What is your 'real' goal?

[sommelier]

If you had your choice, what would be your ultimate career you could land with your education?

Is anyone else (besides me) 'educating themselves' out of their current occupation in order to pursue something better?

I know that after my MBA is over next year, I am going to apply to some PhD programs in the DC area. My 'ideal' path would be to get my MBA, then PhD in Public Affairs/Policy/Admin and work in DC doing business/government relations. In case it does not happen exactly the way I want it to, at least I will always have my MBA.

[Stories]

Doing research that leads to true health policy change for the betterment of health across the country (and maybe even world!).

[jasper.milvain]

I want a permanent, full time job at a small teaching university in western Canada that allows for at least *some* research and is reasonably family friendly.

Pretty ridiculous that even that level of success sounds like a pipe dream right now.

[sommelier]

I want a permanent, full time job at a small teaching university in western Canada that allows for at least *some* research and is reasonably family friendly.

Pretty ridiculous that even that level of success sounds like a pipe dream right now.

Precisely why I chose the language I did for my original post. I am trying to 'educate' myself out of the uncertainty (if that is possible). I have a decent job right now, but want so much more. I have an opportunity to go for as much schooling as possible over the next few years for a relatively low cost... so, after being laid off for the first time in my life last summer, I decided to stop procrastinating and do it.

[dherres]

Isn't pursuing a higher degree for the purposes of advancing -- or even changing -- one's career pretty common and acceptable?

I'm waiting tables right now, so hell yeah I'm trying to get out of that! Although my "real" goal in getting a PhD isn't to land a golden ticket to Academia-Land but to work in a psychological corporate consulting setting...... I think that I'd enjoy teaching at Berkeley on the side, though.

[t_ruth]

I would *love* to be a top name in my field - researching and publishing about issues that make actual change in educational policy.

Realistically, I would probably be happy at any decent university, teaching and doing research that at least a handful of people read and find interesting .

My husband has an MBA and plans to go back for his PhD also - he has a different end-goal than the OP's though.

[tistre]

Writing and teaching, mainly, and making a modest income out of it. Tenure-track if I'm lucky, but adjunct is okay as long as I'm doing it at a place that has unionized contract faculty, like York.

I'd like to be somewhat accountable to the political implications of what I research without taking myself way too seriously. I never want to be one of those anthropologists that describe their field of research as "my area" or "my people".

And if academia doesn't work out, I'd like to be teaching and involved in politically progressive research in other contexts.

[thepoorstockinger]

Ideal world: Get a tenured position at one of the universities in NYC which pays enough to rent in Manhattan. Defend historical materialism against post-modernism. Publish a book which makes its way onto comp lists. Write politically engaged academic work and articles which engages people outside the academy. Supervise graduate students who do interesting work.

More realistic: Tenured position at a good but not top tier Canadian university with a graduate program so I can supervise at least MA students (PhD students in my field should go south of the border). Ideally in a city (Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, or Vancouver) and in a department which is not toxic. I'd like to be somewhere where there's a lot of freedom to choose what courses you teach. I want to teach big first/second year survey courses in my field in addition to interesting and specific upper year undergrad and graduate seminars.

[TulipOHare]

If I decide not to get a PhD: Be a damn good speech therapist. Be an advocate for ESL and ELL kids (huge numbers of these kids are pushed into speech therapy or even special ed for no reason). Possibly, become a clinical supervisor at a university's MA program.

If I decide to get a PhD: Be a damn good professor of speech pathology or linguistics. Do research to learn more about how brains acquire first and second languages. Be an advocate for ESL and ELL kids, as above.

[candy rain]

my goal is earning enough money and buy a lovely car

[sommelier]

There are other forums in which the main desire of everyone who posts is to work for investment banks, big law and any other entity which will line their pockets. It is refreshing to find people who have a goal that does not revolve around money. Sure we want things... but wanting things and being consumed by the appeal of owning things are very different.

I truly believe that if you have a masters level (+) education, you are willing to relocate and you have good work experience, you will be alright financially. Finding something that you will wake up everyday with an amazing amount of motivation for is the tricky part.

[bryanwitha_y]

Now, don't get me wrong here, but I feel that if I can get my PhD in Physics and then get a fellowship and thereby have someone fund my research....I'm pretty sure I can manage to figure out how to take over the world. I've got some ideas in the pipeline, but I just need a couple million dollars to start it up...

Yeah, you may chuckle, but you just wait. You'll see. YOU'LL ALL SEE :twisted:

[liszt85]

Now, don't get me wrong here, but I feel that if I can get my PhD in Physics and then get a fellowship and thereby have someone fund my research....I'm pretty sure I can manage to figure out how to take over the world. I've got some ideas in the pipeline, but I just need a couple million dollars to start it up...

Yeah, you may chuckle, but you just wait. You'll see. YOU'LL ALL SEE :twisted:

It worries me that your subfield is Nuclear..

I am a physics major too and have a batchmate whose greatest ambition is to make the most destructive nuclear bomb ever (he did not write that in his SOP of course..). His applications however were rejected by the American Universities. He's going to do a PhD now at an institute for fundamental science research here in India that's pretty good as well. I shudder at the thought...

[Stories]

There are other forums in which the main desire of everyone who posts is to work for investment banks, big law and any other entity which will line their pockets. It is refreshing to find people who have a goal that does not revolve around money. Sure we want things... but wanting things and being consumed by the appeal of owning things are very different.

