Grad school?

Engine · 03-11-2010, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3KilledMyRainDog

in my experience, experience is better than going for the grad degree out of the gate. I work with so many people at my job who can't make decent hires, that can't delegate correctly, have any useful skills, and put too much effort into minor details and not any long-term goals.

I'm a big proponent of education, but its almost impossible to have something better than experience. I'd suggest getting into the worforce (which may give you money for the degree) get some years under your belt, at least 2, and then make your move.

I was thinking of going to grad school but I've changed by career path three times since I left college.

Didn't I just read that you make about 30K/year? While that may sound attractive to a student - it's hardly a good argument for experience over education. Regardless, you must know that being 'in the workforce' totally sucks right now.
I'm also a huge proponent of education and I while I believe your general (statistical) assesment of education vs. experience is true - a savvy individual can get an early higher ed. and use it to their financial advantage later instead of becoming a 'useless' academic whose ego forces them to become too involved in minor details. I personally prefer useless academics who pursue their personal interests but that's not the point. The reality is that in the long run - credentials = $$ if you play them right

MAStudent · 03-19-2010, 02:15 AM

My Masters is in physical therapy.

I worked for 3 years before getting into Masters program/ after Bachelor, but not by choice, it just took that long to get in. I was lucky enough not to incur a wife, baby, or house in that time that would have changed my ideas about going to school 3 1/2 more years.

"Berzerkeley" is very near the Oakland ghetto, smack in the middle of the East Bay Area. Nothing is cheap or convenient. The campus is on city streets. Depends on what you're into.

Stanford is very near East Palo Alto, also pretty rough. However the north Peninsula in general is more savory than the East Bay. Oakland, Vallejo, etc are just rough towns. I'm sure Stanford takes care of their own, though. I would bet you will meet people that know about jobs there.

If I had a choice of all those places, I would easily go to San Diego. San Diego has gerat weather all year. People can be superficial, but who cares about those people, meet better freinds. Mexico is close, you have from the hippy end Ocean Beach to Mission Beach to more uppity Pacific Beach to rich La Joya. Again, whatever you're into. There are several colleges, lots of young and old people. You will probably get a keen appreciation for Mexican food, if you don't have it already. San Diego has a big military influence also, so a large international flavor.

The hottest women you have ever seen are just walking around on the beach like nothing, and since there are so many, they don't think they're that hot. You can find somewhat affordable housing at Linda Vista area, by sea world.

You will not see the hottest women in the world walking around in basically their underwear in Berkeley. You will mostly see half shaved head-other half died pink lesbians bitching about the man and picketing something or other, sitting beside you on the bus acting like you're taking up more of the seat than you should.

In Stanford, its coastal weather, but much chillier than San Diego, and maybe more expensive. The women will be covering up with sweaters. Thats not necessarily bad, but I wouldn't want my car to break down in the Bay Area.

If you love the material, I absolutely urge you to get a masters. In most fields, a bachelor is about studying what people have come up with and outlined already. A Masters is mostly about taking what is known and the basic principles, and learning about something that ISNT really known yet. So you get to shape what you aer learning and decide what you want to study.

lucifer_sam · 03-19-2010, 12:00 PM

Thanks for the background, but that doesn't help me whatsoever. I'm interested in Berkeley because it has the best program in the world for my field of choice. Last year they accepted 44 candidates for graduate mechanical engineering studies out of a pool of 893 applicants, most of which had GPAs over 3.70. It's definitely a stretch school for me, even if I had the grades for it I probably wouldn't get in.

What I'm really concerned about is the strength of the school's program, if it means making better contacts in the industry I'll go somewhere that I have a decent chance getting into rather than somewhere that has nice weather.

noise · 03-19-2010, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucifer_sam

Thanks for the background, but that doesn't help me whatsoever. I'm interested in Berkeley because it has the best program in the world for my field of choice. Last year they accepted 44 candidates for graduate mechanical engineering studies out of a pool of 893 applicants, most of which had GPAs over 3.70. It's definitely a stretch school for me, even if I had the grades for it I probably wouldn't get in.

