinarily impressive. Admissions officers care if you’re well-rounded, employers much less so.

Assuming a B effort will yield A results.

Being the best of a subpar bunch is not a bad place to be if your biochemistry professor grades on a curve. Unfortunately, for you, most employers don’t. You’re not just competing with other applicants, you’re competing against all the other choices the hiring manager has for getting the chunk of work done that the job description represents. There are few fields with such a labor shortage that companies will willingly hire a mediocre candidate because he or she is less mediocre than the other applicants. Instead, I’ve seen company leave a job posting up for months, outsource to freelancers, reassign job duties to cover the required tasks or simply do without. If a company wants to hire an A employees, they’re unlikely to settle for a B among a sea of Cs.

Saying too much

To the surprise of no one, young people who grew up in the TMI era often lack an intellectual filter when it comes to parsing which of their personal stories are fit for public consumption. See this Frank Bruni piece from 2014 on oversharing in college admissions essays for some choice examples. Youthful TMI or braggadocio isn’t just for admissions essays, as my piece on the world’s worst cover letter (penned by a would-be Wall Street intern) shows. Heed its lessons.

Employers don’t expect you to have a wealth of experience at your age. Instead, they’re looking for growth potential and good judgment. Demonstrate both by keeping your application materials succinct (you don’t need a three-page resume and a 1000-word cover letter), professional in tone and devoid of all references to your squat weight. Put another way, if there’s significant overlap between your Tinder bio, your resume and your new therapist’s intake form, re-think your choices.

Learn more about my work and connect with me on Twitter.

Forbes.com | January 25, 2016 | J. Maureen Henderson

Your #Career : 6 Reasons Why Your College Major Doesn’t Matter…Your Experience, Be it On the Job or Off the Job, is What People Notice also Your #Network Matters Way More Than your College Major.

August 12, 2015/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Use your Undergraduate Years to Learn about Yourself— “It Has Yet to be Proven that Intelligence has any Survival Value.” – Arthur Clarke

“So, what’s it going to be?” My advisor looked at me expectantly, as if I was simply at a McDonald’s needing to make the simple choice between a BigMac or a Quarter Pounder.

“Let’s run through the options,” she continued. “Government is a solid choice if you’re thinking about law school. English would be a smart decision if you’re interested in publishing or teaching. Communications is useful in most fields…”

“Women’s studies?” I ventured, hoping she would run off a list of career doors that would open to me if I chose this particular field of study. Instead, she cocked her head to the side, chewed her pen cap and looked at me as if I was a unicorn. Next , her eyes lit up: “You can always find a job as a nanny!”

That meeting took my stress levels to unprecedented heights. In hindsight, I realize that she had all of the best intentions with her “let’s choose a major that increases your employability” approach. It seemed reasonable enough at the time, but after helping thousands of job-seekers land multiple offers through my online coaching program, I’ve come to realize that your declared major has nothing to do with your success.

Unfortunately, that realization hasn’t caught on in the mainstream yet.

According to a recent study, 82% of 2015 graduates researched their field of choice before determining what major to pursue in college. When you look at this statistic through the lens of student loans and the 2008 recession, it comes as no surprise that students want to pursue careers that will enable them to pay off their hefty debt.

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If your degree alone guaranteed a job, this kind of strategic long-term planning would make sense. And yes, there are certain jobs that require the skills affiliated with specified degrees, such as engineering, architecture, and computer science. But by and large, your college major is unlikely to have any bearing on your career success. I’ve coached math majors who later chose to pursue careers in comedy, and I’ve seen plenty of Elle Woodses come through my door, so I know firsthand that a fashion merchandising degree doesn’t affect your ability to get accepted to law school.

Plus, look at me: I’m a political science graduate and counterterrorism professional turned career coach.

Here are a few points to consider about why our attachment to the idea that majors matter should be put to rest.

