Do you have a Plan B?

[hollanding]

Moving to a different city for a job, then applying again, I guess. Maybe going abroad for a while. Taking graduate-level classes somewhere, anywhere and getting a decent GPA. Doing a BS-to-BSN accelerated nursing program.

Oh, sorry, those were plans B, C, D and E.

[tem11]

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.

VISTA is part of the AmeriCorps program. You serve for a year at a time and typically work 40+ hours a week for a community organization. You get paid something like $800/month so you're at the poverty line and are eligible for food stamps. However, they pay for your health care, childcare, some relocation costs and at the end of your year of service you get a $5350 educational award that you can put toward existing student loans or apply to future schools. Apparently it's really hard work and incredibly time consuming but looks excellent on a resume. As I mentioned before, I'm considering AmeriCorps. If you can live with your parents for free (not sure how old you are), you can easily put ~$10K in stipend money plus $5350 toward your student loans in a year. You can only serve with them twice, but if you do it a second year that's another $15K or so toward loans. I think it only applies to certain federal loans, but that's a pretty big dent in undergrad debt if you have any.

It's typically not hands-on jobs like tutoring kids or working soup kitchens. It's behind the scene service like creating/planning a new after-school program, working on data entry stuff, etc. I have a bunch of friends who did it and they love it. I've applied for about 5 AmeriCorps programs and the application process is very easy and straightforward. I had interviews scheduled in days which was nice instant gratification considering how long we've all waited for grad school decisions!

More info here:

http://www.americorp...hoose/vista.asp

Edit: Wait, are you located in the UK? You can't do VISTA/AmeriCorps unless you're a US citizen or permanent resident. Not sure if the UK has an equivalent.

Edited February 3, 2010 by TerriM

[JerryLandis]

Wow, thanks for the info. I am located in the UK right now, but I am an American citizen. I hope it's not too late to apply for next year. I guess it's not the most serious possibility since I'll probably get into a program this year, but I think I'd prefer doing something with more purpose over returning to my job from high school.

[juror#1]

If I end up not liking anything or not receiving enough money, I would probably stay in Indiana (yeah midwesterners are like that, though none of the schools I applied to are in the midwest haha) and either apply for jobs as a victim advocate for the county courts or work on my push ups and join the police as they have been nagging me to do since my internship. But I would much rather have grad school...though having a taser would be fun

[Katzenmusik]

Plan A and B both call for me to quit my job ASAP. It pays a lot, but it consumes all my time and energy, and it is slowly killing me.

I will work some part-time position over the summer, making enough to pay the bills. I will get involved in public access TV, write a zine, and maybe hike part of the AT.

If I'm not accepted to grad school, I'll be disappointed but will continue on living life. Perhaps instead of paying tuition, I can help buy a house with my partner. We will grow plants!

[tem11]

Wow, thanks for the info. I am located in the UK right now, but I am an American citizen. I hope it's not too late to apply for next year. I guess it's not the most serious possibility since I'll probably get into a program this year, but I think I'd prefer doing something with more purpose over returning to my job from high school.

You typically apply like 2 months before the position begins, so it's definitely something you can hold off on applying to while you wait to hear from grad schools. Good luck!

[pea-jay]

I have two problems

1) Get into grad school with some sort of funding

2) My wife gets a FT teaching job

Plan A is of course both happening.

If neither happens, well then we stay put and my wife gets angry (she hates this area). Maybe we move closer to the Bay Area but not my liking. Frowns all around

The wild card is if only one of those things occur. Then what??

[urbanchic]

Hopefully, one of these summer jobs that I am applying to, I will get, and it will turn into a full time job.<div>I will take a 2 year break, get related work experience, more research experience, volunteer, and hopefully some leadership roles, take a grad course.</div><div>Improve my GPA score, better relationships with faculty, work on SOP and writing sample, visit every school and contact faculty before submit application, apply to more schools, apply early, apply to more scholarships...wow, this makes it seem like I didn't do anything right the first time.</div>

[artist_lily]

Hahaha, love it! It's nice to hear from someone who, if only jokingly, isn't so caught up in the vicious go-around that is the humanities admissions process. Plus, as someone who's currently living and teaching in Vienna and travelling throughout Europe, I can definitely relate to the wonderfully (and often predominantly European) laissez faire attitude that you seem to take in your post. I only hope that I can sustain it throughout this ridiculous waiting period!

Enjoy your red wine -- I'm here with my Viennese coffee and pastry doing much of the same as you!

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

[Febronia]

My plan B is to become a nun!

Seriously. Actually, it's my plan A, but the communities I've been in contact with have all encouraged me to finish my education first. (I would like to teach at the seminary/university level and to work on translating manuscripts after entering.) But if I don't get in, I will probably just have to conclude that God wants me to become a nun sooner rather than later...!

[joro]

My plan B would be to just do whatever I want. I'm really wealthy and don't need to go to school, but I wanted to pursue a graduate degree since I enjoyed learning.

Actually, I'm sure I'll get into at least one school so no need for a plan B. But plan B would either be to go back to my undergrad school or to find a job.

Edited February 4, 2010 by joro

[JackieW]

I'm really hoping I don't need to come up with another Plan B this year, seeing as it's my second round of applications and I'm doing a limbo year at home. (Although, on a side note, my boyfriend's mom is really wealthy and we're living in a condo she owns and paying her little-to-nothing in rent, so I don't have to live with my parents! And we're getting a puppy, which is going to be a very welcome distraction.)

