Comments on: Things to Think About Before Pursuing Grad School http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/ Everything About Money You Were Too Polite To Ask Sat, 25 May 2013 03:59:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Darwinning@twitter http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-33188 Darwinning@twitter Fri, 01 Feb 2013 03:23:58 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-33188 Having a goal isn't enough, can you actually get there is the real question. The risk has physical, emotional, and financial dimensions to it that some people underestimate to no end, I definitely did. Having a goal isn’t enough, can you actually get there is the real question. The risk has physical, emotional, and financial dimensions to it that some people underestimate to no end, I definitely did.

]]> By: oldflame http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-30334 oldflame Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:03:39 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-30334 I also did a Canadian MLIS and am graduating in the spring. I could have used this advice maybe in my third year of undergrad because at that point I thought I was going to do my PhD in psychology. I did the GRE and everything. By the time I finished the whole GRE thing and started the application process I decided I didn't want to do that after all. I hate the research/academia environment! What do I actually like doing? Libraries. So that happened and everyone around me seemed very relieved. But I wish I had realized it sooner and saved myself a shit-ton of time, money, and energy wasted on those $%#@ exams and doing an honours thesis that I hated. (Context: in Canada usually you don't have to do the GRE at all ever, except for Psychology programs. IDK.) Some of the people I am going to school with now seem disillusioned about library school, but every bullshit thing it requires me to do is just a step towards my goal of graduating with this damn degree and getting a job. In undergrad I really liked that whole "learning for the sake of learning" thing, but you are going to HATE learning if you join grad school expecting that. Grad school is hard and it sucks and really not fun at all. So tl;dr, I totally agree that having a goal is necessary to living through this experience intact. And to avoid it if at all possible. Law/Med School Guy is probably operating under the assumption that if he got into one degree surely the other degree will let him in too. But it still seems insane. Why would you do that to yourself?? I also did a Canadian MLIS and am graduating in the spring. I could have used this advice maybe in my third year of undergrad because at that point I thought I was going to do my PhD in psychology. I did the GRE and everything. By the time I finished the whole GRE thing and started the application process I decided I didn’t want to do that after all. I hate the research/academia environment! What do I actually like doing? Libraries. So that happened and everyone around me seemed very relieved. But I wish I had realized it sooner and saved myself a shit-ton of time, money, and energy wasted on those $%#@ exams and doing an honours thesis that I hated. (Context: in Canada usually you don’t have to do the GRE at all ever, except for Psychology programs. IDK.)

Some of the people I am going to school with now seem disillusioned about library school, but every bullshit thing it requires me to do is just a step towards my goal of graduating with this damn degree and getting a job. In undergrad I really liked that whole “learning for the sake of learning” thing, but you are going to HATE learning if you join grad school expecting that. Grad school is hard and it sucks and really not fun at all. So tl;dr, I totally agree that having a goal is necessary to living through this experience intact. And to avoid it if at all possible.

Law/Med School Guy is probably operating under the assumption that if he got into one degree surely the other degree will let him in too. But it still seems insane. Why would you do that to yourself??

]]> By: Michelle http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-30021 Michelle Wed, 09 Jan 2013 23:24:44 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-30021 @Jay Green Yeah go for it. Emails for everyone! @Jay Green Yeah go for it. Emails for everyone!

]]> By: anorktopus http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-29956 anorktopus Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:41:39 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-29956 @RocketSurgeon Didn't see this yesterday, but thanks for the reply! I am really excited about those schools and the idea of spending a year abroad, so glad to hear the one-year thing isn't a problem. We'll see what my options are come spring, though. @RocketSurgeon Didn’t see this yesterday, but thanks for the reply! I am really excited about those schools and the idea of spending a year abroad, so glad to hear the one-year thing isn’t a problem. We’ll see what my options are come spring, though.

