coffeeandtoast Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I haven't heard from any of the schools, but considering that I will probably be rejected across the board, I am wondering what I'm going to do with my life. I don't have a plan B other than keeping my current full-time job, which is not terrible, but I was really planning on going to grad school this fall and was really excited... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryLandis Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I think I'd just end up moving home, working in a local shop for the year, and taking languages classes at a local university to boost my application for round 2 (and save up money). That would suck, although at least I'd be among friends, many of whom have taken many years off in between things to work towards their degrees, and all of whom are older than I am. I'm applying to history programs. Any other good suggestions for what to do in that time? I'm fairly certain I'll be accepted for the MA program at a university close to my house, so I'm not too worried, but I guess I will be looking for ways to boost my application anyhow, even if I do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socnerd Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 (edited) Well, I can't move back home because my parents moved away and I would rather die than stay with them in their tiny apartment in a strange city. I'll be freshly out of undergraduate with a pretty useless degree (just a B.A.) so I probably wouldn't be able to get a decent job. I'm thinking WalMart greeter? Seriously I have no idea what's going to happen to me if I don't get in anywhere, it terrifies me. If I did have to get a job I don't know where I would go. I'd be alone most likely in an unfamiliar place and would probably succumb to depression and loneliness due to isolation. It's not a good prospect, I guess maybe I could get on unemployment. This is why I'm applying to 14 schools with 3 more on backup. With the economy being the way it is I really can't afford not to be in school in the fall. Edited February 3, 2010 by socnerd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I got rejected across the board last year, and I also moved in with the parents, worked part-time and just focused really hard on my apps for this year. It worked out pretty well... I guess the problem is that it's like being in limbo, and if you get rejected again it's a real bummer to continue that kind of lifestyle for more than a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micca Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I guess my Plan B would be to re-apply next year. The thing is, my full-time job is a contract position that ends July 13th, 2010. Getting into school to begin in September would be so perfect. I guess if I don't get in, I'll apply for employment insurance, look for another job and reply for 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red_crayons Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 It's not a good prospect, I guess maybe I could get on unemployment. FYI, you can't do that unless you've been working full-time for a certain amount of time already, I believe. Clearly this is a big problem these days... My plan B1 is to move with my boyfriend, IF he goes somewhere good like Austin, Madison, UMass-Amherst where I can get a job and be in a good city. Being with him would be a HUGE plus that would balance out being rejected. I wouldn't have to make the choice, and we'd at least have a base income from his grad school. Plan B2, if he ends up in Minnesota or Ohio or INDIANA or somewhere else too friendly and with no jobs except food service*, is to find a job in science/ag/food policy/outreach in the DC area. Undergrad networks will help to accomplish this; $$$ will help the rejection process. I'll make probably 10-15% more than I do here, and pay 10-20% less in rent for nicer apartments, in a more pleasant climate. There are easy flights to everywhere in the country, making it easy to visit him. Not a bad option. Plan C1 is we both get rejected. Then, we move to Brooklyn. I try to continue living a comfortable adult life, and he regresses to being an undergrad. We fight about balancing money vs. socializing. Plan C2 is that he moves to Brooklyn, because he's really set on that, and I move to DC area as above and visit via commuter train/flights at least twice a month. I would continue casual job searching in the NYC area and move there if/when something came up. All options lead to some amount of happiness and more experience to be used for at least one more round of grad school applications. I think I've posted something like this before, but it's gotten more fleshed out recently, because I think about it all the time. *Midwesterners, I know you love your region, but it's just NOT for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kobe36 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I am also expecting to get rejected across the board. But looking on the bright side, I guess this is only my first time applying so now I have more experience and will be able to work on my apps and make it a lot better although I was really looking forward to start in the fall. My plan B is if I really don't get in anyway, is to crawl into a hole for a month, cry, eat ice cream, come out and start looking for a new job. I already have a full time job but there is nowhere to move up here and I think that I really need to find a better lead position and that would really boost up my apps. Also I would take some classes at the local community college, probably in social work and spanish (i have been wanting to take some spanish class forever now because I think it is really beneficial as a social worker to know Spanish. I already know Chinese so if I learn Spanish, I would be trilingual and that should really boost me up whether I am looking for a new job or reapply for next year) and try again next year. Good luck to everyone and hope that no one has to use their plan B !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeeandtoast Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 Good luck to everyone and hope that no one has to use their plan B !! Same here! It's really depressing to read our Plan Bs! I think my additional Plan B is to get pregnant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flynnkc Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Same here! It's really depressing to read our Plan Bs! I think my additional Plan B is to get pregnant. that is funny :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micca Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I thought Plan B was meant to prevent getting pregnant Oh God, that was an awful joke... