Many students today display a disturbing willingness tochoose

academic institutions, fields of study and careers in the basis of__1__

earning potential. In an extensive 1989 survey of collegestudents

nationwide, 72 percent of students reported that their primary

objective to attending college was to make more money upongraduation. __2__

This state of mind came with the present generation. Studies show

that the majority of baby boomers attended college to develop

themselves, their critically thinking skills and their personal __3__

philosophies of life.

Nationaly, the number of students going into business-related fields

has sharply increased, and this rise has attributed primarily to __4__

the shift in educational and career priorities. At Duke, economy is __5__

now the most popular major, attracting nearly 15 percent of the under-

graduates, and history majors comprise only 5 percent of undergraduate __6__

population. Thirty years ago the situation was reversed, with economic

and business administration majors together consisting 8.7 percent of __7__

undergraduates and almost 12 percent of undergraduates declared __8__

themselves history majors. The number of English majors has also decreased,

from 9 percent in 1969 to 5.5 percent today.

Degrees in economics are marketed and likely to garner their holders __9__

of high salaries without the added effort of medical or law school. __10__

And given the objectives of current college students, such options

are attractive.