Graduate School?

[breathesgelatin]

Originally posted by Munchkin03
Let me know if you have any questions about graduate life at Columbia!

Aw, thanks. I know a few things from my aunt (who went there for law school and still lives right in the area). Columbia isn't my first choice at this point, but if it's the only one of the schools in the top 10 that I get into (the others being Berkeley and Stanford), I have a feeling its stock will rise.

All my apps are in now. We'll see where I get in!!!

[adpiucf]

I've been pondering an MBA for about a year now. I think I might begin preparing for the GMAT this summer, as the thought hasn't left me and I've attended a few program open house events.

I'm of the opinion that unless you're going into medicine, you should take a year or more off once you get your BA/BS before diving back into a grad program. Work at a job and experience the real world. You may find yourself going down a different path or the time off may clinch your decision that a master's degree is right for you.

This opinion comes from knowing so many friends who dove headfirst into grad school after undergrad and are miserable with their degree, career and saddled with debt.

I hate debt. I think that's why I don't understand the perpetual student-- those who keep getting degree after degree with no intention to ever use their education. It's great to have a PhD in Philosophy, a master's in Chemistry and an undergrad degree in pre-law... but if you're happy working at Starbucks as a barista, then what was the point of all that time and money? Not everyone needs to go to college. And there are a lot of people floating around with MA's and PhD's who only got them because they "could"-- I'd rather have the $80K in hand than to float a piece of paper in someone's face. But... whatever turns you on.

So as I said, I'm thinking about it-- do I really need the MBA? It's debt and time, and I don't know that it will make a difference in my marketing career salary. I don't intend to change professions and would probably attend school parttime for this reason. I could probably benefit taking a course here or there at a local university and attending conferences. So we'll see.

[Rudey]

For some that debt is great though. Like me for example. I didn't need certain student loans but I took them out. I get a ridiculously low interest rate, invest it, and get a higher return that pays itself off. I have colleagues that take out 0% loans from their credit cards. I have no idea how to do that but that sounds great.

Also certain grad programs pay off. If you got into Kellogg and landed a marketing job from there, you could easily handle the debt.

-Rudey

Originally posted by adpiucf
I've been pondering an MBA for about a year now. I think I might begin preparing for the GMAT this summer, as the thought hasn't left me and I've attended a few program open house events.

I'm of the opinion that unless you're going into medicine, you should take a year or more off once you get your BA/BS before diving back into a grad program. Work at a job and experience the real world. You may find yourself going down a different path or the time off may clinch your decision that a master's degree is right for you.

This opinion comes from knowing so many friends who dove headfirst into grad school after undergrad and are miserable with their degree, career and saddled with debt.

I hate debt. I think that's why I don't understand the perpetual student-- those who keep getting degree after degree with no intention to ever use their education. It's great to have a PhD in Philosophy, a master's in Chemistry and an undergrad degree in pre-law... but if you're happy working at Starbucks as a barista, then what was the point of all that time and money? Not everyone needs to go to college. And there are a lot of people floating around with MA's and PhD's who only got them because they "could"-- I'd rather have the $80K in hand than to float a piece of paper in someone's face. But... whatever turns you on.

So as I said, I'm thinking about it-- do I really need the MBA? It's debt and time, and I don't know that it will make a difference in my marketing career salary. I don't intend to change professions and would probably attend school parttime for this reason. I could probably benefit taking a course here or there at a local university and attending conferences. So we'll see.

[XOMichelle]

how are everyone's applications going? Clearly, I am thinking about school now :-)

[AUDeltaGam]

I've mailed three of mine out (UNC-Greensboro, University of Tennessee and Appalachian State University) and am finishing the other two (Middle Tennessee State and Clemson)!

Good luck to everyone!

[TheEpitome1920]

Mine are done, just waiting for replies now....

*trying not to stress out*

[AUDeltaGam]

Originally posted by pixell
Mailing out two this week.
Got to finish my resume and letter of intent first.

AUDeltaGam, what are you applying for? I'm also applying to Appalachian State.

School Counseling, how about you?

GOOD LUCK! Hope you hear happy news from AppState!