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micca Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 also meant to say this is in response to coffeeandtoast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeeandtoast Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 I thought Plan B was meant to prevent getting pregnant Oh God, that was an awful joke... I thought about that as I was writing it... play of words Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victorianna Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Last year when I applied I was accepted, but when I visited the departments I did not feel right about it. I ended up becoming a VISTA for a year, dedicating my time to fighting poverty. It has really been a great experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone. The living stipend is quite low, but the experience has taught me a great deal about the way non-profits work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acup313 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 My plan B was to just keep my current job as it pays quite well and the benefits are great. Also, if I stayed here one more year I could probably actually get in to a slightly better program next year and have some extra funding. However, I can't wait another year and I don't think I will have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tem11 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 If I don't get much in scholarships and can't afford grad school, my plan B is to do AmeriCorps for a year or two and work down some undergrad debt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micca Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I thought about that as I was writing it... play of words Glad to see I'm not the only one that saw the irony in that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ResPublica Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 (edited) My Plan B is getting a single subject teaching credential in either Latin or History, and hopefully be able to find a job in a decent amount of time. Supposedly I am only one education course away (assuming credits transfer) from a credential in Latin, so hopefully the financial obligation won't be too overwhelming if I do have to go that road. Another possibility is to just suck it up for another year, improve my GRE scores, rewrite my SOP (again), and further improve my writing sample, maybe even take a night course in German if I can find such an offering (I'm out of school and a full-time Dad right now). When the next application season rolls around, I will have to greatly diversify my applications. This will mean applying to several history programs in addition to classics, as well as exploring different possibilities, such as an MA in Library Sciences or Religious Studies. Whatever happens, the one thing I won't be doing is getting some crappy job that will make me hate my life for the duration of my employment. I did this immediately after my BA, and although it was nice to be able to leave my troubles at the door, it was extremely unfulfilling. Thankfully my wife makes a good wage, so if nothing works out, I can still just be a Dad, which, while it is not my dream of a life in academia, is very rewarding nonetheless. Edited February 3, 2010 by ResPublica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndiligent Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I have several possible plan B's and I'll figure out which one I go with depending on the rejection feedback, though all will coincide with re-application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeefugg Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Last year, I got rejected from all 11 PhD programs to which I applied. So I went to Paris to improve my French in full-time classes at the Sorbonne Currently drinking red wine and eating Camembert, lait-cru Now, I applied to only one program, and if I don't get in, my Plan B is to make it big in Hollywood Why should I waste my gorgeousness on philosophy? pffft!! Forget That anxiousmike and mudlark 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melusine Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Glad to see I'm not the only one that saw the irony in that ugh- I wish could find this funny.. But my body hasn't been taking the stress well, just when I thought I'd had enough anxiety. And that's all I'll ever say about that. melusine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocker Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I will start farming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s1u8n Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I'll join the military...mebe not...shit I don't have a plan B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocker Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I'll join the military...mebe not...shit I don't have a plan B you already got one from usc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ristastic Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Last year, I got rejected from all 11 PhD programs to which I applied. So I went to Paris to improve my French in full-time classes at the Sorbonne Currently drinking red wine and eating Camembert, lait-cru Now, I applied to only one program, and if I don't get in, my Plan B is to make it big in Hollywood Why should I waste my gorgeousness on philosophy? pffft!! Forget That You are living the dream! This is my new plan B if I get rejected from all 10 of my phd programs. My original plan B was just to keep working at my current job, which is relevant to my interests and not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryLandis Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 What is a VISTA? I'd be interested in doing charity work, but my parents wouldn't be too keen on me volunteering (my dad once told me he doesn't intend to leave me any money in his will because I'll just "waste it on some dumb cause"). The last time I got a paid job for a non-profit, I ended up canvassing full time in the dead of summer, wearing an oversized black t-shirt and not getting any donations/memberships because I looked like a dying sweating homeless hippie. That was the most horrible job I've ever worked, basically having people say "Fuck off" and slam their doors in your face all evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now