Originally Posted by HowlerKarma
The problem is that everyone wants to know where the Gold Ring is, and encourage their child(ren) to grab for it. Just like everyone else, which simultaneously devalues the item which was of value largely as a result of high quality and scarcity to start with... meaning that as soon as you have a raft of WalMart consumers seeking any particular "method" then that method becomes the equivalent of a Happy Meal as opposed to a 3-star restaurant experience. KWIM?

The Right Thing For My Particular Child has now become the somewhat abridged version given our relative national deficit in literacy; parents can't be bothered with THAT. Too many words. No, instead they would rather have;


The Right Thing.

The Right Thing has consistently been dentistry and/or medicine in my family and my wife's family for years. As in three generations of years, beginning prior to WWII.

At the moment, the "Right Thing" recommendation is definitely dermatology, and if that fails, dentistry, preferably orthodontics.

All of the lawyers in the family hate their jobs. This is not recommended to any of the current generation as The Right Thing.

Granted, the pathologist hates his job, too.

The neurosurgeon loved his and the psychiatrist loves his 3 day, six-figure work week.

I think the pediatric dentist is currently quite satisfied. The oral surgeon was quite satisfied.

And the *purpose* of college is to get a medical/dental degree. It's a hoop to jump through to reach your destination.

So, you go to undergrad where you get scholarships and can get close to a 4.0.

Because the *goal* is your ticket to practice medicine/dentistry.

Last edited by JonLaw; 01/07/14 04:12 PM. Reason: Added collegiate goals.