Career changer looking for advice

[jrb808]

I've been in my field (marketing automation / marketing analytics / customer database management) for nearly a decade and have found it to be fairly lucrative and in demand, but have always been interested in someday working as an analyst for one of the agencies in the intelligence community (NSA, NGA, CIA, DIA). 

 

I applied to SAIS and Elliott this cycle and got into both, but got no funding from either. I'll also note that I've applied to both schools several years ago, but turned both down since I wasn't completely certain on how I'd use the degree. 

 

Given the lack of funding, I'm planning to enroll in Elliott since it'd allow me to continue at my current job, which would enable me to pay for school virtually out of pocket. After graduating with nearly $90k in undergrad and spending most of my 20s repaying student loans (only 8k left!), I REALLY don't want to take on more debt, especially given that post-grad Fed salaries start around GS-9. My goal with grad school is to apply for summer internships at one of the agencies after my second year and hopefully land a job as a Fed after my third year. If all else fails and I don't get a federal or contractor job, I plan to go back into my current field...not ideal, but also not terrible either. I'm fully aware that I'd be taking a significant pay cut by switching careers, but figure that's just the reality of making a career change. 

 

Does my plan seem at all sensible? Any other recommendations on getting an analyst job with an intelligence agency without joining the military? 

[rising_star]

It certainly sounds like a good plan. Two questions: 1) Does your employer offer any sort of tuition benefits you might use? (I'm thinking specifically if you're taking a course they might deem related to your field in some way). 2) Do you have a particular type of analytical work you're interested in doing? If so, you may want to think about whether/how the skills and experience you already have might translate/transfer into doing that kind of work...

Good luck!

[Nico Corr]

Congrats!

I too got in to Elliott without funding as well, although i'm in no place to attend without any kind of funding. I think for the most part it's a solid plan, and if you for whatever reason don't land the job you want, your fall back to your current career sounds like a sound Plan B. You'd be considerably better off than many if not most other grads. Just from conversations I've had with others on this forum, I'd highly discourage anyone regardless of their financial situation from taking on such massive debt if they didn't think it would considerably increase their chances of breaking in to the field.