[DolphinChicaDDD]

Originally posted by XOMichelle
how are everyone's applications going? Clearly, I am thinking about school now :-)

I'm thinking of transfering... me and my fickle mind

[trojangal]

I plan to apply to the University of South Alabama. Seems I need to go back and get courses in gifted education. Thank goodness for onliine courses.

[APhi Sailorgirl]

Just started my second semester of grad school this week. Loving every minute of my program so far.

Adpiucf, I am one of those students who went straight from undergrad to grad. I graduated in May with a BA in Comm Studies. Whoopie, that's about as basic a degree as you can get. So now I'm completing an MA in Integrated Marketing Comm since I want to go into marketing (hopefully for the US Mint or Homeland security). For me, it is going to be a lot easier for me to get a job AFTER graduation from my MA program that with just a BA, b/c this program is giving me the projects and internships in marketing that employers are looking for.

I can now tell an employer that one of my group projects is being used in real life. Another may be as well, and that's just from my first semester. I would never have been able to say that after undergrad. It didn't prepare me for my field.

On an additional note, I am contemplating getting my PhD in comm in about two years. I am currently looking at Univ. of MD, anyone know anything about the program? It appears you don't have to have a lot of research per se for the program.

[Munchkin03]

Originally posted by adpiucf

I'm of the opinion that unless you're going into medicine, you should take a year or more off once you get your BA/BS before diving back into a grad program. Work at a job and experience the real world. You may find yourself going down a different path or the time off may clinch your decision that a master's degree is right for you.

I hate debt. I think that's why I don't understand the perpetual student-- those who keep getting degree after degree with no intention to ever use their education. And there are a lot of people floating around with MA's and PhD's who only got them because they "could"-- I'd rather have the $80K in hand than to float a piece of paper in someone's face. But... whatever turns you on.

I went straight from undergrad to graduate school--historic preservation is one of those fields that you can't advance very far in without an advanced degree; I can't even get licensed as a building conservator without my MS. If I had gone to work right out of undergrad, I would have been making $22K a year--in NY or SF. The decision to wait might have been a good one for you, but some people have a very strong idea about what they want to do and waiting does nothing for them.

Basically, each person has a reason behind why they did what they did. There are people in medicine, law, engineering, architecture, and all sorts of fields who would have been doing themselves more of a disservice (financially as well as professionally) by following your advice than by just going straight through.

Like Rudey said, if you go to a good school for your MBA, the debt will be easy to pay off. I've read in a few places that you shouldn't even have to pay for your MBA, because if the company you work for wants you to have it, they'll pay for it. If you have to take out loans, your advance should be more than enough to pay your debt. It just depends on the quality of your grad program.

[HelloKitty22]

I agree with Munchkin. Waiting may work for some people. But it certainly isn't for everyone. For one thing, if you are planning to go all the way to a PhD, which can take upwards of seven years, waiting even one year is a big deal.
Also, if you are a woman and are hoping to have a family eventually, it is oftentimes better to get your grad school education finished and get a few years of continuous work under your belt before you start thinking about a family. If you take a year or two off and then go and get your PhD, you'll be 29 or 30 before you really start working on your career.
I just think there is more to it then I want to experience the "real world" and not get in so much debt. Also, since when did graduate school become easy and not part of the "real world"? A lot of graduate programs are very competitive, and unlike law school and MBA programs, they often require that you do research, teach, and complete classwork. I think that kind of workload pretty much weeds out the uncomitted.

[kddani]

I would've regretted waiting to start law school. In no way would it have been beneficial, especially b/c I had no debt from undergrad. No use delaying school for a year or more so I can have some entry level job in a field i'm not interested in making me miserable. I'm glad to have my education nearly finished, I'm 24 and graduating from law school. I have plenty of time to get my life in order, get a good job, and start a family without feeling rushed. Whereas someone, like my roommate, who took 5 years off and is 29, is going to be a little more rushed.

[GeekyPenguin]

I just had a looooong talk with one of our new professors about delaying school and I am SO conflicted now. The only people I know in law school who have remotely similiar personalities to me each took a semester off - one wishes he wouldn't have, the other wishes he would have taken more time.

I'm hoping I'll reach some sort of an epiphany on this by April.

[AUDeltaGam]

I got an invitation today to interview at Appalachian State! I'm applying to their Masters program in School Counseling