For the latter half of the twentieth century the path to a solid middle class lifestyle was to get a college degree, join a Fortune 500 firm and work there for the next forty years or so, banking away a pension for a healthy retirement.  That path ceased to be "safe" about a decade ago given the dramatic swings in the fortunes of big companies due, in part, to trends like globalization that have seen jobs come and go with alarming speed.  Job security is an oxymoron and I suspect in a few years, if not already, no matter what you study and what practical skills you gain there will be no guarantee for a “safe” career path anymore.

When I was a kid I remember occasionally hearing my parents say that I could be anything that I wanted and that I could change the world.  I thought that was cool, perhaps something all parents said because it's the thing to say, but never believe it for a second.  I didn’t even know what I wanted to be much less what I wanted to change the world to.

A Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree has become quite popular in the last two decades with applications and enrollments exploding at hundreds of schools worldwide.  When awarded by a top school the degree is often seen as a reliable filter for identifying top talent and even otherwise it is seen as a way for professionals with any prior background to get a well rounded understanding of business.  Both of these are legitimate reasons to do an MBA - finding a good job and advancing up the career ladder - as well as my personal reason which was to allow flexibility in changing fields or at least provide insurance for doing so in the future.

Perhaps the most alarming statement an Indian-born adolescent can make to his parents is that he is going to study liberal arts at college.  "What was that son?!"  "You're not choosing from the holy triumvirate of engineering/medicine/economics?" (the last one only recently gaining popularity with the rise of investment banking but still somewhat looked upon suspiciously).  When asked why one would make such an incredulous choice the answer "it's what I love doing" is almost certain to be met with a smack upside the head.  Yet growing up in America choosing a career you love is exactly what you're taught to search for.  Which is right and when?