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Thread: Grad school question

  1. #1

    Grad school question

    I was wondering if there's anyone in grad school or been to grad school? If so do you have any thoughts about it or advice? I'm considering graduate studies sometime in the fall so I would appreciate any input.

  2. #2
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    I haven't gone to graduate school, but I work at the Navy's graduate school. Personally, I say if you can go, do it. We're getting to the point in this country that a bachelor's degree won't get you into the really good jobs anymore.
    Davy Jones

    "Frightened? My dear, you are looking at a man who has laughed in the face of death, sneered at doom, and chuckled at catastrophe! I was petrified."
    -- The Wizard of Oz

  3. #3
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    I went to grad school... got my MS in Library and Information Science from Clarion U of PA.

    My advice? Shoot yourself now, it's cheaper.

    But, really...

    #1. See if your college has a special "grad" dorm. It should be a lot quieter there, so you can avoid the distractions caused by drunken, noisy underclassmen. (You want to save the binge drinking for the results of your thesis.)

    #2. Find a small group of clinically insane friends to help you unwind during the weekends. If your college has a gaming or scifi or monty python fan club (mine had all three... all the same people), you're all set. If not, start one.
    "It's hard being an evil genius when everybody else is so stupid" -- Quantum Crook

  4. #4
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    I have my M.A. in Educational Psychology and am presently working on a Ed.D. (like a Ph.D. in Education) in Educational Leadership.

    I guess it really depends on what you now do and what you hope to gain by getting a post-baccalaureate degree. I plan to use my degrees to become a principal and also to teach education classes at a local university.

    Take your time and research before you start taking classes. Figure out what you want to do first.

    Personally, given the chance to do it all again, I'd have gotten an M.B.A.

    mactavish out.
    Our country's past progress has been the result, not of the mass mind applying average intelligence to the problems of the day, but of the brilliance and dedication of wise individuals who applied their wisdom to advance the freedom and the material well-being of all of our people.

    -Conscience of a Conservative, Barry Goldwater

  5. #5
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    Been to grad school, going back this fall. Do it.

    But as first said, find a grad dorn or live off-campus.
    "War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

    John Stuart Mill

  6. #6
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    I started grad school last fall, working on my Masters degree in Political Science, focusing on Public Administration, and I've been enjoying it...far more than my undergrad, actually.

    Like others, I recommend either living on campus, or finding someplace close. Also, be sure that school and work don't collide in terms of time. The best option is to have a job that can serve as a practical element for your major, to cover any sort of internship that your course of study may require. Also, it's never too early to start thinking about your graduate thesis, again, if your degree path requires one.

    Finally, don't overlook the possibility of a graduate assistantship, if you're considering work through the school. It'll help with tuition, and give you some spending cash as well, plus you can get some pretty good experience, especially if you're interested in teaching or research.

    That's about all I can think of for now...



    Greg

  7. #7
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    I went to medical school.. .its sorta like Grad school without any assistanceship or stipend (hey,wasn't that college).

    I want to encourage graduate school. A masters does have significance. I agree with the earlier sentiment that the value of a BA or ScB is less and less these days.

    My father is a retired educator (full professor of mechanical engineering as well as a department chair and acting dean). His personal view 10 years ago was this,"If you took everyone in the country with a bachelor's degree and put them in the same place and dropped an atomic bomb on them, there would still be survivovrs." A little biased, I admit, but it was his onw 2 cents.

    Good luck to you!

    Charles
    "Everything happens for a reason..."

  8. #8
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    I went to grad school immediately after my undergraduate studies. The most important bit of advice I can offer is this:

    If you are choosing a topic for your thesis, and you go check the literature and most of the references to the topic read something like, "this subject is extremely complex and beyond the scope of this text, so we will assume..." just choose another topic.

    Me, either through Scottish stubbornness, Norwegian subbornness, or German stubbornness, I went ahead and stuck with the topic. It took me two years to finish my course requirements, but a total of SIX to finish that stupid thesis.

    Of course, you might not choose Electrical Engineering as your course of study and thus avoid the problem.

    -Chris Landmark
    "Was entstanden ist, das muss vergehen. Was vergangen, auferstehn." -Klopstock & Mahler

    "Only liberals really think. Only liberals are intellectual. Only liberals understand the needs of their fellows." How much viciousness lay concealed in that word! Odrade thought. How much secret ego demanding to feel superior. - Heretics of Dune

  9. #9

    Thumbs up

    Thanks for the advice, guys Greatly appreciated.

  10. #10
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    Hey Mactavish, I'm on the opposite side of the coin. I'm doing my PhD in Teacher Education and Educational Research, content focus in history and social studies. It's interesting to hear that you want to be a principal because my university is shifting toward PhD's in Ed Admin rather than maintaining the traditional service focus for EdD's.

    Space Cadet, honestly, whether or not grad school would be a profitable or fulfilling experience depends a LOT on your field and where you would go. Grad schools is NOT like undergrad, which is pretty much the same everywhere. Grad school is enormously dependent on the institution and the faculty you get to work with. So pick an institution that supports your particular field interest and has faculty you would benefit from working closely with.

    Also, DO NOT PAY FOR GRAD SCHOOL. Apply for fellowships and teaching/research assistantships. If you play things right, you will not have a pay a cent for grad school -- you'll help teach classes or work on a faculty research project in return for a tuition waiver and a small stipend. You'll live like a pauper, true, but resist the urge to take out loans: just live tight for a few years, if possible. Also, don't miss out on the grants and fellowships that most universities (at least with grad programs of any substantial size) offer. Apply for everything, and you're very likely to get at least something.

    Best wishes!
    Scottomir's LOTR Game Resources:
    http://www.geocities.com/scott_metz/

  11. #11
    Originally posted by Scottomir
    .....Also, DO NOT PAY FOR GRAD SCHOOL. Apply for fellowships and teaching/research assistantships. If you play things right, you will not have a pay a cent for grad school -- you'll help teach classes or work on a faculty research project in return for a tuition waiver and a small stipend. You'll live like a pauper, true, but resist the urge to take out loans: just live tight for a few years, if possible. Also, don't miss out on the grants and fellowships that most universities (at least with grad programs of any substantial size) offer. Apply for everything, and you're very likely to get at least something.

    Best wishes!
    Thanks. So are there grants for out of state students?

  12. #12
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    Dec 2003
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    Out of State Funding

    Space Cadet,

    The out-of-state money question really depends on what kind of grad school program you are going into. In the sciences , they are usually better about picking up the full cost of school (both in-state and out-of-state tuition). For my program in education, it was a little more difficult for to get them to pick up the out-of-state costs, but they did. You just have to adamant about the issue. But I whole heartedly agree with the early statement about not paying for grad school out of your own pocket, if the school/advisor reallly wants you they can find money for you.

    Hope this helps and Good Luck

    John

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