Plan Bs

[museum_geek]

Build a house on the land my grandmother got from her father, call it a study abroad, and apply again next year.

 

That would be some serious resume building experience!  I'll see myself out...

[Dr. Old Bill]

I know that it is always sensitive when people bring up the job market here, so I'll just say this really briefly and everyone can feel free to ignore it if they choose. But I think that people who don't get in anywhere should think it over as an opportunity to extricate themselves from a field with truly brutal structural economic issues. You might look back one day and see this as dodging a bullet. I'm on the academic job market right now, and while I'm lucky to have some opportunities, I'm in a significant minority for PhDs who are graduating now. The market contracted even further this year, despite the fact that many people predicted a bounce back. The numbers were bad before 2008; they were cut in half that year; they not only have not recovered but if anything have gotten worse. People here have a general sense that the market is bad, but I don't think they (or most faculty, really) have absorbed just how bad it's gotten. I cannot stress enough what a brutal, dispiriting market it is. So I encourage you to give genuine and deep consideration to getting out of the race altogether, if you find yourself without any admissions.

 

That's my spiel, and I won't clog up this thread otherwise. Good luck in general no matter what Plan Bs you guys decide on.

 

I've debated on whether or not to respond to this, as I mostly agree with it. Or rather, I don't disagree, which is admittedly a very small distinction. Nonetheless, I've been thinking about it a lot since it was posted, so I'll just go ahead and say my piece.

 

There is no denying that the market is bad, and quite likely getting worse for all the reasons you mentioned (and more). I've been an avid reader of The Chronicle for the past half year or so, and it is difficult to find anything remotely positive when it comes to Ph.D. outcomes in the humanities in general, and English in particular. These are all valid, factual truths that need to be acknowledged by anyone in our position as English Ph.D. hopefuls. However, even in light of the bleak prospects, I think there are solid reasons to pursue a Ph.D. in English.

 

First of all, assuming that most people enter a program out of a love of most things English and academic, a funded Ph.D. program allows 5-7 years or so of paid immersion in the academic world. The pay is low, of course, and the demands are high...but considering that it is both an education and a de facto academic "job" for several years -- one that is, within reason, relatively secure -- it's not a bad way to spend a few years, particularly when you come out of it with a Ph.D. (even bearing in mind the sizable number of ABD folks). Lest this sound like polyanna optimism, I recognize that from a financial standpoint, and a broader educational standpoint, there are surely "better" ways to spend several years. Yet the initial impulse is a love of the discipline, and that has to count for something, in my opinion.

 

Secondly -- and this is key -- mental and educational preparation for non-academic careers is important. The ideal, of course, is to come out of a Ph.D. program with non-adjunct teaching opportunities. There are countless articles that point to the correlation between better (read: higher ranked by USNews...) Ph.D. programs and better placements, and anyone not getting a Ph.D. at a top ten institution has to be even more realistic about the possibilities. It's a bit better than 50/50 for the top ten (better still for the top six), and worse than 50/50 for the rest...and the quality of placement has an unmistakable correlation with the apparent ranking of the Ph.D. program. Tiers are very much in effect here. So the idea of a "plan B" for post-Ph.D. is even more vital than a plan B for a shutout at this stage. But having said that, you will still be equipped with a Ph.D. While this is not a guarantee that you will inevitably get a higher position than you would with an M.A., there are many benefits, such as higher average pay, additional opportunities to consult or be on boards of directors, and a surprisingly broad range of intangibles that are available to those who are willing to look outside the immediate range of academia. In other words, getting a Ph.D. and having no immediate job placement is not necessarily a reason to avoid going down that path, if you are willing and able to adapt.

