Should I go back and get a second bachelors or try to get into to a graduate program?

[wickedfreethinker]

I graduated last spring with a B.A. in Psychology and I realize I made a huge mistake. I didn't know what I wanted to get out of college, so I changed my major from Physics to Psychology because I was doing so poorly. I have been unable to find any full time employment whatsoever and my looming amount of debt from undergrad is haunting me. I cannot make ends meet on my tiny salary from my retail job. 

 

I wanted to go to graduate school, but I wanted to pay my loans down first. I took a few community college classes as nursing school pre-reqs this semester just because I don't know what I want in a career. I am doing well in my classes, but otherwise my stats for graduate school do not look good. I graduated with a 2.97 overall and a 3.3 in the major. I have no honors, did not write a thesis and only 2 semesters of research experience. I am not competitive by any means in the graduate applicant pool. I dread the thought of applying to graduate school. I know my chances of being accepted are extremely low, even for a master's program. I thought about applying to an HR Management Master's program or Health Informatics but I honestly don't know that I could find a job even if I got in and finished. 

I am contemplating going back to get a second bachelor's; however, I know funding for that is nearly impossible to get. I have tried to secure a full time job for going on a year now. I have been extremely unsuccessful. I have had my resume and cover letter critiqued at the career center and by a career counselor, I have done practice interviews, I apply to at least 3 jobs everyday. And I still find these emails in my inbox: "On behalf of _____, we thank you for taking the time to partake in our application process. However, we will not be offering you a position/interview." Discouraged doesn't even begin to describe it. I'm defeated at this point. I don't know what I should do. I moved back in with my parents, but their house is being foreclosed and I will have to move back out in 3-4 months. I have no savings at this point since I have been paying down credit card debt and paying tuition for classes. I literally cannot stand the thought of being in retail for forever. I also can't afford to continue the cc program because its really not helping me in any way right now. Any advice on what to do? I'm not opposed to changing my career path. While psychology interests me its not really what I want to do for the rest of my life.

Edited April 7, 2013 by wickedfreethinker

[ZacharyObama]

Well grad school really isn't the thing you do when you don't know what you want to do - it's not like undergrad, you can't and shouldn't be wandering about too much, you should have some pretty solid idea of what you want to study and why you want to study it. Sending that message to an admissions committee in your SOP will just get you rejected and you'll be out your time and application fees. One thing I'm betting at least is that your overall GPA is now over 3.0 which is the cut-off for most programs, so that's a good thing for future consideration.

 

Without knowing what region of the country you're in or if you're applying to jobs outside of your area, you might consider further expanding the area you're looking for jobs in. To me it doesn't sound like you're getting much help from the career center since you still don't really have too much of an idea of exactly what field you want to go into: employers like two things: background in their field and confidence you're willing to dedicate yourself to their position. No one except for the most charitable is going to hire you if you're down on yourself and your skills. You need to demonstrate a strong sense of direction even if you don't feel like you really have that at the moment.

 

The other suggestion I might make is to consider something like the Peace Corps or the military (unfortunately AmeriCorps has been pretty defunded and doesn't really pay out great - but check that out too). Many schools have Peace Corps Fellowships and the military has great tuition benefits. You might also look into teaching English overseas - I know a number of people who have gone to China, Korea and Japan to do that and it's helped them greatly. Doing those sorts of things will greatly help your competitiveness if you do choose eventually to apply to graduate school.

 

I hope this response is somewhat helpful, and having been pretty down and out of it before myself, I just want to let you know I can relate.

[wickedfreethinker]

A 3.0 in psychology is abysmal though. The acceptance rate to grad programs is usually much lower for psychology programs, even a master's. The target GPA is around a 3.6-3.8 which isn't even close to what I have now.

 

At the career center I stick to the goal that I am looking for a job in my field. I have internship and research experience. I am applying for all positions that I qualify for because psychology jobs don't really exist at a bachelors level. I have literally been applying in admin positions, HR, banks, any place that has entry level jobs available. In interviews I am extremely good at answering questions and pretending I have a footing at which direction I want to go in. I had no problem finding internships and research positions in undergrad, its the whole job situation that just crushes my spirit. The problem is I can't even get many interviews, I put in tons of applications online and hardly ever get a call back. I even applied for a cashier position at target. I was never offered an interview. I don't understand because I have previous job experience in retail and a degree. 

