Topic: Important decision, fora: grad school vs peace corps.
Anonymous A started this discussion 14 years ago #17,129
I'm graduating with a degree in one of the technical sciences in the next year. Would it be better to not get distracted and go straight for my phd, or should I follow my heart and take a 2 year detour teaching children in some third world setting?opinions appreciated
Anonymous B joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 2 minutes later[^] [v] #290,469
Both options are retarded.
Anonymous C joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 4 minutes later, 7 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,470
it looks like you’re trying to copy to4str’s posting patternswould you like help with that?
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 33 seconds later, 7 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,471
I think you should apply to grad school first, and if you don't get in anywhere good (or anywhere at all) you should teach in the peace corps or something like that as a resume booster (also, because altruism, helping people, etc.)
Edit: One last thought. Some schools may let you defer your enrollment for a year, so you might be able to both get into grad school and teach abroad for a year.
Disclaimer: I have no idea what I'm talking about.
Edit: One last thought. Some schools may let you defer your enrollment for a year, so you might be able to both get into grad school and teach abroad for a year.
Disclaimer: I have no idea what I'm talking about.
(Edited 3 minutes later.)
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 10 minutes later, 18 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,474
@290,469 (B)
Fair enough, but why?
@290,470 (C)
wat
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
Why do you think graduate school is more important that altruism, helping people, etc?
Fair enough, but why?
@290,470 (C)
wat
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
Why do you think graduate school is more important that altruism, helping people, etc?
Anonymous B replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 19 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,475
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU replied with this 14 years ago, 5 minutes later, 24 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,476
@290,474 (A)
That part was mostly tongue-in-cheek. Spending your whole life helping people, while extremely admirable, isn't very practical. Assuming you went to some 3rd world country, you would be dealing with death, disease, poverty, lack of proper sanitation and supplies, etc. on a daily basis. I don't know how long you can reasonably be expected to endure that. If you feel like you can, then by all means go and do that, you are a much better person than I am. I just can't see it being done as a permanent career.
That part was mostly tongue-in-cheek. Spending your whole life helping people, while extremely admirable, isn't very practical. Assuming you went to some 3rd world country, you would be dealing with death, disease, poverty, lack of proper sanitation and supplies, etc. on a daily basis. I don't know how long you can reasonably be expected to endure that. If you feel like you can, then by all means go and do that, you are a much better person than I am. I just can't see it being done as a permanent career.
Ks !KansasxqvM joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 4 minutes later, 29 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,478
@OP
If you're up to it go ahead and attend grad school, if you really need a break go for the peace corps. In the grand scheme of things 2 years isn't that long.
If you're up to it go ahead and attend grad school, if you really need a break go for the peace corps. In the grand scheme of things 2 years isn't that long.
Anonymous F joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 30 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,480
Anonymous B replied with this 14 years ago, 2 minutes later, 32 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,482
Basically these are life choices that Depressionman made so I think you should do the opposite.
dw !AIy/L67q.s joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 4 minutes later, 37 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,483
@290,478 (Ks !KansasxqvM)
in the grand scheme of things the Illuminati willll only give op a job if they feel like it anyway
in the grand scheme of things the Illuminati willll only give op a job if they feel like it anyway
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 38 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,484
@290,475 (B)
Ideally.
@290,476 (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
> Spending your whole life helping people, while extremely admirable, isn't very practical.
Impractical for who? For me?
> I just can't see it being done as a permanent career.
Right, me neither, but what I'm suggesting is a 2-year stint before I enroll in grad school. I'm wondering why going to graduate school immediately would be a better decision than taking off for two years first. Because of the death/sanitation stuff?
@290,482 (B)
With the difference being that I am an intelligent scientist, and he is a dumb liberal arts major.
Ideally.
@290,476 (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
> Spending your whole life helping people, while extremely admirable, isn't very practical.
Impractical for who? For me?
> I just can't see it being done as a permanent career.
Right, me neither, but what I'm suggesting is a 2-year stint before I enroll in grad school. I'm wondering why going to graduate school immediately would be a better decision than taking off for two years first. Because of the death/sanitation stuff?
@290,482 (B)
With the difference being that I am an intelligent scientist, and he is a dumb liberal arts major.
Anonymous H joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 2 minutes later, 40 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,485
@OP
Grad program applications generally want a few letters of recommendation. If you do take time off, be sure to keep in touch with any instructors you might be considering asking for recommendations or talk to those instructors and have them write these for you now. Unless you have a few instructors that you really impressed during college, many of your old professors may not remember you after a few years. You don't want to have to have the sad and painful experience of begging letters of recommendation from instructors who barely remember you two or three years down the road.
