To grad or not to grad...
Since I still don't know what to do with myself almost two years after finishing undergrad, sometimes I daydream about grad school. But all the cons seem to outweigh the pros.
The expense. I don't want to go into MORE debt over school. I can barely handle the minimum monthly payments on the loans I have now.
If school meant just super-intense studio work, that would be fine. It's writing papers, cramming for tests, and all the other busywork I don't miss. At all. Plus I never had to write more than a 1,000 word paper in undergrad. If a professor asked me to write a 3,500 or 5,000 word tome, I'd probably croak.
The competitiveness. I need all the scholarship money and grants I can get. UT at Austin comes right out and says if you're "ethnic" (for the sake of diversity) you're more likely to get money. Load of bullshit. As if being a white mutt isn't an ethnicity, but don't get me started on that.
UT at Austin's MFA program looks highly competitive. They only accept about 10 students per year. I wonder if I'd even have a chance. As far as references go, I have one, maybe two, with any clout. I guess I should've kissed ass more.
Writing an artist statement isn't a problem...I'd have to buckle down and basically build a new portfolio from scratch, but if I gave myself a year to do it I could. If I started school in fall of 2011, I'd be 26/almost 27...that's cutting it awfully close to my "get married, start family??" timeline, but educating myself is equally important, and I definitely want to go to grad school before I'm 30 if I'm going to do it at all.
Back and forth, back and forth. Do I "need" to go to grad school? Not neccessarily. Do I want to go to grad school? Again, not necessarily. Do I think it would make me a better artist and possibly a better person? Sure.
I just can't decide whether I want to delay my other life "plans" for the sake of more school. I want to start a business and be successful, sooner rather than later. But I also want to do what's best for myself before I have a kid and a mortgage. I know that might sound far-fetched right now, but Raun and are a pretty sure thing; we want to start a business together, and we both want (at least a small) family.
I guess I've got to choose what it's going to be...going into debt to start a business or going into debt for more school.
For those of you who've made the decision for/against grad school, what were your reasons and justifications??
The expense. I don't want to go into MORE debt over school. I can barely handle the minimum monthly payments on the loans I have now.
If school meant just super-intense studio work, that would be fine. It's writing papers, cramming for tests, and all the other busywork I don't miss. At all. Plus I never had to write more than a 1,000 word paper in undergrad. If a professor asked me to write a 3,500 or 5,000 word tome, I'd probably croak.
The competitiveness. I need all the scholarship money and grants I can get. UT at Austin comes right out and says if you're "ethnic" (for the sake of diversity) you're more likely to get money. Load of bullshit. As if being a white mutt isn't an ethnicity, but don't get me started on that.
UT at Austin's MFA program looks highly competitive. They only accept about 10 students per year. I wonder if I'd even have a chance. As far as references go, I have one, maybe two, with any clout. I guess I should've kissed ass more.
Writing an artist statement isn't a problem...I'd have to buckle down and basically build a new portfolio from scratch, but if I gave myself a year to do it I could. If I started school in fall of 2011, I'd be 26/almost 27...that's cutting it awfully close to my "get married, start family??" timeline, but educating myself is equally important, and I definitely want to go to grad school before I'm 30 if I'm going to do it at all.
Back and forth, back and forth. Do I "need" to go to grad school? Not neccessarily. Do I want to go to grad school? Again, not necessarily. Do I think it would make me a better artist and possibly a better person? Sure.
I just can't decide whether I want to delay my other life "plans" for the sake of more school. I want to start a business and be successful, sooner rather than later. But I also want to do what's best for myself before I have a kid and a mortgage. I know that might sound far-fetched right now, but Raun and are a pretty sure thing; we want to start a business together, and we both want (at least a small) family.
I guess I've got to choose what it's going to be...going into debt to start a business or going into debt for more school.
For those of you who've made the decision for/against grad school, what were your reasons and justifications??