Hacking College: Why the Major Doesn't Matter and What Really Does

Students are not powerless in the changing environment. Students can and must take ownership to flourish in the fast changing environment. Hacking College challenges the long-standing assumption that a student’s major is the key determinant of future success. Ned Scott Laff and Scott Carlson argue that the traditional structure of higher education — which prioritizes majors and narrowly defined curricula — often leads students to earn “empty degrees” that are disconnected from meaningful work and employer expectations. The authors call for a shift in how students approach college: from passively completing degree requirements to actively designing a personalized educational pathway. They introduce the Field of Study concept, a framework that encourages students to focus on a real-world, multidisciplinary wicked problem. Rather than fixating on a single major, students should explore knowledge across departments, pursue experiential learning, and build social capital through networking, internships, mentorship, and conversations with faculty and professionals.