 

Third, market forecasts are one thing, the present reality is another, and the future reality in six or seven years is another still. Those of us entering Ph.D. programs in 2015 will be on the job market for 2020 at the absolute earliest (and those will be outliers, really). 2021 - 23 are more likely ranges for the first stab for this cohort. There is no denying the gradual decline of demand for English professors, and the ever-dwindling market at this point. Yet politics and economics are notoriously fickle, and long-range outcomes are difficult to predict, thanks to an ever-shifting landscape. In the unlikely event that Obama's plan to make Community Colleges free for millions goes through, that would have a marked effect on the landscape...and it's hard to say exactly how. Presumably more students would be compelled to enroll in college, and while there have been some valid arguments lately that this would lead more to a "shift" within academia, rather than cause an influx of new hires, it is -- once again -- difficult to predict. The next president could come along and take a Scott Walker-esque approach to higher education, imperiling the academic system even more. Or the next president could come in and make education a number one priority. These are things that will happen (or won't) while we're in the midst of our Ph.D. programs. Frankly, it's unpredictable.

 

That brings me to my final point: no industry is immune to these shifts. Retail seemed safe, until the economic collapse in 2008. Manufacturing? Same story. There are some industries that seem to weather these shifts better than others (there's always a need for health care workers, for instance), but in a broader sense, the job market in general is hit and miss. What's more, it varies by city, state, and country.

 

The bottom line, in my view, is that getting a Ph.D. in English is invariably a risky proposition. The market is slowly shrinking, and we can't see what it's going to be like in six years. Yet if you have the foreknowledge when going into the discipline, and keep yourself informed (i.e., keep your eyes open) while you're going through, you should be better prepared than someone who is going into this field expecting to get a TT job at an R1 institution. What it comes down to is why you are doing this, and what you are willing to get out of it at the end. As someone who is married and in his thirties, I am more than happy to be paid 20 - 30k or so for five or six years to get a Ph.D. in the field I love. The worst that will happen (provided I don't wash out, of course) is that I will have a Ph.D. when I am 41 and be left to say "now what?" But...I'll have that Ph.D., and will have had several years of doing what I enjoy.

 

All of this is to say that ComeBackZinc (and Lifealive) is decidedly not wrong. It just comes down to what we, as individuals, are able to do to best equip ourselves for alternate possibilities when we ultimately graduate.

[kurayamino]

I've debated on whether or not to respond to this, as I mostly agree with it. Or rather, I don't disagree, which is admittedly a very small distinction. Nonetheless, I've been thinking about it a lot since it was posted, so I'll just go ahead and say my piece.

 

There is no denying that the market is bad, and quite likely getting worse for all the reasons you mentioned (and more). I've been an avid reader of The Chronicle for the past half year or so, and it is difficult to find anything remotely positive when it comes to Ph.D. outcomes in the humanities in general, and English in particular. These are all valid, factual truths that need to be acknowledged by anyone in our position as English Ph.D. hopefuls. However, even in light of the bleak prospects, I think there are solid reasons to pursue a Ph.D. in English.

 

First of all, assuming that most people enter a program out of a love of most things English and academic, a funded Ph.D. program allows 5-7 years or so of paid immersion in the academic world. The pay is low, of course, and the demands are high...but considering that it is both an education and a de facto academic "job" for several years -- one that is, within reason, relatively secure -- it's not a bad way to spend a few years, particularly when you come out of it with a Ph.D. (even bearing in mind the sizable number of ABD folks). Lest this sound like polyanna optimism, I recognize that from a financial standpoint, and a broader educational standpoint, there are surely "better" ways to spend several years. Yet the initial impulse is a love of the discipline, and that has to count for something, in my opinion.

 

Secondly -- and this is key -- mental and educational preparation for non-academic careers is important. The ideal, of course, is to come out of a Ph.D. program with non-adjunct teaching opportunities. There are countless articles that point to the correlation between better (read: higher ranked by USNews...) Ph.D. programs and better placements, and anyone not getting a Ph.D. at a top ten institution has to be even more realistic about the possibilities. It's a bit better than 50/50 for the top ten (better still for the top six), and worse than 50/50 for the rest...and the quality of placement has an unmistakable correlation with the apparent ranking of the Ph.D. program. Tiers are very much in effect here. So the idea of a "plan B" for post-Ph.D. is even more vital than a plan B for a shutout at this stage. But having said that, you will still be equipped with a Ph.D. While this is not a guarantee that you will inevitably get a higher position than you would with an M.A., there are many benefits, such as higher average pay, additional opportunities to consult or be on boards of directors, and a surprisingly broad range of intangibles that are available to those who are willing to look outside the immediate range of academia. In other words, getting a Ph.D. and having no immediate job placement is not necessarily a reason to avoid going down that path, if you are willing and able to adapt.

