Gurley notes colleges previously prohibited major selection until end of sophomore year to allow exploration.
“when I was young, when you went to college, they would not allow you to pick a major until the end of your sophomore year.”
Gurley criticizes modern colleges requiring 17-year-olds to commit to majors when applying.
“Today, at many schools, you have to apply to the major. So you're talking to a 17 year old saying, what do you wanna do the rest of your life?”
Gurley says college prep system evolved so everyone feels forced to play resume-building game starting in sixth grade.
“I don't think there's anybody that's intentionally making wrong decisions, but the system has evolved to a place where everyone feels like they have to play the game.”
Gurley says competitive parents start building resumes by sixth grade with programmed activities, citing Haidt's resume arms race concept.
“by the time you're in sixth grade, if you're a kid, you know, in a in a competitive environment with competitive parents, they're like, you know, okay, we gotta start pound building that resume.”
Gurley cites data showing over 50% of people work outside their college major ten years after graduation.
“Like over 50% of people are no longer working in the career that was was stated by their major. And I bet that number's getting worse.”
Gurley's research found seven out of ten college graduates would do it differently if starting over.
“And seven out of 10 said yes. Wow. And we redid this study with Wharton to make sure we had done it scientifically”
Gurley says colleges now require major applications at high school junior year, three years earlier than before
“Today at many colleges, you have to apply to the major as a junior in high school. So that mindset has been lost.”
Gurley notes forty percent of people shift away from college major within five years.
“I invested all of this to get to this college, to get to this degree. And if I move away from that, did I just waste all that time?”
Gurley says colleges now require major selection at high school junior year, three years earlier than before.
“So we've moved the decision of what major are you gonna pick from the end of your sophomore year to the end of your junior year in high school.”
Gurley criticizes schools requiring major declaration as high school juniors when students cannot know their passion yet.
“Now at many schools, you have to apply to your major, like, as you're applying to college. So you're a junior in high school and people are like, what's your passion?”
Gurley cites Stanford research showing 40% of people shift away from their college major within four to five years.
“But a lot of people do. There's Dave Evans at Stanford who does the Designing Your Life class and book, you know, they highlight that like four years, five years out, 40% of people are no longer doing the work that was in their major.”
Gurley reports Trump proposed automatic green cards for anyone completing a four-year US degree.
“And he proposed something apparently at the roundtable. He said, anybody who comes here for a four year education completes their degree in The United States, we're gonna give them a green card.”