What I'm really concerned about is the strength of the school's program, if it means making better contacts in the industry I'll go somewhere that I have a decent chance getting into rather than somewhere that has nice weather.

that sounded very... pompous.

to be perfectly frank, if you're serious about finding the best program in the world for your field of choice, then you can probably find a more appropriate place to ask than a forum full of burnouts and rockers...

in fact, if you truly are PhD material, you should be able to do a bit of research and find the answer for yourself

i know i'm being an ass, but MAStudent was only trying to help, and you should be more grateful.

lucifer_sam · 03-19-2010, 01:25 PM

Touche.

**Scarlett O'Hara** · 03-19-2010, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

Move to New Zealand, I've heard they have been trying to get expats to move there. I may be wrong....

Wages here are not as well paid as Aussie though. I recommend getting more experience and getting work to pay for tuition as someone else recommended. I'm doing post grad study now and if I own my post graduate diploma I can get straight into a PhD.

03-19-2010, 12:00 PM	#23 (permalink)
lucifer_sam Unrepentant Ass-Mod Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3,921	Thanks for the background, but that doesn't help me whatsoever. I'm interested in Berkeley because it has the best program in the world for my field of choice. Last year they accepted 44 candidates for graduate mechanical engineering studies out of a pool of 893 applicants, most of which had GPAs over 3.70. It's definitely a stretch school for me, even if I had the grades for it I probably wouldn't get in. What I'm really concerned about is the strength of the school's program, if it means making better contacts in the industry I'll go somewhere that I have a decent chance getting into rather than somewhere that has nice weather. __________________ first.am

03-19-2010, 01:25 PM	#25 (permalink)
lucifer_sam Unrepentant Ass-Mod Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 3,921	Touche. __________________ first.am

03-19-2010, 02:15 AM	#22 (permalink)
MAStudent Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Eureka, CA Posts: 87	My Masters is in physical therapy. I worked for 3 years before getting into Masters program/ after Bachelor, but not by choice, it just took that long to get in. I was lucky enough not to incur a wife, baby, or house in that time that would have changed my ideas about going to school 3 1/2 more years. "Berzerkeley" is very near the Oakland ghetto, smack in the middle of the East Bay Area. Nothing is cheap or convenient. The campus is on city streets. Depends on what you're into. Stanford is very near East Palo Alto, also pretty rough. However the north Peninsula in general is more savory than the East Bay. Oakland, Vallejo, etc are just rough towns. I'm sure Stanford takes care of their own, though. I would bet you will meet people that know about jobs there. If I had a choice of all those places, I would easily go to San Diego. San Diego has gerat weather all year. People can be superficial, but who cares about those people, meet better freinds. Mexico is close, you have from the hippy end Ocean Beach to Mission Beach to more uppity Pacific Beach to rich La Joya. Again, whatever you're into. There are several colleges, lots of young and old people. You will probably get a keen appreciation for Mexican food, if you don't have it already. San Diego has a big military influence also, so a large international flavor. The hottest women you have ever seen are just walking around on the beach like nothing, and since there are so many, they don't think they're that hot. You can find somewhat affordable housing at Linda Vista area, by sea world. You will not see the hottest women in the world walking around in basically their underwear in Berkeley. You will mostly see half shaved head-other half died pink lesbians bitching about the man and picketing something or other, sitting beside you on the bus acting like you're taking up more of the seat than you should. In Stanford, its coastal weather, but much chillier than San Diego, and maybe more expensive. The women will be covering up with sweaters. Thats not necessarily bad, but I wouldn't want my car to break down in the Bay Area. If you love the material, I absolutely urge you to get a masters. In most fields, a bachelor is about studying what people have come up with and outlined already. A Masters is mostly about taking what is known and the basic principles, and learning about something that ISNT really known yet. So you get to shape what you aer learning and decide what you want to study.