 

Third, market forecasts are one thing, the present reality is another, and the future reality in six or seven years is another still. Those of us entering Ph.D. programs in 2015 will be on the job market for 2020 at the absolute earliest (and those will be outliers, really). 2021 - 23 are more likely ranges for the first stab for this cohort. There is no denying the gradual decline of demand for English professors, and the ever-dwindling market at this point. Yet politics and economics are notoriously fickle, and long-range outcomes are difficult to predict, thanks to an ever-shifting landscape. In the unlikely event that Obama's plan to make Community Colleges free for millions goes through, that would have a marked effect on the landscape...and it's hard to say exactly how. Presumably more students would be compelled to enroll in college, and while there have been some valid arguments lately that this would lead more to a "shift" within academia, rather than cause an influx of new hires, it is -- once again -- difficult to predict. The next president could come along and take a Scott Walker-esque approach to higher education, imperiling the academic system even more. Or the next president could come in and make education a number one priority. These are things that will happen (or won't) while we're in the midst of our Ph.D. programs. Frankly, it's unpredictable.

 

That brings me to my final point: no industry is immune to these shifts. Retail seemed safe, until the economic collapse in 2008. Manufacturing? Same story. There are some industries that seem to weather these shifts better than others (there's always a need for health care workers, for instance), but in a broader sense, the job market in general is hit and miss. What's more, it varies by city, state, and country.

 

The bottom line, in my view, is that getting a Ph.D. in English is invariably a risky proposition. The market is slowly shrinking, and we can't see what it's going to be like in six years. Yet if you have the foreknowledge when going into the discipline, and keep yourself informed (i.e., keep your eyes open) while you're going through, you should be better prepared than someone who is going into this field expecting to get a TT job at an R1 institution. What it comes down to is why you are doing this, and what you are willing to get out of it at the end. As someone who is married and in his thirties, I am more than happy to be paid 20 - 30k or so for five or six years to get a Ph.D. in the field I love. The worst that will happen (provided I don't wash out, of course) is that I will have a Ph.D. when I am 41 and be left to say "now what?" But...I'll have that Ph.D., and will have had several years of doing what I enjoy.

 

All of this is to say that ComeBackZinc (and Lifealive) is decidedly not wrong. It just comes down to what we, as individuals, are able to do to best equip ourselves for alternate possibilities when we ultimately graduate.

 

I can't upvote you WT, but you deserve all of them. I can't imagine taking this step without being well informed about what the prospects are for gaining a TT job. Personally, the 5-6 years of guaranteed funding is much higher than the wages I'd been making for my last thirteen years in the workforce, so in that sense, it is also a step up economically, and I suspect I'm not alone in this. I've thought of a number of things I want to do after my PhD, and while gaining a TT job is one of them, it certainly isn't the only one. I plan on making sure I gain a number of other important skills for my resume while I'm in the program so that I can make myself a candidate for other career choices other than teaching. 

[obrial42]

 

 

 is that I will have a Ph.D. when I am 41 and be left to say "now what?" But...I'll have that Ph.D., and will have had several years of doing what I enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for posting this! You make some great points...and I think we're about the same age. It's great to know that everyone pursuing a PhD is not 25 years old.  

[ComeBackZinc]

I agree with almost everything that Wyatt's Torch says. I made the choice to enter an English PhD program in much the same shape as others: I had been on the job market for a couple years, I had gotten almost no offers, and those I had were far worse working conditions than being in a PhD program for not much more money. So if you go in informed, and you are prepared to move on away from academia after 5-7 years of work, then I totally get it. I made the same choice! Just make sure that when you say you are prepared to move on without getting a permanent position at a university, you know that's for sure true. You've really got to be 100% confident and comfortable in that. If you are, go for it; I personally am always deeply annoyed by the paternalism that crops up in a lot of "don't go to grad school" arguments. Just take the time to really deeply consider that possibility as a very likely outcome. That's all I mean to suggest.

[empress-marmot]

Thanks for posting this! You make some great points...and I think we're about the same age. It's great to know that everyone pursuing a PhD is not 25 years old.

