Why the Degree Matters (HINT: It Doesn’t)

Having a creative degree (and working towards another), people are always asking me the same question;

“What good is THAT degree?”

Of course, they choose to phrase it in different ways, but the tone always betrays their true meaning. No matter what the degree is, if it is in the humanities or the arts, it is always going to be looked upon with suspicion and scorn.

“Oh, you’re getting a degree in Art History? How fun!”

What they are really saying is, “You’re getting a degree in something silly and I don’t respect you.”

So, when people ask me why I have a degree in Creative Writing, or why I am getting my Master’s Degree in Fiction, I like to turn the tables on them.

“Hey Cameron, what do you plan on doing with your degree in stories?”

“Oh, I just want to be able to adequately tell the story of a lonely business-degree holder who lives with his parents because everyone and their mom have a business degree these days.”

People often do not take this well.

The fact of the matter is, the degree that you have matters little in the end. As a young college graduate, you are always going to find yourself struggling to find traction. Even as an older professional, you have to work to obtain your goals. Does an education help? Absolutely it does! I would never demean the value of a strong educational background. But, the degree is a stepping stone, not an endgame.

Having a degree is supposed to help you get a job, not realize your dreams. If you want to be a classical pianist, then be a classical pianist. Sure, you might have to get a high school music-teaching job to subsidize your ambitions; but who cares?

I am a writer who works as a copy editor to pay the bills and put myself through grad school because writing fiction is only lucrative contingent on your accomplishments NOT your degree.

Sure, I work in the corporate world, but I won’t always be a copy editor.

Think about it.

Well, anyways, until next time.