He explains that in Kenya, economics is seen as an art rather than a practical field of study. As a result, Gimaiyo says that he plans to get a secondary field in Computer Science to give his studies a more practical focus.
From an early age, students in developing countries are heavily exposed to science, engineering, and medicine, according to Omer Aftab ’11, a native of Lahore, Pakistan.
“That’s what they’re exposed to, so that’s what they go to when they come to Harvard,” Aftab says.
While Worth says that a liberal arts education prepares people to be better professionals, better citizens, and better problem solvers, she acknowledges that many students come from cultures where “good students do science.”
MONEY MATTERS
Not only are “practical” careers such as medicine considered more prestigious in many cultures, they also lead to high-paying jobs.
Worth says that education is one of the few ways for young people to achieve financial success and improve the lives of their family members.
Braimah describes the attitude her parents have toward success as “doing something you enjoy, but making sure it makes money.”
She says she considered her potential future earnings as she weighed her concentration options. Growing up, Braimah says she watched her parents work hard to move up the social ladder, and money began to become synonymous with success and happiness.
“The higher you go, there’s just a better life, and better schools,” she says. “Just can’t be poor because that won’t be fun.”
Gimaiyo agrees, saying that there is a strong correlation between people’s concentration choices and their ability to find a job in their home countries after graduation. In Kenya, he says, it is rare to find someone studying folklore and mythology, women and gender studies, or linguistics, as those concentrations are not considered marketable.
However, Aftab says he believes that a degree from Harvard makes it possible for students to find jobs in their home countries, even if they study something more obscure.
“Any degree at Harvard can get a job,” he says. “I don’t think undergraduate degrees affect job factors much, I don’t think there’s a strong correlation.”
But Gimaiyo says that even people with highly-marketable degrees in engineering sometimes have difficulty finding jobs in Kenya, so he feels pressure to do something people in Kenya would consider practical.
“If you tell someone you’re doing linguistics, even here at Harvard or at Oxford, people won’t consider it practical. You want to choose something that’s considered practical back home because at the very least you want to get a job.” Gimaiyo says.