 

I will be 25 when I earn my MA and go into a PhD program...  I know I'm a young'un here, but I really love that most people on the GC and in my field are older than me. Reading about your experiences has helped me gain perspective on what I'm supposed to do in this wide, wild world of academia. I will admit being ridiculously naive before I discovered this website. 

So naive, in fact, that a couple months ago I thought the world would be over if I didn't get into one of the PhD programs to which I'd applied. It's still so early in the season, but I think it's interesting to note that three of the MA programs I applied to accepted/funded me. Users on the GC have graduated from these programs and were accepted to fantastic PhD programs, ones to which I didn't dare apply. 

 

A couple months ago, I might have turned up my nose at the three "safety" programs which accepted me. Thanks to you fantastic people, I think going to a teeny-tiny school where I can learn a bit more might be the best choice. 

 

Some people have mentioned teaching overseas as a Plan B. Mine was to apply to EPIK and go teach in South Korea.  

[empress-marmot]

If you are, go for it; I personally am always deeply annoyed by the paternalism that crops up in a lot of "don't go to grad school" arguments. 

 

Thank you for mentioning this nasty little trick of job-advice articles on the Chronicle/other 'helpful' websites.

The structure of those PhD poverty stories is remarkably similar to victim blaming, is it not? (I was irritated enough to blog on the topic.)

 

While I don't deny the job market is awful, I think a lot of these articles are written because it's easier to read about a poor PhD than to help one find a job. 

[1Q84]

The worst that will happen (provided I don't wash out, of course) is that I will have a Ph.D. when I am 41 and be left to say "now what?" But...I'll have that Ph.D., and will have had several years of doing what I enjoy.

 

Well said, as always, Wyatt. I strongly believe that if you sign up for it with clear eyes and a full heart, you can't lose.

 

The only thing I differ in is the part I quoted. I'll be in my mid-late thirties by the time I'm done and I don't want that "now what?" moment. I want to hit the ground running, so I think my last year or so of my program will probably be divided between dissertation and networking/job searching.

[allplaideverything]

I, for one, am kinda stoked about the job market! When I finished my MFA, a terminal degree, with a book published and 5 years of college teaching experience, there were about 20 TT jobs in the country in CW-Poetry, most of which eventually hired poets with MFAs & PhDs, multiple books, and 5+ years on me. It was pretty rough. But now I've learned there are more than twice as many jobs in Early American, with a different kind of competitive pool. It's still an insane market, overall, but just a little more welcoming than I'd thought.

 

I think another thing to think about while doing a PhD, if we're all so lucky, is how to make ourselves more adaptable and versatile as job candidates. If I can apply to both Creative Writing and Early American jobs, that expands my chances. Look for ways that your research overlaps into multiple disciplines, and emphasize that kind of work. A SLAC is probably more likely to hire a person that can do 20th Century British and Gender Studies and Postcolonial Lit (or whatever) than someone who only specializes (and frames their specialization) in one of those areas.

 

Ultimately, WT's post makes so many awesome points. All the up-votes!

[iwontbelyeveit]

With respect to the "Plan B" discussion, I'd like to throw in my own experience. I finished a funded MA in 2011 and had applied to six PhD programs for that fall. I was rejected by 5, waitlisted at 1, and at the 11th hour rejected, as no one turned down a spot. I was devastated. I spent a tearful week in bed snuggling with my cat and got a tattoo (thankfully, not one I regret). After I picked myself up, I took a couple of days to reexamine my life, my work, and what I wanted to do.

 

Through this reflection, I realized I needed to "get out of the cave" for a little while, so I joined Peace Corps. I ended up, quite serendipitously, being assigned to a region that I had done graduate work on. I learned a language, taught at a university there, developed some projects, and had lots of the best kinds of struggles. It was so good for me, and it was something I hadn't even imagined for myself before all of the rejections. I wouldn't have done it had I been accepted that year. That may have been an okay route for me, who knows, but I'm so deeply grateful for the experience I had through my "Plan B". 

 

Now I'm applying again. No acceptances yet, but with 14 more to go, I'm still hopeful. I still want the PhD so much, and I will do it, but the slight detour I took enriched my life, my research, and my CV so much. And I couldn't have planned it.

