Extremely Overwhelmed

[jaaaayciee]

My name is Jaycie, and I am 3 semesters away from graduating with my Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education. I started college when I was 15 and have never really left home before, so graduate school was something that has never really crossed my mind. Part of me is just sick of college and wants to get my life started.

However, one of my history professors told me about a foundation called the James Madison Fellowship, which is basically a huge grant if I get accepted (apparently they accept only one person per state, per year), and I get to take a class in Washington D.C. to study government (which is what I want to teach, though my degree covers U.S. History, world history,etc.). After talking to my dad about it (it's been just he and I for a while), he completely jumped on the idea as he's been begging me to go to graduate school for as long as I can remember. He thinks that because I'll be 21 when I graduate, high school students will eat me alive. After hearing about the Foundation and noting my dad's excitement, I really started considering graduate school. 

I didn't know how much was included in graduate school, and it's extremely scary and overwhelming. I'm turning 20 this year and I don't need to start applying until roughly Fall of 2017 (to get my applications early and start the program within the NEXT fall), but I think something like this is a good idea to get ahead of. I've already started thinking about letters of recommendation, taking the GREs, etc. However, I still feel like a little clownfish dumped into the huge ocean. 

The two major schools I've been looking at are University of North Carolina, Charlotte and University of Indiana Bloomington, however, this is not exactly concrete.

I figured I could join this forum site to maybe make some new contacts that'll help me out with this process as the time gets closer for me to apply.

Any advice, questions, responses, etc. are certainly welcome, and I thank all of you in advance! 

Edited April 20, 2016 by jaaaayciee

[Sigaba]

@jaaaayciee Welcome to the grad cafe.

Depending upon the degree you intend to pursue to fulfill the eligibility requirements for the James Madison Fellowship, spend some time here or there. You're more likely to get apples to apples guidance in a discipline-specific forum. If you aren't sure which path to travel, consider the following question. Do you want to be a historian that teaches or an educator that teaches history?

In regards to your stress level, please note that you are ahead of the game in planning for your application season. In addition to the letters of recommendation and the GRE, you might also benefit greatly from looking into any research-oriented internships that are available for this summer or next fall. Also, if your major does not require a senior thesis, look for options that will require you to write one. (An internship, a senior thesis and an honor's thesis would be optimal.)

#HTH

[Cheshire_Cat]

My bff started school at around 16 and graduated at 20.  She then decided to get a master's degree.  I graduated at 21.  The nice thing about graduating young is that you can take a couple more years to figure things out if you need to. At 20 and 21, we both decided to get advanced degrees, and both of us ended up in the classroom teaching freshmen while we were getting them.  So, if you just want to avoid students eating you alive- good luck!  

Continuing my education was right for me. I needed to grow up some more, and having an extra year helped.  But it isn’t right for everyone.  Don't do it because your dad wants you to.   You have to be self motivated or else you will be misrable. You can do anything you put your mind to.  But you have to choose and the choice can't just be to please the people you love, it has to be because you have an inner desire to continue. 

[another_time]

Your application will probably be strong if you start putting it together now.  

If you are going to get eaten alive as a teacher, it is because you haven't developed classroom control skills.  This can be partially taught through a teaching program, but it will mostly come from experience.  I have known plenty of effective young teachers.  It takes charisma, not age.  I would honestly advise you not to expect a graduate program to age you into maturity.  You have to develop your own confidence, ability to engage students, and intuition for the attitudes that motivate their thoughts/actions.

Personally, I don't think going to graduate school is a bad idea, especially early in your career.  It's scary to move out of your comfort zone, but even that is a skill you can develop.  I'm just saying it is not guaranteed that there will be some magical factor in grad school that will flip the switch for you and make you feel ready to take on the world - sometimes you have to contrive to do that for yourself.  

[ShogunT]

Welcome to gradcafe.

Grad school experience for me so far is good. I have been doing the research that I like, and I am on my way to get what I want academically. Grad school may be cool for you, too.

However, there is some caveats for you. First, you don't need to be worried about high schoolers eating you alive. But you really need to think of whether grad school would eat you alive, i.e. whether or not you would survive through grad study. Pay a visit to your discipline-specific forum as Sigaba said is a good start to grasp the necessary information for your decision.

Second, going to grad school is a big decision to make, and you are absolutely right to feel overwhelmed. I am not in your field, so I would only suggest to list out all the prerequisite skills that you need to advance in your career and whether or not grad school would help you obtain them. In addition, also think about the worst-case scenarios. For instances, you may either fail the James Madison Fellowship, get kicked out of grad school, or later decide that grad school is not for you, or just receive no grad admission offer. What course of action would you do in such a case? You have to be prepared intellectually and mentally before you decide to go to grad school. Don't go to grad school because your friend, family members think it is cool.

p/s: I don't know if anyone still prefer this outdated book, but I would recommend you to have a look at: "Getting What You Came For," by Robert L. Peters.

All the best!