By parental advice I didn't mean "do what I did/what was the proper thing to do when I was your age" but "do some research, check what is in demand now, what do other people do, how it will all affect the future".
I'm 26 now, when I entered high school 10 years ago the whole sociology/political science/economy etc. boom started (at least in the part of Europe I was living in). Call me special but the fact that it was too popular made me think twice before entering a high school class profiled for that kind of studies (yes, we have profiles in HS in my country).
Also the fact that more and more people got accepted to universities made me realise that I either have to go to a lousy uni and work really hard on my own to be able to land a decent job or go to a top uni in the country (after entering one I realised that even with such a degree I need to find something I'm good at and do something in that direction, no one else will help me and only the degree won't mean that much).
Yes the system isn't without blame for talking crap, but let's be honest. The people in charge always were full of BS and that won't change.
Ah also, again, I didn't notice which unis those people graduated from. I'm pretty sure that a sociology degree from a top uni still holds some value.