 

So—this is to say—rejections are awful. They feel like a pile of crap on your heart and your work. But I encourage you to try and embrace the possibility that other different and amazing doors can open up. Be actively aware of the places you can engage with and contribute to. There are no regrets in that. 

[slightlymoreanonymous]

After reading everyone's discussion, I'm curious: are fully funded MAs that bad of an option? Maybe it's just because I'm applying straight out of undergrad, but it seemed like a reasonable step on the way to doctoral programs. (Especially since many programs won't let you apply without one.)

As for plan B, I'm actually taking a NOLS outdoor instructor course this summer so I could be a wilderness guide if need be. It's marginally less realistic than dusting off my Econ degree and applying for analyst jobs, so that's on my list too.

And with the dismal job market discussions, I know it's crucial to go in with your eyes open, but surely the outlook isn't so bleak if you're prepared to work in all parts of academia? I have a family friend who's the president of our local community college, and they're facing increased demand and hiring more full-time faculty for rhet/comp positions. Not as glamorous as R1s, but if you want to teach and have more flexibility, it doesn't seem too bad.

[mikers86]

Be informed. Know the risks of not only the market but the possibility of not getting tenure after (and that particular can of worms). Actively work on a plan B, however you want to define that. And if after reflecting on all of that you still want to pursue this path then do it. No one should tell you *not to* try for it, but each of us is responsible for understanding the reality of the situation, as crappy as it is in the current climate. There are no guarantees in this profession, unfortunately.

[mikers86]

After reading everyone's discussion, I'm curious: are fully funded MAs that bad of an option? Maybe it's just because I'm applying straight out of undergrad, but it seemed like a reasonable step on the way to doctoral programs. (Especially since many programs won't let you apply without one.)

As for plan B, I'm actually taking a NOLS outdoor instructor course this summer so I could be a wilderness guide if need be. It's marginally less realistic than dusting off my Econ degree and applying for analyst jobs, so that's on my list too.

And with the dismal job market discussions, I know it's crucial to go in with your eyes open, but surely the outlook isn't so bleak if you're prepared to work in all parts of academia? I have a family friend who's the president of our local community college, and they're facing increased demand and hiring more full-time faculty for rhet/comp positions. Not as glamorous as R1s, but if you want to teach and have more flexibility, it doesn't seem too bad.

 

Fully funded MAs are definitely not that bad of an option. It's a building block that helps you try out graduate work and explore different areas or approaches that you weren't necessarily exposed to as an undergraduate, with the added benefit that it can help you produce a strong writing sample or help you realize getting a PhD isn't what you want after all. While funded.

 

As for the job market discussion - I think what's important in your comment is "but surely the outlook isn't so bleak if you're prepared to work in all parts of academia?" Coming to terms with that reality can be a challenge after you've worked 5+ years toward a particular job, and potentially altering your expectations or professional pursuit can be difficult. The elusive TT R1 job is not the only option out there (obviously) but doctoral programs are in essence training you for that or very similar positions - which is an issue for another thread.

[Put a cat on it]

Live under a pier with all of my cats.

Or get a job, I guess.

[lo.lee.ta]

If PhD programs don't work out for next year, I'm definitely going to get my MA and then apply to PhD programs again when I'm finished.

 

Now that I've taken some time to adjust to the idea, I'm mentally alright with taking this route (emotionally, I'm still working on adjusting to the disappointment of changed plans). My PhD application would become more competitive, but having developed my interests, overall knowledge, and academic skills, I'd also theoretically be able to make even more of my time in a PhD program. (While I feel like I already have a very clear sense of academic direction, with the way that research works, further study would inevitably clarify/complicate/expand my central research questions).

 

[One semi-related question I do have -- does anyone have advice for something I could do in the summer? What have you found to be helpful/rewarding/relevant types of work? I'm doing an intensive language program until mid-June, but I would love to do something related to academia/my field in June/July. Ideally looking for something vaguely intellectually engaging where I could use/develop my skills and build my CV.]