 

I really appreciate the response. I just really don't feel comfortable going somewhere like Korea right now with the political atmosphere being the way it is. Its not exactly safe for me to travel right now. 

 

I honestly wish I never went to college at this point because I have tons of debt and no job to pay it back. Going to grad school will just pile on more debt but so would getting a second degree. I am barely scraping by now and I have no idea what I'm going to do when I will be forced to move out in 3 months. I was under the impression that dropping out was far worse than graduating with a degree I am not excited about. But honestly I wish I had dropped out because I am still working the same crap retail job I had in undergrad. I'm starting to feel suicidal at this point. 

Edited April 7, 2013 by wickedfreethinker

[msocean]

A 3.0 in psychology is abysmal though. The acceptance rate to grad programs is usually much lower for psychology programs, even a master's. The target GPA is around a 3.6-3.8 which isn't even close to what I have now.

 

At the career center I stick to the goal that I am looking for a job in my field. I have internship and research experience. I am applying for all positions that I qualify for because psychology jobs don't really exist at a bachelors level. I have literally been applying in admin positions, HR, banks, any place that has entry level jobs available. In interviews I am extremely good at answering questions and pretending I have a footing at which direction I want to go in. I had no problem finding internships and research positions in undergrad, its the whole job situation that just crushes my spirit. The problem is I can't even get many interviews, I put in tons of applications online and hardly ever get a call back. I even applied for a cashier position at target. I was never offered an interview. I don't understand because I have previous job experience in retail and a degree. 

 

I really appreciate the response. I just really don't feel comfortable going somewhere like Korea right now with the political atmosphere being the way it is. Its not exactly safe for me to travel right now. 

 

I honestly wish I never went to college at this point because I have tons of debt and no job to pay it back. Going to grad school will just pile on more debt but so would getting a second degree. I am barely scraping by now and I have no idea what I'm going to do when I will be forced to move out in 3 months. I was under the impression that dropping out was far worse than graduating with a degree I am not excited about. But honestly I wish I had dropped out because I am still working the same crap retail job I had in undergrad. I'm starting to feel suicidal at this point. 

It might be helpful if you had a handful of slightly different resumes designed for different types of jobs...retail, banking, HR that exploit your qualifications to each.  Just be sure to make a note of which resume you sent to which company so that you can take extra copies of the appropriate resume to an interview.  It sounds like your life is full of drama at the moment and I always thinks that comes across, both in cover letters and interviews.  Maybe you are just appearing too desperate.  Is moving out of the area a possibility?  Have you used every single person you know to network with?  Most jobs are not found by job listings, but through people you know.  If you are in a tough city for jobs, I would consider broadening your search.

[wickedfreethinker]

It sounds like your life is full of drama at the moment and I always thinks that comes across, both in cover letters and interviews. 

 

I obviously don't go around telling hiring managers that I don't know what to do with my life or that I have tons of family drama. I answer interview questions they ask. I don't mention anything about my personal life. I am capable of keeping my personal life separate from my work life. 

 

I do tailor each resume to the specific position I am applying for. HR and banks would rather hire finance, business or HR majors. I have asked employers and they have said the main reason I can't get hired is because I don't have a degree tailored to the specific position I am applying for. The job market is competitive in my area. My psychology degree seems more of a hindrance than an asset. I can't relocate. I've already looked into it. It requires money that I do not have.

Edited April 7, 2013 by wickedfreethinker

[Fleet23]

That's a really tough position to be in.  May I ask what area of the country you're in?  I know there are pockets of the US that have remarkably low unemployment rates right now despite the recession.  Relocation might not be out of the question if the cost of living is low enough where you're headed.  

[whirledpeas13]

Have you looked into other resources at your institution? You strike me as a first-generation college student. What would you get your second BA in? It is NOT impossible to get into grad school with a low GPA, and I think it would serve you better than a second BA for your future. Look into ways to gain either teaching or research experience. Look into opportunities to teach via Upward Bound summer programs (only requires a BA). Also, if you are either an ethnic minority or first-generation student look into the McNair Scholars Program at your institution. Even though you've graduated, they will likely have some solid suggestions for you that are specific to your location. Don't give up! You can do it -- really. Give yourself a break and be kind to yourself. Discover your passion -- what is your ideal job? How can you get there? Who can you look to as a model for your own path?