– Your degree is a prerequisite for the competitive workforce; the topic is irrelevant. It used to be important and special for someone to have a degree, and now it just stands as a prerequisite in the workforce. While your job will most likely require a Bachelor’s degree, it probably won’t matter what field it is in. According to recent research, 62% of recent college graduates are working in jobs that require a degree, yet only 27% of college graduates are working in a job that even relates to their major.
–Certain fields yield higher incomes, but your major does not need to align with the industry. The individuals who dedicate their undergrad years to their field of choice (business, medicine, law) don’t necessarily end up achieving greater success in the field than those who arrived there with a completely unrelated major. For example, history majors who pursued careers in business ended up earning as much as business majors, according to one study. You don’t have to study English to be a writer, you don’t have to study business to be a consultant, and you don’t have to study political science to go into government. The real world doesn’t care about your degree as much as your work ethic and attitude.
–Your experience, be it on the job or off the job, is what people notice. Take advantage of the opportunities you have as an undergraduate to pursue interesting internships, get involved in student organizations, and volunteer for causes you are passionate about. These lines on your resume are so much more powerful than your major because they tell employers that you are motivated, passionate, and involved. Best of all, they allow you to “create” your experience that employers request of you.
–Think soft skills, not major topics. Employers want to know that you will be able to learn quickly, fit into the workplace environment, and be responsive to the task at hand. For these reasons, 93% of employers believe that critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills are more important than a job candidate’s undergraduate field of study. Furthermore, 95% of employers are looking for candidates whose skills translate into out-of-the-box thinking and innovation, as many of the jobs being filled today come with challenges that are more complex than in the past.Perhaps this explains why Silicon Valley is starting to favor employees who studied liberal arts, versus those who took the more “typical” tech path as software engineers. Soft skills are the skills of the future.
–You’re a better performer when you’re aligned with your purpose. As a career coach, I hear from countless clients who feel energetically zapped by their jobs. When I help them get more clear on their purpose, it’s as though a new, powerful energy takes them over… Why? Because purpose gives you unprecedented energy. If you major in a field you’re truly interested in, you will give it the effort, attention and enthusiasm that translates into success. Stellar performance – in any field – is what translates into career success. Studies show that a happy brain is engaged, motivated, and productive. In other words, our happiness drives our success, so think twice before committing to that math major: Many roads lead to business school, so you might as well take the one that will make you the happiest.
–Your network matters way more than your college major. You can choose a major that correlates with a high-paying job in the real world…you can hunker down and score A’s in your classes and graduate with a perfect GPA…but without a solid network of contacts, you’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle. If no one knows who you are, no one will care how smart you are. This is why it is so important that people who truly want to be successful put just as much effort, if not more, into networking as they do into their studies. You can start doing this right now, simply by building relationships with your professors, participating in internships and volunteer activities, and even by reaching out to strangers who fascinate you. I’ve seen it with my own clients, many of whom have received multiple job offers: authentic flattery goes a long way.
–Your major is not going to pave a yellow brick road for career success. Scoring straight A’s in your prelaw coursework is not always the golden ticket to a million-dollar payday…If you don’t believe me, ask a lawyer.

Whatever you choose to study, make your own personal development the true goal of your undergraduate career. Use your undergraduate years to learn about yourself—your unique brilliance and your passions— not to learn everything there is to know about the branches and functions of foreign governments that don’t interest you in the belief that doing so will land you a job in politics.

We’ve all worked with the genius intern with the perfect resume who couldn’t make it to the office on time (ever); the one who spoke six languages but teamwork wasn’t one of them. Likewise, we’ve all known the colleague from the never-heard-of-it college who hustled harder than anyone else on the team and flew up the ladder with blink and you’ll miss her speed.

As Arthur Clarke said, “It has yet to be proven that intelligence has any survival value.”

What has been proven is that the most successful leaders are motivated by a purpose.

For my FREE TRAINING on how to get multiple job offers and a big salary hike, visit www.LandMoreJobOffers.com.

Forbes.com | August 12, 2015 | Ashley Stahl

Tag Archive for: #college

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25. Colgate University

24. Stanford University

23. New College of Florida

22. Cornell University

21. University of Georgia

20. Florida State University

19. DePauw University

18. Lehigh University

17. University of Florida

16. Union College

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14. Gettysburg College

13. Southern Methodist University

12. Bucknell University

11. University of Virginia

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7. Clemson University

6. St. Lawrence University

5. Wabash College

4. Claremont McKenna College

3. Texas A&M University at College Station

2. Pennsylvania State University

1. Dartmouth College