 

 

I've debated about whether to share this story on GC or not, mainly because I don't want it to sound patronizing or, like, "I had this great experience and learned a lot from it and now I want to share my advice and wisdom with all of you," but it seems really relevant to this conversation about Plan B's and the possibility of not getting into PhDs this round, so here goes:

In fall of 2012, I applied to a mixture of PhDs and MAs in English--I think it was 7 PhDs and 2 MAs. My undergrad is in a field other than English (anthropology), so prior to applying to grad programs, I had taken a number of non-degree, undergraduate level English courses at the school where I'm currently completing my MA, Portland State University. Going into the application process, I felt like I had a fairly strong English background and a good idea of where I wanted to go with my work in grad school, so I felt nervous but pretty good about my chances of getting in somewhere for a PhD. Between January and March of 2013, I was rejected from 6 of the 7 PhD programs I'd applied to, and was wait-listed at one (University of Minnesota, actually, where I was just accepted last week). I was completely devastated and, stupidly, hadn't even considered plan Bs, so I had no idea what I was going to do if the wait-list didn't come through--which it didn't, ultimately.

Shortly before April, I got my first good news of the season: I had been accepted to an unfunded 1-year MA program at University of Chicago (MAPH, for those who are familiar with it). I was seriously considering accepting their offer (and going tens of thousands of dollars into debt for it), when I found out that I had also been accepted into Portland State's MA program with tuition remission, funding, and the opportunity for teaching experience. I decided to go to Portland State, where I had been living and taking classes for the past year and half, but I was a little worried that I wouldn't really gain anything new from the experience, and that it wouldn't significantly strengthen my application for PhDs. 

This year, I decided to re-apply to PhD programs for entrance in fall of 2015. (I'll be finishing my MA in June of this year, but had originally planned to wait another year before applying, so I sort of threw my applications together at the last minute during November and December WHILE taking classes--I do not recommend this route, simply for the sake of personal sanity/well-being!). In spite of the last-minute decision, I felt WAY more prepared this time around, had a much better (and different) idea of where I wanted to go with my work in a PhD program than I had the first time around, had amazing professors who were excited about writing me letters and helping me with my application materials, etc. So far this season, I've received offers from three programs that I couldn't me more excited about attending, and it's unbelievable to me how different the process has been for me this year than two years ago. 

All of this is to say: for me, getting an MA before reapplying to PhDs helped tremendously. It definitely helped that it was funded, and I know that there are some programs that seem to prefer people straight out of undergrad, but it seems like there are a number of funded or not super expensive MAs out there and plenty of programs where having an MA can only help. I realize there are a lot of factors to consider--time to PhD, money, living situations, partners, etc.--so I'm certainly not saying it's for everyone, but it's definitely something to consider in thinking about Plan Bs.

There, that's my two cents. Good luck to everyone, I hope this week/month brings good news to all!! 

[thepriorwalter]

My program (Florida) is no longer offering terminal MAs (they collapsed that offer while I was in it), so I can't recommend a specific MA program, but I can talk about the experience of doing a fully-funded MA:

 

I took time off after undergrad to do Teach For America, and it was (quite frankly) the worst experience of my life. I was having a number of personal issues as I was applying to graduate programs, but I ended up receiving two offers: one to Florida's terminal MA program and one to a PhD program. I had just committed myself to two years of TFA and hated every minute I was in the program. What if I committed to 6 years of a PhD and hated that too? Rather than feeling more ready for graduate study than when I finished my undergrad degree, I felt less ready. I had reason to believe that some of that was in my head, but overall, I really wasn't in a good place. So I took the terminal MA, with the hopes that if I liked it, I could either stay at Florida or reapply to programs and go somewhere else for my PhD (and if I didn't like it, I at least took two years to try to get my mind right and wasn't leaving the program on bad terms because the expectation was that I would only remain in the program for two years).

 

My MA program experience has been amazing. The hours are long and the pay is low and the thanks are few, but my department is supportive and my colleagues are nothing short of amazing. I am a better scholar and thinker now, and I have developed a number of strategies and skills that I consider invaluable in my personal and academic development. 