Grad program applications generally want a few letters of recommendation. If you do take time off, be sure to keep in touch with any instructors you might be considering asking for recommendations or talk to those instructors and have them write these for you now. Unless you have a few instructors that you really impressed during college, many of your old professors may not remember you after a few years. You don't want to have to have the sad and painful experience of begging letters of recommendation from instructors who barely remember you two or three years down the road.
Anonymous B replied with this 14 years ago, 5 minutes later, 45 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,488
@290,484 (A)
Academia is not a realistic goal. If it's a degree that's also useful in industry, then go for it. But get some decent non-academic work experience either part time or during the summers.
Academia is not a realistic goal. If it's a degree that's also useful in industry, then go for it. But get some decent non-academic work experience either part time or during the summers.
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 47 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,490
@290,484 (A)
Impractical for the average person accustomed to a 1st world lifestyle. If you think you would be fine with intermittent at best electricity, no running water, heat, air conditioning and so forth, then by all means go for it.
Also I should have mentioned this (@290,485 (H)). Getting into grad school (at least for Philosophy, but insofar as grad school applications are all similar, it still applies to whatever your area of interest is) is heavily dependent on grad letters of recommendation. If you wait even 3 or 4 years, many of your professors will forget about anything specific you did that would be basis for material in a recommendation letter. 2 years might be cutting it a little bit close, so if you want to go to grad school, doing it right out of undergrad is much easier than waiting even 3 years.
Impractical for the average person accustomed to a 1st world lifestyle. If you think you would be fine with intermittent at best electricity, no running water, heat, air conditioning and so forth, then by all means go for it.
Also I should have mentioned this (@290,485 (H)). Getting into grad school (at least for Philosophy, but insofar as grad school applications are all similar, it still applies to whatever your area of interest is) is heavily dependent on grad letters of recommendation. If you wait even 3 or 4 years, many of your professors will forget about anything specific you did that would be basis for material in a recommendation letter. 2 years might be cutting it a little bit close, so if you want to go to grad school, doing it right out of undergrad is much easier than waiting even 3 years.
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 8 minutes later, 55 minutes after the original post[^] [v] #290,495
@290,485 (H)
Yeah, that's a really good point. I would definitely have to talk to the teachers now and make sure I'd still be able to get those recommendations in 2 years. Having them write them up now and save them for me is a good idea.
@290,488 (B)
Why is academia not a realistic goal? I don't think wanting to be a professor while doing some research on the side is particularly unattainable.
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
Would you be okay with no running water, AC, heating, etc? Oooh, and no internet. That means no porn. There's the deal breaker.
Seriously though, I'd be able to put that stuff aside in an effort to improve the lives of other people who needed it. Like Ks said, 2 years really isn't a long time.
You should consider the peace corps yourself, fake anon.
Yeah, that's a really good point. I would definitely have to talk to the teachers now and make sure I'd still be able to get those recommendations in 2 years. Having them write them up now and save them for me is a good idea.
@290,488 (B)
Why is academia not a realistic goal? I don't think wanting to be a professor while doing some research on the side is particularly unattainable.
@previous (Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU)
Would you be okay with no running water, AC, heating, etc? Oooh, and no internet. That means no porn. There's the deal breaker.
Seriously though, I'd be able to put that stuff aside in an effort to improve the lives of other people who needed it. Like Ks said, 2 years really isn't a long time.
You should consider the peace corps yourself, fake anon.
Fake anon !ZkUt8arUCU replied with this 14 years ago, 4 minutes later, 1 hour after the original post[^] [v] #290,498
@previous (A)
I could probably deal with it for a month or two. I would not willingly give up my life of luxury to make a marginal difference to maybe a hundred people who will live to maybe the age of 40, if they're lucky. It just doesn't seem like it's the best possible use of my energies. I don't mean to sound callous or insensitive, but that's just how I view it.
I could probably deal with it for a month or two. I would not willingly give up my life of luxury to make a marginal difference to maybe a hundred people who will live to maybe the age of 40, if they're lucky. It just doesn't seem like it's the best possible use of my energies. I don't mean to sound callous or insensitive, but that's just how I view it.
Indy the Great !!Qfi6Kl58p joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 13 hours later, 14 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,581
Trust me: do Peace, THEN grad school. DO IT!!
