The end career was an important part of the decision making process when I started college, harped on by parents, advisers, processors, etc, - but maybe things changed over time.
The entirety of the pro-education message I received all through my youth and schooling was, "get a degree, it doesn't matter what in, and you'll get a white-collar office job."
That's it.
My parents weren't of the socio-economic class to give me any more detailed information, either. They didn't know better, no one else said better, and I know my experience is common among my peers.
No thought given to the fact that a large fraction of people aren't really capable of intellectually challenging tasks and professional class behavior, and I mean from the womb.
Just 'Education! Education!'