 

I know some of that is highly personal and specific, but I can say a few things confidently: (1) I am receiving better offers after having an MA than I did straight out of undergrad, (2) I was able to work with different people for my graduate degree, so I was able to replace one of my recommenders with someone who only knew me at the graduate level and I am sure that helped, (3) I now have conferences to put on my application (of limited importance perhaps but has helped me develop important skills), and (4) my interests have shifted a little but, more importantly, my understanding of how to talk about my own work has evolved, and I produced a much more efficient SOP this time around. 

 

None of this is to suggest that anyone ELSE should choose an MA over a PhD, just that if what is offered to you is a funded MA, I think there is quite a bit to learn there. 

 

ETA: I applied with the exact same writing sample this time around, too, so the things that changed were my CV, my SOP, and my transcript. 

Edited February 8, 2015 by thepriorwalter

[ComeBackZinc]

I just have to say-- it's not just R1 jobs that are incredibly competitive. 

[mikers86]

I just have to say-- it's not just R1 jobs that are incredibly competitive. 

 

ALL THE JOBS!!!

 

For real. I strongly dislike that "Where do English PhDs get jobs?" article floating around, but it has some truth to it. Every level is competitive - R1 to SLAC to CC. I just meant to imply that, at least in the few institutions I've attended, faculty still hold onto the idea that you're gunning for that elusive R1 position that in all likelihood doesn't exist. (Generalization alert) Thus you have "elite" institutions churning out x number of PhDs, each vying for jobs that are almost non-existent at the same or similar ranking, alongside other PhDs from every other institutional tier. Not taking into account graduates from recent years/adjuncts, all hoping to land a TT or lectureship.

 

I don't want to come off sounding all gloom and doom. It can be done and is done each and every year. It's just competitive. So having a Plan B pre and post-doctorate isn't necessarily a bad idea.

[doc1]

I would just like to say thank you Wyatt's Torch for starting this thread and thanks to everyone who has chimed in so far--it's given me some interesting new paths to look into 

 

I would also like to second the usefulness of going through an MA program prior to applying to doing a PhD. My MA experience seems to be much like thepriorwalter's:

 

On 2/8/2015 at 3:11 PM, thepriorwalter said:

My MA program experience has been amazing. The hours are long and the pay is low and the thanks are few, but my department is supportive and my colleagues are nothing short of amazing. I am a better scholar and thinker now, and I have developed a number of strategies and skills that I consider invaluable in my personal and academic development. 

 

I also (briefly, so very briefly) took a look at the list of funded MA programs and didn't see Western Washington on there. They have both a funded MA and a funded MFA--teaching experience, tuition waiver, etc. Not everyone gets funding but the majority do. During my second year there, they also found funding and RA positions for those without TA positions (I know that funding for the RA positions was much less, but I'm also sure it helped some). Also, WWU has a great track record for those interested in teaching at CC's or applying to PhD programs. It's a nice (if small) program, where the professors will really work with your interests as well as help you to expand those you already have. There's also a mix of literary studies, creative writing, rhet/comp, and film people both in the department and in the MA cohort.

 

Anyway, an MA program will at least let you know if you're truly interested in pursuing a PhD and it's a pretty good way to look for other options if you figure out you're not interested or if the adcomm overlords bring only rejection. 

 

(Edited: Oops, left some weird mistakes in here the first time! I didn't mean to say something about figuring out you, yourself, are uninteresting  Although I do often sit and worry about how uninteresting I really am  .)

[InHacSpeVivo]

I am out of up votes, but can echo much of what thepriorwalter said about funded MAs, though in still working oh getting to the awesome acceptance options!

[thepriorwalter]

I am out of up votes, but can echo much of what thepriorwalter said about funded MAs, though in still working oh getting to the awesome acceptance options!

 Crossing my fingers for you so hard! 

[slightlymoreanonymous]

I just have to say-- it's not just R1 jobs that are incredibly competitive. 

 

Always the voice of steadfast realism, huh? 

 

I get it--I read The Chronicle too--but I'm not about to give up on a life dream before trying just because it's hard. If, or when, I get to the place where the dreaded job market ignores my pretty academic qualifications, then I'll figure something else out. And that'll be just fine:) I think realism is necessary and admirable, but to live without hope seems pretty grim. 

