Don’t Bet on a “Safe” Major—Especially in STEM.

Here’s the pitch every family knows by heart:

Major in STEM. Maybe something in CS or Finance. Land a solid job. Make enough to breathe easy. Play it safe now, and you’ll be set for life.

Except… that script isn’t working anymore.

AI didn’t just rewrite the rules—it shredded them.

The Old Ladder Is Gone

Right now, companies aren’t hiring entry-level software engineers like they used to. They're cutting junior analyst roles. They’re shrinking marketing departments. Not because they hate young people. Because AI is doing the job faster—and cheaper—than anyone expected.

These aren’t fringe cases. This is what’s already happening in the very fields that were supposed to guarantee stability.

Unemployment for recent grads is up—and worst in tech, finance, and data science. Companies are hiring fewer entry-level coders—because tools like Claude Opus 4 can code for hours, debug, and even write better documentation than Kyle from Berkeley. Finance and data science jobs? Routine analysis and forecasting are being handled by AI at a fraction of the cost—without the office drama. One company replaced 75 data scientists with one person and a bot. Yes. You read that right.

So what does that mean for you? For your kid?

It means there’s no longer a linear path. No more “just pay your dues and you’ll be fine.” There’s only: Are you good? Are you distinct? Are you brave enough to follow the thing that makes you great?

Because in a world of smart machines, being a smart person isn’t enough. You need to be irreplaceable.

What Actually Pays Off in 2025

Here’s the thing AI can’t do (yet):

It can’t read a room. It can’t lead. It can’t teach a child. It can’t earn trust. It can’t invent meaning. It can’t spark wonder. It can’t choose taste.

Ironically, the jobs AI sucks at are the ones most of you were told not to do:

• Therapists, nurses, doctors – High EQ, critical thinking, and actual human presence required. Good luck automating bedside manner.

• Educators, communicators, creators – AI can remix what exists. It can’t invent a new genre or teach a kid to care.

• Artists, designers, writers – In a world flooded with content, taste is king. That’s not programmable.

• Trade work – Electricians, welders, mechanics… Gen Z is already catching on. These jobs pay well, aren’t outsourced to India, and aren’t being replaced by bots anytime soon.

That’s the real future: human creativity, judgment, humor, agility. The ability to collaborate with tech—not compete with it.

Majors that develop those skills will outperform the ones that get eaten by bots.

The Real Investment Isn’t the Major—It’s Talent

I understand why families want a secure path. I really do.

You’ve worked hard to give your kid every advantage. You want something reliable. A return on the investment. A field with structure. A career with scaffolding. And for a long time, STEM seemed like a promise: learn this, do that, and you’ll be fine.

But here’s what I’ve learned, after working with hundreds of students:

The kids who thrive aren’t the ones who followed the safe plan. They’re the ones who leaned into what they’re actually good at. The ones who knew themselves well enough to build an edge. The ones who weren’t afraid to sound a little different in their application, or take the road that wasn’t laid out already.

That might be CS. Some students are born for it. If that’s your kid, amazing. Let’s help them build a narrative that cuts through.

But if it’s not? Don’t shove them into a career that AI is already halfway through automating, just because someone at a dinner party said it “pays well.”

Stop asking, “What’s the safest major?”

Instead, you're playing it safe by working to understand: What’s my kid great at? When do they light up? Where are they the most unique and creative?

That’s what I do with my students. I get in the weeds. I listen. I find the story under the surface. Sometimes it takes time, but when we see it, it clicks—and suddenly, schools say yes. Not because of some magic trick. Because the application feels true.

The world your kid is entering isn’t meritocratic in the old sense. But it is hungry for talent. Boldness. Voice. Clarity. These are now the differentiators. With employers and colleges.

So no, I won’t tell you to major in something “safe.” Help your kid become someone the world needs, not just someone it can hire.