I truly believe that if you have a masters level (+) education, you are willing to relocate and you have good work experience, you will be alright financially. Finding something that you will wake up everyday with an amazing amount of motivation for is the tricky part.

Well, PhD life isn't exactly lined with money, so I think you'll generally find most PhDs to be very level headed. Most folks with PhDs are generally interested in advancing the field, which is the key part of everything.

[fuzzylogician]

Well, PhD life isn't exactly lined with money, so I think you'll generally find most PhDs to be very level headed. Most folks with PhDs are generally interested in advancing the field, which is the key part of everything.

True. I am not looking to be rich (though I wouldn't mind it), just to make a decent living that will support a comfortable life for myself and my family. If I had it my way, I'd like to be a leading scholar in my field and have a TT job at a top-tier university...be awarded many grants, do influential research, mentor students who will outdo me. Nothing much 8).

[less-than-3.0 too :(]

I've got a long way before this will happen but I'd like to be able to use geo-spatial analysis to help people live more efficient, sustainable, happy lives. I'd like also make a comfortable income enough to be able to afford a little airplane to have total freedom to go anyplace and gaze down at the earth. just my 2 cents.

[bryanwitha_y]

It worries me that your subfield is Nuclear..

I am a physics major too and have a batchmate whose greatest ambition is to make the most destructive nuclear bomb ever (he did not write that in his SOP of course..). His applications however were rejected by the American Universities. He's going to do a PhD now at an institute for fundamental science research here in India that's pretty good as well. I shudder at the thought...

Oh, so primitive, one big boom. No, I'm talking about starting with basic media-based fear tactics. So many physicists tried to assuage the fears that an LHC-created singularity could pose no threat to the earth -- and I think this is precisely the wrong response to hand to the public. It should be more "bow and obey or we shall release the doom particle!"

Failing that, I could prove the strange matter hypothesis and thereby threaten to create a chain reaction which converts the entire mass of the earth into a big dense blob of quark matter. Or find a quick way to irradiate the atmosphere...or...well, you see where I'm getting at here. Bombs are so 20th century.

[liszt85]

Failing that, I could prove the strange matter hypothesis and thereby threaten to create a chain reaction which converts the entire mass of the earth into a big dense blob of quark matter. Or find a quick way to irradiate the atmosphere...or...well, you see where I'm getting at here. Bombs are so 20th century.

I agree about the bombs.

[teaganc]

So many physicists tried to assuage the fears that an LHC-created singularity could pose no threat to the earth -- and I think this is precisely the wrong response to hand to the public. It should be more "bow and obey or we shall release the doom particle!"

See, so few scientists these days are willing to sit in a high-backed chair behind a giant desk, stroking a fluffy white cat and manically laughing about the destruction of humanity.

[belowthree]

See, so few scientists these days are willing to sit in a high-backed chair behind a giant desk, stroking a fluffy white cat and manically laughing about the destruction of humanity.

I propose this as a new question on most graduate school admissions forms:

Would you be willing to sit in a high-backed chair behind a giant desk, stroking a fluffy white cat and manically laughing about the destruction of humanity? Yes / No (Circle one)

[UnlikelyGrad]

I propose this as a new question on most graduate school admissions forms:

Would you be willing to sit in a high-backed chair behind a giant desk, stroking a fluffy white cat and manically laughing about the destruction of humanity? Yes / No (Circle one)

I would only answer no because I don't like white cats.

[fuzzylogician]

belowthree said:

I propose this as a new question on most graduate school admissions forms:

Would you be willing to sit in a high-backed chair behind a giant desk, stroking a fluffy white cat and manically laughing about the destruction of humanity? Yes / No (Circle one)

Yes. I love cats. 

[dherres]

fuzzylogician said:

Yes. I love cats. 

Ditto. I like specific people..... as a race, though, I find humans come up short on a number of qualities. (Except me, of course. I'm perfect. )

Nevertheless, I don't want to hold sole ownership for the responsibility of the extinction of the species. I believe that, as a collective whole, we're doing a fine enough job of that as it is.

[fsmn36]

If you had your choice, what would be your ultimate career you could land with your education?

Is anyone else (besides me) 'educating themselves' out of their current occupation in order to pursue something better?

I know that after my MBA is over next year, I am going to apply to some PhD programs in the DC area. My 'ideal' path would be to get my MBA, then PhD in Public Affairs/Policy/Admin and work in DC doing business/government relations. In case it does not happen exactly the way I want it to, at least I will always have my MBA.

Oooo. I never thought I'd see someone with similar goals as mine (i.e. working on academia to get into government). I was beginning to think I was alone!lol

I'd like to get my PhD, publish a few journal articles with some ideas to better the world (or at least government) then be snatched up by said government to run one of those fabulous bureaucracies that deals in foreign relations. Hopefully advise a president or two ala Kissenger (though less German and less male-ly).

You know. Nothing big. :wink:

[sommelier]

Very nice!

I think working in government for a while is a great way to make connections. Those DC think tanks pay huge money for people with advanced degrees as well as government experience, so financial success is a real possibility as well. I think it goes without saying that having a PhD and some high level government experience makes you a great candidate for academia positions. There are a lot of positives!

I am looking into a couple grad certificate programs in security studies/political management/intelligence to help me gain some credibility in the DC political arena as well... Just in case a PhD needs to be put on hold for a while.