But, anyway, my Plan B is probably to do some sort of Masters of Library Science program. Being a librarian pays decently enough, and I think I would be okay with that. Either that or get some sort of certification and become a teacher. I'm just working part time retail now, and I'm going completely crazy!

[expressionista]

My plan B is to stay at my current job for a few months while living with my parents (I'm currently in the process of selling my house so I don't have a mortgage holding me down) so I can save some money while searching like crazy for a new job that is actually in or related to my degree and interests. This would also help give me related experience if I decide to re-apply next year. I'd quite possibly end up moving to one of the more urban areas in VA or NC. That doesn't really thrill me because I love my current small town, but if it's necessary to get a better job, I'll definitely do it.

[chocker]

I will become a porn star.

[Rory]

ummmm....law school?

Procreating is another option...

[papayadance]

I will become a porn star.

With a Computer Science interest I see great promise for you in this career line. Wise choice.

Drawing inspiration from you, I will move to DC and become a political mistress/call girl. My eyes are on Scott Brown.

[papayadance]

I will become a porn star.

With a Computer Science interest I see great promise for you in this career line. Wise choice.

Drawing inspiration from you, I will move to DC and become a political mistress/call girl. My eyes are on Scott Brown.

[grad_wannabe]

Pending my across-the-board rejections, I want to move to Hong Kong and get a gig teaching English.

Or, I might WWOOF it - anyone else done this? World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. You get free food and a roof over your head for six hours of farm labor a day - awesome way to see an unfamiliar place.

I lived - for free - on a farm in Pudong, outside Shanghai for about two weeks in July. I'll never forget it.

Edited February 4, 2010 by grad_wannabe

[Pamphilia]

Pending my across-the-board rejections, I want to move to Hong Kong and get a gig teaching English.

Or, I might WWOOF it - anyone else done this? World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. You get free food and a roof over your head for six hours of farm labor a day - awesome way to see an unfamiliar place.

I lived - for free - on a farm in Pudong, outside Shanghai for about two weeks in July. I'll never forget it.

It might be a little difficult to get a gig teaching English in Hong Kong as it is an official language (I looked into this, and they actually wanted me to have qualifications--boo). You'd likely have to be a proper English teacher. You can go elsewhere in Asia, though! It's not too difficult to get a job teaching in South Korea and the pay is pretty great.

I was a WWOOFer overseas for a while. It was great...some amazingly wonderful experiences and some super shady ones. All fantastic.

[grad_wannabe]

It might be a little difficult to get a gig teaching English in Hong Kong as it is an official language (I looked into this, and they actually wanted me to have qualifications--boo). You'd likely have to be a proper English teacher.

Boo! This is what I was afraid of... I heard it's really competitive to get an English-teaching job there, and the TEFL requirements are expensive. Don't they know this is my back-up plan?!

[johndiligent]

My plan B is to become a nun!

Seriously. Actually, it's my plan A, but the communities I've been in contact with have all encouraged me to finish my education first. (I would like to teach at the seminary/university level and to work on translating manuscripts after entering.) But if I don't get in, I will probably just have to conclude that God wants me to become a nun sooner rather than later...!

That's really awesome! You're such a throwback!

[Pamphilia]

My plan B is to become a nun!

Seriously. Actually, it's my plan A, but the communities I've been in contact with have all encouraged me to finish my education first. (I would like to teach at the seminary/university level and to work on translating manuscripts after entering.) But if I don't get in, I will probably just have to conclude that God wants me to become a nun sooner rather than later...!

Dude, nuns are badass.

(I really hope that this doesn't sound snarky because I really mean it! I am not a religious person at ALL but I am fascinated by nuns. They are awesome.)

[Lantern]

Good question...I don't really have a Plan B.

It's not that I haven't thought about it, it's just that I haven't come up with an answer. If I don't make it in this year, I don't know that I will apply again. I also recently resigned from my job. It paid well, and actually was somewhat related to what I want to do, but it was killing me slowly. Supposedly I have another job in the works, but I won't believe it until I'm there. Unfortunately in my field it is nearly impossible to get any decent kind of job with just a B.S. (I suspect this is the case for many fields these days), so I have this idea that I'll choose a totally different field. The only problem with that is that there is really nothing else I want to do. By that I don't mean I don't have any other interests, it's just that anything else pales in comparison.

In truth, I will probably just take off and travel for awhile. That's what I always do when I don't know what else to do.

[Katzenmusik]

Or, I might WWOOF it - anyone else done this? World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. You get free food and a roof over your head for six hours of farm labor a day - awesome way to see an unfamiliar place.

I lived - for free - on a farm in Pudong, outside Shanghai for about two weeks in July. I'll never forget it.

YES! I worked for a few weeks in rural Portugal. It was amazing. My hosts were so incredibly kind, and it felt good to get up at the sound of a rooster's crow and help raise the food we ate each day. Plus i's a cheap way to travel and see a bit of the world from a non-touristic perspective. I highly recommend WWOOFing to anyone looking for a Plan B.

[peppermint.beatnik]

Dude, nuns are badass.

(I really hope that this doesn't sound snarky because I really mean it! I am not a religious person at ALL but I am fascinated by nuns. They are awesome.)

My grandmother (who used to take me to visit the convent near her) always says "be a nun, get none." Sorry, everytime I see a reference nuns I can't resist--she's a 98 year-old women who insists men are still after her.

I lived in Budapest for a year, worked and travelled around--it was great!

Edited February 5, 2010 by peppermint.beatnik