90sNickelodeon
-
Posts
88 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by 90sNickelodeon
-
-
Anyone else frustrated with their grad school grades?
-
Just bizarre, petty people and unreliable administration.
-
That person really needed to grow up. I didn't hear that many excuses in middle school!
-
I feel like my master's program is not preparing me AT ALL for an advanced degree. I was not expecting this lack of serious academics. I saw the curriculum, and it seemed fine, but when I started taking the classes they were so Mickey Mouse that I became VERY frustrated.
Is anyone else feeling frustrated about the (lack of) rigor in their program?
-
I for one applaud this thread. Some people are stuck in la la land and take out loans left and right, not realizing that they are shooting themselves in the foot. The fat cats win, the students lose. Bravo!
- fibonacci, bluejay16 and rising_star
-
3
-
VERY lonely. It's hard to meet friends in grad school.
-
Thanks, everyone!
-
My grades are terrible. Got a B- and a C+ last semester. Thus far I have another C+. I dunno. Maybe I should withdraw and get a job at Starbucks.
-
It's hard because what I want is to be successful. I want a good job that pays well so that I can be financially independent. That's all. Yet it seems like I have to keep going to school in order to make that happen. Quite frankly, I have been in school all my life with only two years as a break. I feel like I need to grow up, put on the big girl pants and just get out there and work. But it isn't happening. I'm already burned out in my graduate program. I'm not even sure that this is what I want to be doing (personality-wise, I feel like I might have made a bad decision). But the thing is, I don't even know what I'm passionate about. Well, I do know what I like but a ) I'm not good enough to teach it b ) it doesn't make any money. So I understand where you are coming from. At least you have some idea of where you want to go.
-
Student advising.
-
Link-Is an advanced degree worth it?
Valuing Another Degree
Jonnelle Marte
Monday, April 12, 2010
Does an advanced degree still propel you ahead? The answer isn't as straightforward as it used to be.
The unemployment rate for people ages 20 to 24 with a bachelor's degree fell to 7.2% in March, from 7.6% a year earlier. But that still leaves scores of twentysomethings vying for fewer jobs. And the pool of job hunters will grow as the class of 2010 enters the work force.
So, it may be tempting to sidestep the whole job search, at least for a while, and go back to the security of academia -- to further your education and make yourself more marketable in the long run. But you'll need to determine if delaying your entry into the job market and incurring the costs of a master's or M.B.A. degree will pay off in this economic climate.
"In many, many fields, education up the wazoo is not going to matter as much as on-the-job training," says Heather Huhman, president of ComeRecommended.com, a social-networking site for young professionals.
The Cheaper Hire
People over 25 years old with a master's degree earn about 20% more a week than people with a bachelor's degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And those with professional degrees get paid 50% more.
These days, however, as employers continue to cut spending, expectations for such higher pay could backfire when you're competing against less educated -- and less expensive -- candidates.
For example, entry-level teachers with master's degrees often have a harder time getting hired than those with bachelor's degrees because schools typically pay more to teachers with master's degrees, says Steven Rothberg, founder of CollegeRecruiter.com.
Graduates "need to understand that many employers will be turned off by their higher education," he says.
What's more, some of the pay boosts typically associated with master's degrees may vanish as state governments and school boards contemplate moving toward performance-based pay systems, from education-based pay structures, says Mark Schneider, a vice president at the American Institutes for Research, a behavioral and social-science research organization in Washington, D.C.
Administrative or policy jobs with state and local governments, which also tend to reward higher education with higher pay, aren't as available or lucrative these days because of tight budgets, he adds.
In many industries, trading in potential work experience for additional education could leave you short of certain skills and networking, says Ms. Huhman.
Taking on Debt
Another factor to keep in mind: More education usually means more debt. People who pursue a master's degree end up borrowing 55% of their tuition, according to Finaid.org. And fewer employers are reimbursing tuition costs.
Of course, a graduate degree can be beneficial in some situations. Career changers can use the degree to show they have knowledge of the new field. And a master's may be necessary to qualify for certain higher positions. Some high-level marketing and business consulting positions require candidates to have an M.B.A., says Boston job coach Susan Kennedy.
If you're undecided, consult companies you'd like to work for and mentors in your industry about whether education or work experience will do more to advance your career, says Ms. Huhman.
Write to Jonnelle Marte at jonnelle.marte@wsj.com
What do you think? Personally, I selected a program that will ensure that I won't get into debt after I graduate. But how about you? Is the debt worth it in the end, given the information in this Wall Street Journal article?
-
I think that when you make a big life transition, you will often be uncertain, nervous, and uncomfortable no matter how much you truly want the thing to which you'll be transitioning (in this case, grad school). For over the past two years, I have been working in a job that provides no intellectual stimulation or meaning to my life. I have been working the entire time to begin a PhD program (that meant after very long work days, working on grad-related things until very late at night). I couldn't wait to begin my academic training, my career, my "real" life. I have now been accepted to a dream school with full funding. But no matter how excited I am to move on, there is, indeed, a little part of me that feels comfortable with where I am now. These past 2 years have been an important period of growth for me in terms of determining my personal and career preferences. So even though I don't particularly like the town I'm in or my job, there will be some sense of loss for the experiences I've had in this place during this time. That said, I don't think that idling in a comfort zone is a way to live life. It's not that you should feel miserable, but I think you should always push yourself to do something important (to you), something that stretches you. Sure, it's not easy, but nothing truly worthwhile ever comes easily.