Anonymous J joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 13 minutes later, 14 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,586
Anonymous B replied with this 14 years ago, 1 minute later, 14 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,587
@290,495 (A)
> Why is academia not a realistic goal? I don't think wanting to be a professor while doing some research on the side is particularly unattainable.
Because grad programs are pumping out many, many times more students than there are available positions for tenured/tenure-track faculty. Just think about the fact that one faculty member will mentor 1-2 dozen or more grad students over his career, but will only retire once. And decent new jobs really aren't being created in significant numbers. It's cheaper to shift the teaching to adjuncts, students, and post-docs which is exactly what has been happening.
This explains it pretty well, and a bit of googling about the academic job market will find you a lot more. It's possible of course, it's just a pretty bleak picture if your goal is to get tenured. Have a resume that can travel beyond academia.
> Why is academia not a realistic goal? I don't think wanting to be a professor while doing some research on the side is particularly unattainable.
Because grad programs are pumping out many, many times more students than there are available positions for tenured/tenure-track faculty. Just think about the fact that one faculty member will mentor 1-2 dozen or more grad students over his career, but will only retire once. And decent new jobs really aren't being created in significant numbers. It's cheaper to shift the teaching to adjuncts, students, and post-docs which is exactly what has been happening.
This explains it pretty well, and a bit of googling about the academic job market will find you a lot more. It's possible of course, it's just a pretty bleak picture if your goal is to get tenured. Have a resume that can travel beyond academia.
Unintentional Jackass !LASXURl1b6 joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 1 hour later, 15 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,608
PhD while the relevant knowledge is still relatively fresh, I guess.
Indy the Great !!Qfi6Kl58p replied with this 14 years ago, 5 minutes later, 15 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,609
Anonymous L joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 27 minutes later, 16 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,620
If you like cock, Peace Corps is terrible.
Anonymous J replied with this 14 years ago, 1 hour later, 17 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,631
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 1 hour later, 19 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,649
Anonymous M joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 1 hour later, 20 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,654
It's a little late to be thinking about grad school, son. Deadlines for all the good places have long passed.
Anonymous L replied with this 14 years ago, 41 minutes later, 20 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,660
@290,649 (A)
Look at where they're sending most of their volunteers these days.
Russia: 90% of men have ED.
China: 90% of men have less than 4 inches.
Anyplace else: 90% of men have nigger cocks.
I suppose OP could get lucky and land an Eastern European country, dicks are alright there, but the odds are against it. Cocksuckers should only consider Peace Corps if their into dark meat. I was under the impression this is a to4ster thread, so that would mean black cock is out. Wouldn't it?
Look at where they're sending most of their volunteers these days.
Russia: 90% of men have ED.
China: 90% of men have less than 4 inches.
Anyplace else: 90% of men have nigger cocks.
I suppose OP could get lucky and land an Eastern European country, dicks are alright there, but the odds are against it. Cocksuckers should only consider Peace Corps if their into dark meat. I was under the impression this is a to4ster thread, so that would mean black cock is out. Wouldn't it?
(Edited 1 minute later.)
Anonymous A (OP) replied with this 14 years ago, 10 minutes later, 21 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,661
@previous (L)
> to4ster
> getting a phd
I'm not t04str, bud. And I wouldn't be going there to fuck, I'd be going to help people. So the quality of the penises is not really relevant.
@290,654 (M)
I'm a junior, bbgurl. Haven't even taken the GRE yet.
> to4ster
> getting a phd
I'm not t04str, bud. And I wouldn't be going there to fuck, I'd be going to help people. So the quality of the penises is not really relevant.
@290,654 (M)
I'm a junior, bbgurl. Haven't even taken the GRE yet.
(Edited 1 minute later.)
dw !AIy/L67q.s replied with this 14 years ago, 2 hours later, 23 hours after the original post[^] [v] #290,701
do the opposite of what minichan tells you to do
Anonymous F replied with this 14 years ago, 7 minutes later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #290,702
Anonymous M replied with this 14 years ago, 16 minutes later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #290,707
Anonymous N joined in and replied with this 14 years ago, 3 hours later, 1 day after the original post[^] [v] #290,778
@290,661 (A)
> I'd be going to help people. So the quality of the penises is not really relevant.
Are you attempting to imply sucking men off doesn't quality as helping them out? That's sexist and homophobic. Not to mention inaccurate.
> I'd be going to help people. So the quality of the penises is not really relevant.
Are you attempting to imply sucking men off doesn't quality as helping them out? That's sexist and homophobic. Not to mention inaccurate.