Students are often faced with a decision: (a) choose a different major or (b) choose a different college. Most students choose a different college, and it is usually a college that is inferior to the one they first applied to. They imagine that earning the same degree from an inferior college will be better than pursuing something else, and inferior colleges naturally encourage this thinking. That is their business.
The truth, however, is that there will eventually be even fewer jobs available than spots in college admissions classes, and those jobs will become more competitive, not less. Being denied admission to a degree program may actually be a sign that one’s future plans are not as promising as they appear to be. Few students take this warning seriously, and many end up making poor decisions.
If we listen instead to the true leaders in professional fields—rather than bloggers and podcasters—we will hear very different advice. They rarely, if ever, recommend that students pursue the “hot majors” promoted for future employment. They are rarely encouraging students to focus narrowly on business, programming, mathematics, science, and similar fields. Instead, they encourage students to use college as an opportunity to learn to think and to develop a coherent worldview that enables them to form a satisfying and meaningful plan for life. They advise students to pursue subjects they genuinely love because there are many ways to make money and, in the end, quality of life depends on much more than salary alone.
I learned this myself while I was in college. I wanted to help people, and I believed that pursuing a medical degree would allow me to do that. I enrolled at Rutgers University as a Pre-Med Biology major and worked in a chemistry laboratory. As I began speaking with leaders in medicine and research, however, they explained to me that my Biology studies were not actually the best preparation. In fact, they told me that I did not need to major in the natural sciences at all.
I was happy to learn this because I wanted to study History and Philosophy far more than Biology and Chemistry. So, during my junior year in college, I changed my major and began studying Classics and Ancient History. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.
In light of this, I would like to recommend that students in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy consider majoring in Classics in college. Earning an undergraduate degree in Classics will be enjoyable for students who love studying Latin and Greek, learning Greek and Roman history, and reading classical philosophy and literature. At the same time, students will still complete general education requirements in modern subjects, so these subjects are not neglected—they simply are not the primary focus.
Students may also combine a Classics major with another major or a minor in a different field. If they later wish to continue into graduate or professional schools, they can move from Classics into another field for their professional development.
Moreover, very few students today are interested in studying Classics. Admission to more selective colleges may actually be easier for students applying as Classics majors. We experienced this in our own family. One of my daughters, who was the weakest student academically in our family, was admitted to a college that denied admission to a stronger student because she applied as an Art major rather than a Business major.
As a Classical Liberal Arts Academy student, you will be warmly welcomed by college Classics professors, and the resources and opportunities available to you can be extraordinary. Plus, you can focus on professional studies as you move to the graduate/professional level, which will likely be required anyway.
So, I would simply like to place this thought in the minds of CLAA students: consider studying Classics in college. Mrs. Michael and I both did, and we are happy to answer any questions you may have.
God bless,
Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.
Headmaster
Classical Liberal Arts Academy
