B.a. Pass — -2012-

It says

If you graduated in 2012—or any year, really—you know exactly what I am talking about. In the hierarchy of academic validation, the “B.A. (Pass)” sat in a strange purgatory. It wasn’t the prestigious Honours degree (the one with the thesis, the late nights in the library, and the job offer already in hand). It was the generalist’s badge. The jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none stamp on your forehead. b.a. pass -2012-

And in 2012, the world made sure you felt it. Let’s set the stage. The world was supposed to end in December (thanks, Mayan calendar). Facebook was still blue and relatively innocent. The iPhone 5 had just dropped. We were two years past the recession but still feeling the hangover. Jobs were scarce, and rent was due. It says If you graduated in 2012—or any

And these days, I wear that like a badge of honor. It wasn’t the prestigious Honours degree (the one

Honours students go deep. They become experts in one tiny slice of history or literature. That is valuable.

That kid with the First Class Honours in Philosophy? He’s a regional manager at a logistics firm. That girl with the B.A. Pass in General Studies? She runs a $2M boutique marketing agency.

Why? Because the B.A. Pass is a degree in