 

[Edit: Not trying to sound snappy, ComeBackZinc! Haha I just spent the evening getting lectured to for choosing a lower-paying grad school stipend over potential analyst jobs and it made me grumpy. I just want to be idealistic now while I have the chance! Haha before life beats me down.]  

Edited February 9, 2015 by AshleyR

[ComeBackZinc]

Hey, here I am, after all! And I'll tell you, going to grad school was the best decision I ever made. So I'm always trying to say these things from the point of view of someone who gets it. I just sometimes feel like people here say "I get how bad the market is" and then demonstrate, right after, that they don't really get how bad it is. So I just want to urge caution and express the other side a little. 

[lifealive]

I just have to say-- it's not just R1 jobs that are incredibly competitive. 

 

It's more like R1 jobs are virtually non-existent.

 

I think that my entire subfield had about 20 jobs total this year. That's 20 jobs for the entire country. A truly terrible year. Almost none of those jobs were at R1s; a few were at high-end SLACs (the new R1s in terms of hiring) and the rest at very out-of-the-way places for low pay with high loads. Think $35,000 a year for a 4/4 load in northern Iowa. That kind of job. And no, having a degree from an elite institution won't save you in that case.

 

While graduate school has been very good for me--the time of my life, really--and while I would never tell anyone just not to go, I am a little worried about some of the sentiments I see cropping up in this thread, i.e. "I can't do anything with my English major" or "if I don't get into grad school I'll have to take some extremely low-rent, low-paying job." That's just not true. Moreover, it's hard to keep promoting the English major to our young undergrads when the very people invested in the English major believe it offers no tangible work opportunities. The reason we're losing majors is all a matter of perception: people think that studying English will lead to a life as a Starbucks shift manager, so they go study business instead. In truth, English probably prepares you more for the fast-paced business world than any canned business degree, but people don't know this. It's a question my undergrads ask me all the time. I never tell them that the English major doesn't offer any "real world" opportunities--instead I tell them about the work I did between degrees, i.e. editing, drafting documents for a government agency, and managing a non-profit. 

 

But more importantly, you will probably have to consider these questions again as you near the completion of your PhD. What do I do with my PhD in English if it's not teach/publish? So ... I think it's really good to consider them now, and to come up with viable options. And if you end up having to take an unexpected year "off" before going to graduate school, pursue those options as best you can. Keep a "shadow" resume of the things you've done that apply more widely to a different workforce. And, oh yeah, have fun. Getting to take time away from the university can be extremely rewarding.

 

Finally, while it's true that the economy has been bad for nearly all sectors of society, and that a lot of job markets are suffering, it's incorrect to believe that this explains why universities aren't hiring. Universities actually aren't in terrible shape. Many have bounced back. They're not hiring because they don't have to. They've figured out quite ruthlessly how to get by on hiring the fewest number of professors possible. And I wasn't being hyperbolic or overly dramatic when I said that universities were trying to figure out how to eliminate the humanities. As I speak, my own alma mater is trying to figure out how to reduce the size and the scope of the English department. (The solution is always to increase the number of part-time adjuncts.) But just know that universities are becoming increasingly antagonistic to the humanities, and this doesn't even have much to do with the economy anymore. It's almost ideological, not economic, and hence very discouraging.

[khyleth]

Plan B is the same as Plan A: I will work.

 

I realized recently that I was viewing the PhD as a safe, six-year tunnel where I'd be insulated from having to participate in capitalism, where I could just focus on the life of the mind. But that's not what a PhD is, because that tunnel ends at what might the most brutal of all job markets, and the lucky few who succeed in that market work much harder for much less than their peers. The academy is run by businesspeople, and academics have to hustle for dollars just like everyone else. I had to realign my thinking.

 

It occurs to me that I can't keep thinking of my career as something that will really start at some point in the future. My career started a decade ago. So if I get into a PhD program, I'll do work: I'll research and teach and look for freelance gigs on the side because I probably won't land a tenure-track position. And if I don't get in, I'll research or teach or edit. Either way, I have to acknowledge what is, for me, a fairly hard truth: Academic labor is still labor. I am a hustler. And if I don't start taking that seriously, I'll be hustling till I die.

 

I'm sure everyone else has already come to terms with this, but I'm a slow learner.