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I know that certain fields have certain requirements. The reason I got a phd in chemistry was I wanted to teach at the college level and you can't do that with a BA/BS. But I also know that "useless" degrees can be put to good use. If one knows they want to become an engineer when they are 18, then they should knock themselves out and get that engineering degree. Many students however, at least in my experience as both faculty (past) and someone who hires/fires (current), enter college to do what their parents want them to do.
To echo rfloz, this thread has a lot of narrow viewpoints on career paths. Some of the most miserable people I know are ones who went from HS to college to grad/professional school "knowing" what they wanted. Some of the happiest are ones that drifted or bounced around or course corrected along the way. No single path to happiness or enlightenment.
I not only was a student at a variety of institutions, but was on the other side of the office hours as faculty, and now am in a field that is arguably one of the largest growth areas (e.g. Facebook just bought Oculus for $2B today - Palmer Luckey, who formed Oculus, was a lab tech in our Institute). What we struggle finding are creative kids with some technical chops, some social skills, and some breadth in their education or experience. Oddly enough, some of the "useless degrees" can provide that if the kid engages the process and does things on their own. Again, not so much about the degree or the program but more about how the kid takes advantage of the opportunities.
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