[wickedfreethinker]

Samsonite, thank you. I'm in FL right now. The cost of living isn't terrible, its just that I can't afford rent, loan payments, my monthly bills, gas and a few small credit card payments with the money I am making in retail right now. I can't even move to full time because our store is so overstaffed enough they slash hours whenever they can. I could potentially try and find a job as a manager at another store, but I have no experience in retail management. Only store associate/customer service. In that respect my degree doesn't help much.

 

Whirled peas, I was thinking CS, web development or nursing. Something close to employable at the bachelors level. I would go for accounting or finance but I don't think I could handle that since I really have no interest in either of those. I thought about marketing/pr but the job outlook for that is spotty and there are so many students at my school graduating with those types of degrees.

 

I some research experience, but there are no paid positions I am eligible for. I can't really afford to volunteer in a lab now because of my finances or I would. I am a caucasian female. My dad went to a four year college, but never finished his degree. He has an associates though so I'm not sure that counts as first generation.

 

Its awful waking up each day knowing that I essentially have a ruined future with no real career options and an unstable financial situation. I feel worthless.

[whirledpeas13]

You actually would qualify as a first-generation student -- your parents would have to have a 4-year degree. It sounds like you really have some soul searching to do, but you really don't have to go it alone. Truly look into the McNair Scholars Program. Be honest. They are in the business of helping people. I am a Caucasian female, my mom has a beauty degree, but I am a McNair Scholar. You need some support right now, which is nothing to be ashamed of! I had many mini-crises in the past few years. You just need to learn the language of higher Ed and the job market, it is very bureaucratic! I would be happy to look over cover letters or your resume for you. I failed a lot at first, not because of who I was or what my potential was, but because I didn't know how to represent myself in the appropriate way. Now, I am going to Harvard with a full ride. It really is possible. Please don't be too discouraged. Feel free to contact me here or via a message.

Edited April 8, 2013 by whirledpeas13

[ZacharyObama]

I strongly second whirldpeas13's advice and encourage you to take her up on her offer. Career services offices can really suck sometimes and smart friends/family/acquaintances etc. can be a lot more helpful. I've been flat broke and on the verge of homelessness before, there are ways to get ahead. Look past the immediate circumstances, think really hard about what you can do week by week to try to get ahead, be open to suggestions both large and small, and above all remember that you are not alone in life, people here and in your life want you to succeed.

 

I hope this might be of some comfort: - I also have a sub-3.0 GPA (2.7-8) and an D- on my transcript in a relevant course. I hope my advice above wasn't too blunt, but you would do well to think big plan even if it seems foolish in the moment. A lot things may be a crapshoot, but there are things you can do to learn to be a good craps player.

 

One final thing I'm going to offer up and without knowing what your family situation is (housing is obviously one of the most important things in life) is to look into both Federal and local programs to help improve your housing situation: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/topics/avoiding_foreclosure

[GeoLing]

I had a 2.98 from my BA in Geography at Texas Tech, with about 12 F's on my transcript. I had to drop out for a year and work at a bar to get over some personal issues and realize that I really did want to go to grad school in some branch of the social sciences (I found myself analyzing the dialects of my customers and developing hypotheses about social interaction while I watched working-class alcoholics and hipster alcoholics sitting side-by-side at the bar). I managed to get into an interdisciplinary program at Tech since I hadn't burned all of my bridges in undergrad and it was the easiest Master's program to get into. I had to work my butt off, but I found my academic calling in geolinguistics and transferred into the English MA program. Now I'm an alternate for a Fulbright grant and accepted into a PhD in Linguistics at my dream school (U of Hawaii).

 

Most of that was to tell you that doing well in the nursing classes you have taken will show admissions committees that you are currently capable and motivated. What you have done since your undergraduate will weigh more than what you did years ago when you were less mature. I had to take about a year and a half of graduate classes to figure out how to combine all of my interests into a cohesive research program. Sometimes it just takes us longer to figure out what is going to fulfill us.

 

You might look into some year-long post-bac programs, especially in nursing (since you already have some of the pre-reqs and have done well in them), where you can get a certification without having to complete a full Bachelor's. Also, some technical trades (electrician, etc.) have paid certification programs that might help you the most with your finances. Then, when you're feeling more secure, maybe you can take a class or two at the graduate level and figure out what graduate degree you want to work towards.

 

Also, I would recommend that you only apply to grad programs that are responsive to your inquiries and tend to fund most of their students. I wasted several hundred dollars applying to programs that barely responded to me during the process, only to get flat-out rejected almost immediately.