If I have misinterpreted your feelings about the decision, please feel free to disregard. But especially based on your last post, I got the sense that fear, rather than true personal and career preferences, is somewhat contributing to your reluctance to begin the program this year. I think the important thing is to be honest about the reason you're making the choice and feel that you're making it for the right reasons. Good luck making your decision.
That's where I am in my life. Well said.
-
UPDATE: I chose UCONN! I feel that I made the right decision.
-
I took the money. I got into Columbia, NYU, and Michigan--all top programs, but I chose a strong program at a state school (UCONN) for full funding. I don't regret my decision for a minute.
*Dances like Napoleon*
-
UCONN-HESA.
Full ride + stipend
I mean, I guess I could've taken out assloads of debt and suffered for it later, but why?
*Does the Napolean Dynamite dance*
-
Good for you, TokuGirl! You're making a clear-headed decision about the cost of grad school in the humanities. That's awesome. You might have a hard time finding a job for a while, but that's much better than being burdened by unbearable levels of debt for the next few decades. Not everyone has the strength of character to take on short-term disappointment and struggle for long-term benefit. You should be proud you got in, and proud that you had the courage not to go without funding. Very, very far from being a loser.
Right on. The job market is abysmal. One has to be prudent about these things.
-
If you feel like you have to "settle" during your MA, you can still apply to go to your top school for your PhD.
1. It is the school where you get your PhD which is going to matter most in your career, and of course, 2. they pay you.
Best of luck in your decisions, and congratulations!
Thanks! Neither a borrower nor a lender be, I suppose.
-
This is an issue for many people, I'm sure.
-
Short answer: Take the money and run. That's what I'm going to do. Times are hard out there.
-
UVA Curry School of ED but it's hard as balls to get in.
-
Given your rankings, I'd go with UCONN with the full ride. I agree with Fade, Solid reputation and minimal debt is what you want to aim for.
Thanks for your input!
-
I'd go where I was offered the best financial package, but that's just me-
Have you visited the departments? Which program do you feel is the best fit? What school is your favorite? least favorite? It's a big decision for sure and you have to determine what factors weigh most heavily on your future-
but if money is the biggest factor than UCONN is your best bet. Money is definitely a biggie for me. I do not want any additional "massive debt."
Good luck with your decision!
These are excellent questions that I'll have to keep in mind.
-
You're worrying about the prestige vs debt of a higher ed degree? Really? You know what your salary is likely to be with the degree in hand, right?
I'd take zero debt and median prestige way before I'd bother with massive debt and premium prestige. That's a very easy choice. If you were speaking about a degree where prestige actually makes a difference in what job you land and where, such as an MBA, then you can start viewing massive debt as worth it. To distinguish yourself in Higher Ed you'll need a doctorate. Period. I'd get the MA in hand, work a few years in a university and then figure out what program/discipline you want to enter for your Ed.D or Ph.D.
Furthermore, you might want to define your career goal so that you can question people currently in your "dream" position about how they got there. I think that their answers are likely to surprise you. Many probably do not even have a Higher Ed background.
I am surrounded by people with higher ed degrees making the same amount that I do with a BA only. Some of those people are from prestigious institutions, others from the institution I work in. Doesn't matter a lick at entry level. It will, however, help them obtain higher positions than I could with my current level of education. In fact, I am at a dead end position when it comes to my current level of education. They, however, will find their dead end soon enough without at least an Ed.D. Many of them know this and are working on their doctorates part-time with the tuition discount provided by the university I work at.
Do yourself a favor and contact people that have been in the workforce for awhile. They'll tell you something similar to what I am saying. There's a glut of recent Higher Ed graduates. Read the Chronicle. You'll see lots of articles about the state of higher ed jobs. Not saying there aren't great jobs available. Rather, I'm saying that you should take the free degree and distinguish yourself otherwise. Easy choice.
Awesome response! Thank you!
-
I don't know anything about the programs' comparative strengths and weaknesses, but GWU is a highly respectable school. It seems like an excellent balance between great reputation + minimal debt.
Thanks for your insight!
In terms of respectability for my field, it would be ranked thus:
1. Michigan
2. Columbia
3. NYU
4. UCONN
5. GWU
6. Maryland
Another Article on the 'Crisis' in the Humanities
in The Lobby
Posted
I think people underestimate the power of a double major. Major in something you like (English, Art, Medieval Studies) and couple that degree with a practical major (Chemistry, Biology, business etc.). You get the best of both worlds. You study something you really like, and something you really need.
As for grad school in the humanities, I wouldn't recommend it. Teaching jobs (decent ones, at least) are SCARCE and super competitive. You are likely end up in the adjunct wasteland. Plus no one really wants a Renaissance Studies professor anymore. I hate to push for "practical" degrees, because university shouldn't become a vocational school. But really, students must be hip to the job market (such as it is) and trends to figure out the best course of action to effectively market themselves.