Comments | lossefalme: Advice needed....

lossefalme

Advice needed....

Feb 02, 2009 09:32

I have come to the conclusion that I do want to get my PhD, because I'm just not going to be able to enter an ideal salary range in my field with just a BS. The problem is not that I want to get a doctorate, it's that I can't decide WHAT I should get it in, and I can't decide WHEN I should get it ( Read more... )

jobs, phd, school, help, random

Comments 8

trillian4210 February 2 2009, 16:21:27 UTC

Why don't you kill two birds with one stone and get a PhD in creative writing. No research, lots of writing, and it's something you want to do.

If you choose something to get ahead but that you're not truly interested in, it's going to be like torture.

lossefalme February 2 2009, 19:08:42 UTC

If you choose something to get ahead but that you're not truly interested in, it's going to be like torture

Well, the two scientific ones I mentioned I am interested in, at least enough that it wouldn't feel like horrible torture. Of course, I could still see myself longing to be at home writing instead of grading nutrition papers, but I would be doing that anytime I'm not actually at home writing. :P But they interest me enough I could see myself doing research in those areas and not feeling frustrated or bored, and I can see myself actually teaching those subjects with enough interest to keep students interested. I do have a scientific side that likes to come out and play sometimes.

Why don't you kill two birds with one stone and get a PhD in creative writing. No research, lots of writing, and it's something you want to do.This does seem the ideal solution. It's very tempting. There are two things holding me back. 1) It's a very popular thing, so I'm afraid there wouldn't be very many job openings. Since we bought a house ( ... )

trillian4210 February 2 2009, 19:37:06 UTC

Even if you spend a lot of time critiquing others, the fact that you'll be submersed in the field you prefer will help your own writing.

But yeah, research the schools and see what appeals. I'm sure something will turn up as the perfect fit. :)

lossefalme February 3 2009, 01:19:51 UTC

You know you might have a point there. I know a lot of authors teach Creative Writing. Maybe there's a reason for that. :P

Weren't you the one who told me to get the How To book by Orson Scott Card? He says not to quit your day job, and I totally understand where he's coming from, but I'd rather just stay home and write, then make daily trips out and about town to observe and interact with people for more ideas on my own terms. Lol. Still, a job that actually relates to writing - well, creative writing, NOT scientific - wouldn't be too shabby....

Hrm. I think I will look around the local schools and see what they have available. Maybe I can find someone there also who will give me a straight answer on whether or not I will find any employment with that degree, as well. :P

sinvraal February 2 2009, 17:50:26 UTC

I wish I could be more helpful on this, but it sounds like a tough call ( ... )

lossefalme February 3 2009, 00:51:52 UTC

I would be careful about setting life goals based purely on what salary bracket you want to be in, because you might paint yourself into a corner. Having a PHD might command a higher salary, but it will probably also entail years of debt to pay off. How do those two factors balance out?Tis true. My current degree maxes out at 35k/year, which isn't necessarily terrible... I mean, Jason and I live beneath our means, so we've been doing really well so far even on what we make now. And we have a house now that we LOVE that didn't break us, and we don't need fancy cars. But, I want to TRAVEL, and unfortunately that's pretty expensive. I'd also like to afford kids. People say, "If you wait to afford kids you'll never have them" but I believe that's only true if you're not living far enough beneath your means in the first place and stretching yourself too thin. We're comfortable right now, but it would be nice to have more to put into savings/retirement/travel/kid accounts. And take martial arts classes. And learn to play the cello. Heh ( ... )

no_entry_here February 2 2009, 20:44:43 UTC

I am so not the right person to be asking this. I'll have my bachelor's degree by June of next year, and then I'm OUTTA here. Then again, most of the people who graduate with teaching degrees (I'm getting a degree in Elementary Education Studies) are guaranteed a job within a year. Perhaps that's different than most other bachelor's degrees.

... also... I just don't want to be "Dr. Holliday". That's not even cute.

I don't know. I'm so ready to start a family that I don't think I could wait another five years. Maybe you should try the Lotto.

lossefalme February 3 2009, 01:11:42 UTC

LOL! I know exactly how you feel. I graduated college December 2005 and there was no way in hell I was going to stay for a graduate degree! I'm just now getting to the point where I can think about going back to school at all without shuddering, heh ( ... )