Grad school...

Is anyone currently in grad school? Or going to apply?
If so, what for?
I’m in the process of applying and I’m finding it nerve racking.

I'll be applying for political theory programs in the next few months. It's very fucking nerve-racking! Especially since it's the end of the summer and I just want to get drunk and be an asshole.

Unless someone's paying you to go to grad school, dont go to grad school.

You're just trying to keep us "liberal terrorists" from continuing our dominion over academia.

I like that idea.
But, since my dad is paying for it... I’ll take every opportunity I can get.

I’ll be applying for media/cultural studies programs.
My top choice is actually a 1 year Public Relations diploma program. Not exactly grad school, but it floats my boat.

I'm going to be doing a one year masters in public policy and administration starting this fall.

Reason?

i can't go to grad school unless i can get the school to give me a free ride. but i plan to, eventually.

I'm starting grad school in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism this fall. Don't laugh! I swear its harder than it sounds!

Yeah, applying was nerve wracking. This semester will be worse, apparently there was disagreement on letting me in and they'll be watching me.

I've always wanted to but I've found a million reasons not to.

Yes, I'm applying for entrance into one MFA in Theatre Pedagogy program for this Spring, but in case the money isn't right I'm applying to a few MFA acting programs for Fall '06, where an assistantship is more of a guarantee.

I'm ressurecting this thread for the following reason: I want to go to grad school....... but not yet. I want to finish this school year and get my B.A., and then take a year off. I've got tuition pretty much covered, but I'm feeling insanely overwhelmed by school, and I also feel like I'm not doing it for me but for my parents, which would be partly true.

Is this unreasonable? Who here is in grad school? If you are, did you take some time off after undergrad? Would you recommend it?

In addition, is it true that once you take time off, you'll never go back? Can you still get a degree later on, or are you doomed to a life of cashier-monkeying forever? (Because that's what some people would have me believe.)

[Edited on Jan 22, 2006 by _DictionaryGirl_]

I want to take a year off as well.

After that I'm going to apply to either Communications Schools, English (Literature) Programs, or MFA programs.

I knew I liked you.

Right now I'm working for a company that offers grad school counseling. I can give people details, if they want- the service is pretty good.

i took four years off after undergrad. i don't know what i'd do without school. phd is definitely the next step. for me, it's because i can't grow up. there's that little voice going off in my head saying, "you can't settle for less." you might feel like you're doing it for your parents now, but you'll thank yourself later. because... um... knowledge is power! and, of course, i'm speaking for meaney when i say all of this. because i'm a dog. and dogs can't go to grad school. around here.

Yes please.

Thanks for the advice. *hands milk-bone, ruffles fur, hugs*

he doesn't deserve a milkbone.
got a diaper instead?

Contact me and I'll give you my company's info and all that stuff.

I'm currently in grad school. I took 5 years off between finishing the BSc and starting the MSc (working as a software developer for those years)... so it is definitely not the case that "if you leave, you will never go back." Now... in my case, I had no family/financial obligations, so it was relatively easy to go from making an obscene amount of money as a programmer to making essentially nothing as a grad student. But others have more obligations, so the shift would be harder. Now that I've finished the MSc and am working on the PhD, the money is better (I'm in sciences, so money is relatively plentiful) but the effort required is significantly greater.

As far as grad school generally is concerned, the only generic advice I can suggest is this: If there's something you love, and want to study for several years, grad school might be a good vehicle with which to study it. But if you just feel that somehow, you "ought to have a graduate degree", it'll be a painful and difficult slog to finish said degree.

In your case, DictionaryGirl, where you're not completely sure of why you want to go, I'd definitely recommend taking the time off, working a bit, and going to grad school when you're really ready for it.

One bit of data: LOTS of grad students are "older", i.e. have come back after working in one field or another for a few years, or in some cases lots of years. So I'd say definitely do NOT go to grad school *just* because somebody says, "if you leave now you'll never come back." That's just plain false. Lots of people come back. And they're usually the best, most motivated students, precisely because they know *why* they're there!

eventually im going to be applying for chemical oceanography. but i probably won't get in.

I went back after 10 years off and got my masters in clinical psych, went on to go for my phd in forensic psych. I quit the phd because I realized I hated it, hated the field, and did it all for the wrong reasons.

Be VERY CLEAR to yourself, your bank account, your future retirement account, and I'll say it again, your self as to why you want this degree.

If you have concise concrete reasons why you both need and want this further degree then go for it. If you are using school as a way to escape adulthood, extend childhood or dependency on parents/structure/institutions, etc. then I would suggest not going because you will be miserable.

The most successful people in the masters and phd programs were working adults who had real-life career and life experience who were going as part of a career advancement plan. They knew for a fact that the degree would open many doors in their career and they had a plan. Their goals were practical and realistic.

The people I met who were the most...what's the word? Sad, depressed, unfocused...were those who were getting a degree for their parents, or those who just wanted the never-ending shelter/substitute womb of academia.

Good luck in whatever you decide.