 

Don't give up on grad school or finding a fulfilling job. A poor track record can always be overcome with some blood, sweat, tears, and time.

 

Best of luck to you!

[juilletmercredi]

It sounds like you just aren't sure what you want to do.  The solution to that is not to go to get more schooling; you will just be wasting time and money until you figure out what you want to do.  What if you get a degree in nursing and then realize that you hate it and what you really want to do is something else?  Then you've wasted all that time and money doing something you won't use.

 

I know it can be frustrating searching for jobs when you have been unsuccessful, but the reality of this economy is that many people spend over a year looking for full-time employment.  You have to keep trying though.  Stop the CC program because you don't know what to do, and at this point you are directing resources you need into something you don't.

 

South Korea is actually pretty safe (it's a modern country with a modern army nd despite the recent shows of power, North Korea is actually pretty unlikely to start beef), and she also suggested Japan, which is extremely safe.  You might look into the JET programme or EPIK, or a Fulbright or CIEE programs, all of which pay for English teaching abroad and which can send you to many countries other than South Korea, if you want.

 

The only time I would suggest a second bachelor's is if you were getting it in a field in which a bachelor's in X is required to enter that field.  A bachelor's in nursing, accounting, or engineering would fill that.  I wouldn't get a second bachelor's in computer science, web development, or marketing or business; those are all things that you can either take a few classes in and/or teaching yourself through volunteering, internships or on the job training.

 

Speaking of which, what else are you doing in your spare time while looking?  I've read a couple of job-hunting guides, including askamanager.com, and they advise that long gaps in employment hurt you a lot.  The solution is to find ways to fill that time, including volunteering and internships.  Are there orgs nearby that you can volunteer your time to while learning some valuable skills?

[memyselfandcoffee]

hi, first off I really agree with Julliett mercredi, I wouldn't persue more education until you had a better idea of what you want to do. as for doing a Phd, if you already feel like it's not what you want for life, a Phd won't help you at all, and also you will hate it. I am actually a first year psych. phd student and I love psychology, but sometimes because I have work constantly find it hard to keep going, there's just no way, in my opinion ,you would get through it if you didn't actually like it. also there would be no point-- a Phd in psych isn't much good if you don't want to be a psychologist , academic or clinicalyour career .

it does to me sound like a masters or postgrad diploma would be a good way of changing your career to something you like more . Just wait until you have a better idea of what that is. I dont know what it is like in your country, but i had lots of options with my psychology degree. I applied and was accepted in a MSC in neuropharmacolgy, a MA publishing and editing, and a Msc health promotion and a Msc in neuroscinece

I also could have applied to many other programmes if i had really wanted to switch fields. most postgraduate diplomas in my country are actually for that purpose. I could have done an 18 month course to do primary teaching, applied for graduate med school, there was also the option of MBA's, I considered Ma in eng literaure. and so on.

A degree is great thing to have and psychology as subject is well respected. you talk about what you learned and how it is applicable to studying english, medicine, neuroscience, neuropharmocolgy, business and marketing.

in my Phd degree programme, one guy has degree in physics and did a 2 year masters in psychology and another had undergrad in biomedical sciences and did a Msc in psychology. another girl did her first degree in some science subject and then a few years later went back and did a psych degree. and a techinician at my department did a psych undergrad and a Msc and Ph.D in neuropharmocalogy.

i'm just telling you this to illustrate the point that many people move fileds from thier first degree, it's quite typical.

so you have tons of options, and another degree isn't even out of the question in the future if you really need it.

but definitely take more time to explore your options, before you jump in again.there's no need to be in a rush, I am 34 have 3 more years of my Phd to do. sure i wish i was younger, but my age isn't any disadvantage.

I know you are under huge pressure right now, but you will get through it and you are obviously very capable.

Good Luck!

[CageFree]

I really appreciate the response. I just really don't feel comfortable going somewhere like Korea right now with the political atmosphere being the way it is. Its not exactly safe for me to travel right now. 

 

Just chiming in to say that traveling to South Korea or Japan is not "dangerous" in terms of "political atmosphere." You have a better chance of being mugged on whatever street you live on than something horrible happening to you while teaching English in either of those countries.

[nugget]

I highly recommend this book, What Color Is Your Parachute? Here is a website link. You should be able to find a copy in a library. It's great for career changers and helping people figure out what they want to do and how to get there. First you need to figure out what you want, then you can create a plan on how to get it.

 

http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/

Edited May 10, 2013 by jenste