I was browsing the Internet today and discovered a nice little interview with five former history majors who work today in college admissions, museum education, law, secondary education, and banking. The interview was conducted by The Princeton Review. Here is a sampling:
What skills or information learned in college do you find yourself making the most use of?
Angelo: It is amazing how often I still use the basic research and writing skills learned in college. Preparing an analytical report is very similar to doing a research paper.
Elisabeth: My research skills have come in pretty handy over the years as I’ve had to educate myself about many specific periods and topics in American and local history so that I could ultimately educate others.
Lauren: The the art of thinking on your feet—also known as making it all up on the spot—jointly useful during a seminar when you didn’t even dent the reading list and also during a presentation when the slides you were sure were loaded on your laptop have disappeared.
What mistake do history grads often make?
Angelo: History graduates are often led to believe that their choices are teaching or some form of “research.” These graduates often do not explore the more creative benefits of their degree.
Elisabeth: Go to law school?
Jessica: They choose to go into education, because when they tell people “I’m majoring in history,” everyone responds “Oh, are you going to be a history teacher?” Teaching is a noble and wonderful career, but it’s not the only option for history majors. We know how to read, write and communicate. Those are universal skills that can be used everywhere.
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