]]> By: Jay Green http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-29950 Jay Green Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:29:39 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-29950 @Michelle @Mimi you two are both ME! I also have an undergrad anthro degree (with a concentration in race/gender/queer studies), did sexual health stuff in college, and work for a community health center now! I would love to talk to either/both of you about your experiences! Michelle, would you mind if I emailed you as well? @Michelle @Mimi you two are both ME! I also have an undergrad anthro degree (with a concentration in race/gender/queer studies), did sexual health stuff in college, and work for a community health center now! I would love to talk to either/both of you about your experiences! Michelle, would you mind if I emailed you as well?

]]> By: Sadie http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-29945 Sadie Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:57:43 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-29945 @Alex Shepard@facebook Going to law school just to network sounds like an incredibly expensive (and stressful) way to network. @Alex Shepard@facebook Going to law school just to network sounds like an incredibly expensive (and stressful) way to network.

]]> By: Julia duMais http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-29916 Julia duMais Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:29:08 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-29916 @anecdata ahhhh this whole thread is so great, thank you! @anecdata ahhhh this whole thread is so great, thank you!

]]> By: sergeant tibbs http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-29901 sergeant tibbs Wed, 09 Jan 2013 06:19:58 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-29901 @punzy Ahh, I wish I had seen this sooner! I'm applying for Ph.D programs in EOH (and some public policy) with an engineering background and I'm having a hard time figuring out the job market for the occupational health people...could I ask you some questions? We should all share our backgrounds, since it seems like we're not actually all writers here. @punzy Ahh, I wish I had seen this sooner! I’m applying for Ph.D programs in EOH (and some public policy) with an engineering background and I’m having a hard time figuring out the job market for the occupational health people…could I ask you some questions? We should all share our backgrounds, since it seems like we’re not actually all writers here.

]]> By: pawnknee http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-29897 pawnknee Wed, 09 Jan 2013 05:12:46 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-29897 @vanderlyn Thank you for this. Very well thought out and all important points. As someone who is struggling with ennui & dissatisfaction from my current career, AND considering grad school, this comment is sobering for me. I like the idea of the prestige from a secondary degree, but none of the other stuff you mention! @vanderlyn Thank you for this. Very well thought out and all important points. As someone who is struggling with ennui & dissatisfaction from my current career, AND considering grad school, this comment is sobering for me. I like the idea of the prestige from a secondary degree, but none of the other stuff you mention!

]]> By: chevyvan http://thebillfold.com/2013/01/things-to-think-about-before-pursuing-grad-school/#comment-29862 chevyvan Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:14:11 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=21103#comment-29862 @jfruh Yes yes yes. If you're not willing to study for the GRE in order to get into a school that will fund your non-professional degree education, you probably don't want that degree bad enough and/or aren't a good candidate and/or won't get a return on your investment. I've seen it happen multiple times. I've also been involved in hiring and wouldn't look twice at someone who went to a grad department without a funding structure built in (e.g., a for-profit school. And I agree with your 2nd point as well. My undergrad professors were hired in a much different job market than what I'm facing now. I'm a Ph.D. and live in a world where the best post-doc positions are given to people who have 2+ sole-authored journal articles b/c the academic job market is so backed up that people just stay in grad school and publish and publish until they finally get a job. These types of positions were originally intended for new PhDs who didn't have a lot of publications so that they could focus on publishing. It's pretty brutal out there right now. @jfruh Yes yes yes. If you’re not willing to study for the GRE in order to get into a school that will fund your non-professional degree education, you probably don’t want that degree bad enough and/or aren’t a good candidate and/or won’t get a return on your investment. I’ve seen it happen multiple times. I’ve also been involved in hiring and wouldn’t look twice at someone who went to a grad department without a funding structure built in (e.g., a for-profit school.

And I agree with your 2nd point as well. My undergrad professors were hired in a much different job market than what I’m facing now. I’m a Ph.D. and live in a world where the best post-doc positions are given to people who have 2+ sole-authored journal articles b/c the academic job market is so backed up that people just stay in grad school and publish and publish until they finally get a job. These types of positions were originally intended for new PhDs who didn’t have a lot of publications so that they could focus on publishing. It’s pretty brutal out there right now.

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