How Should You Pick Your College Major and Electives?

Knowledge at Wharton

Episode Description

Wharton Professor Peter Cappelli explains why you should try to take career-relevant degrees, especially in your senior year, especially since the most demanded prospective jobs change. So, the job trajectory that is highly demanded freshman year, may not be as in demand by your senior year.

EPISODE OVERVIEW Is the cost of college worth it? Wharton’s Peter Cappelli breaks down the pros and cons of getting a degree. This episode is part of the “Back to School” series.

PODCAST OVERVIEW Every day, business scholars answer pressing questions in their research - but what do their insights mean for you? In this podcast, Wharton faculty dive into what inspired their studies and how their findings resonate with the world today. Learn how research insights translate into knowledge you can use, with host Dan Loney.

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Brief Summary

Job market trends affect college major choices; timing is crucial.

Key points

  • The Unpredictable Job Market. Timing the labor market is tricky; what’s hot now may not be in four years.
  • The Rise and Fall of Petroleum Engineering. Petroleum engineering was once a hot job but faced dramatic fluctuations.

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