As many young Americans know and realize, pursuing higher education is a must when it comes to being able to make a decent living. In order to get in the field you wholeheartedly want to work in, those extra four years following high school are most certainly calling your name. However, it is one thing to get into college but it is a completely different ball game when it comes to choosing what you want to major in. Your major ultimately decides your future, and African American’s don’t seem to be challenging themselves as much as they should.
According to BET.com, African Americans are staying away from the science, technology, engineering and math fields (also known as STEM). The article states, “With unemployment above 16 percent in the African-American community, it almost makes one question why more Blacks aren’t looking toward science, technology, engineering and math fields (or STEM), also known as careers that are still hiring, today.”
Those degrees make the money, however African Americans choose to go down different paths. The article goes on to state that, “many believe that Blacks, however, are not choosing the paths due to a number of reasons including self-doubt, stereotypes, discouragement, economics and mistaken perceptions about the fields.” Black students tend to psych themselves out of having the confidence to pursue a harder career. Many of them feel as though it is “too hard” to get a math or science degree.
Many African American’s choose to pursue degrees in Media Communications, Social Work, Counseling, Elementary Education, General Medical and Health studies and many more less than appealing degrees. The degrees listed are also the career fields which pay the least for African Americans, according to an article on BlackEnterprise.com.
When will Black college students have enough courage to begin challenging themselves to pursue “real degrees”? It may not be for everybody but we must get out of this unemployment barrier that has engulfed African Americans and start getting the education we have the potential to receive.
words by: India Lee
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