Grad school...

If you think the application is nerve-wracking, just wait until you get here!

(3rd year PhD program in English, MA in classics, loving every other minute )

I'm in law school now and I got a master's degree before that. I decided to go straight through, so it's been 8 years (3 undergrad, 2 grad, 3 law).

Different people obviously have different experiences but, from everything I've seen, every year that you take off it becomes that much harder to go back to school. I've seen lots of people come back after one year, much fewer come back after two years, and going out past 4 or 5 years the number is vanishingly small.

So if you do decide to take a year off, make sure that you plan for how that year is going to end and how you're going to transition back into school.

I have one more semester left unless I decide to tack on another year. If I do, I will go for an L.L.M. in globalization studies and international law.

Liar.

I'm not in grad school yet but probably by next winter I will be applying for grad school to get my masters in psychology.

Hah! What happened?

I've been vacillating for two years. I know that I want to be in education; I just haven't been able to decide at what level I want to teach. All through college I knew I wanted to be a college professor. I graduated and decided to take a year off (which, for me, was probably a mistake). I started to work in secondary education, so I thought I might be inclined to stick with it (there was even a brief period where I thought I might want to be an elemenary school teacher ) There is a part of me that still wants the MFA, though. I haven't, as of yet, been able to solidify these plans, and I haven't wanted to make a rash decision about the rest of my life (because I'm prone to doing that). So one year has turned into two. Now, staring down the barrel of 25, I'm loath to enter into a three-year terminal degree program. I want to get on with my life. So I *think* I've decided to stay in secondary, but get my Masters degree starting this fall. I should be able to do it in one year. But even though I'm fairly certain of this, I can't get myself to fill out the application. I know it needs to be done, and quickly, but I'll be damned if I'm listening.

[Edited on Jan 23, 2006 by mamet]

i'm currently in a ph.d program (political science), and i earned an MA before that (also in political science). i've gone straight through (ba, MA, now this mess).

first - plenty of people in my program took time off (a year or few; some folks are middle aged with kids, including at least one woman wth college age children). so it's completely possibly to come back after you've left. grad school is sort of different - so, people who take time off lose some of those "academic skills," but they come with a whole host of other skills and insights.

second - you should only do this if you really, really want to and love what you're doing (though, what you love will almost certainly change). here's the deal - grad school is a great job (sit around, read, think? good times). but it also sucks hard - you're broke, ignored, constantly fighting off fits of self-doubt. the job market after you leave is just crap. it's only worth if you really love *research* - its not about being smart (lots of doctors, lawyers, and anyone else are MUCH MUCH smarter than ph.ds). rather, it's about learning how to think and learning how to create new knowledge. so, just "loving to read about X" is really not enough.

just my 2 cents.

i finished my undergrad in statistics in 2003 and ended up working as a programmer for 2.5 years. i definitely learned that a) programming was not for me, and b) having a graduate degree makes a big difference in the job market. i am now back in school getting a masters in earth and ocean sciences (and heavily considering a phd). i do not have an assistantship of any kind, so i am taking out loans to pay for 2 years of education (will end up being around $70,000). i feel that in the long run this is the best investment for me, but i am sure not everyone would agree.

good luck.

I'm currently in grad school for sociology and will be graduating in May (MA)...I'm glad to be done, I've been in school for the past 20 years of my life, I think that's long enough for now