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Axion004
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Jan 27, 2010
Posts: 28
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 Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 11:49 pm Post subject: Graduate school advice |
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Hello members of WP,
I am planning on entering graduate school within about 1.5 years:
I have taken a large number of courses in undergraduate study and will come out with between 150 and 160 credit hours. I am currently working full time in a position similar to a database programmer.
Here is what I have so far:
Undergraduate degree(I graduated in December) with good and bad grades. Mostly good.
Three internships- One in information technology, one in strategy research, and one in web design.
Three other jobs while attending undergraduate study- Construction, food service, and lawn boy.
Current full time position to make an income.
Here is what I am going to take before I enter:
Math(Retake Calc 1/2, take Calc 3 and 4)
Operating Systems
Algorithms
I have done well in school and in work because I work hard(Sometimes very hard) and I have little life outside of work and school. Right now I work full time about 45 hours per week, going to take classes at night + study for about 8 or 9 hours a week, 5 hours of exercise in a week, and 10 to 15 hours either independent reading, playing computer games, or looking for information online. That is about 70 to 75 hours of work a week which doesn't seem overkill because I enjoy reading and playing games.
I am twenty two now so I am getting a bit older although I still don't look a day over fifteen.
I am concerned about planning out exactly what I will study in graduate study-
I have many things to think about(Many of which are inevitably adult responsibilities- How am I going to pay rent and then sometime in the future buy a house? How am I going to save most of my paycheck so that I can buy gas and groceries and other necessities? Also how am I going to find a girlfriend? The third one is presenting to be rather difficult since I currently live at home and girls don't like skinny computer boys, especially not ones who live with their parents.
Getting back on topic- I am planning to go for a MS degree in either CS, HCI(Human Computer Interaction), or AI(Artificial Intelligence). Truth be told I would like to be a PhD student by my undergraduate degree is unrelated to what I would like to study in graduate study. It just seems really difficult to me to plan everything out- All the things in Group A(Buying a house, paying rent, paying for gas and food), and Group B(Going to graduate school, paying for school, and seeing if it is possible to go to school full time) and in Group C(Finding a girlfriend, doing anything else not in A or B) seems like a lot to do.
Do any of the older members on this forum have any advice? How do I know what is important? How do I know if I should quit my job and go to school? I really dislike my job(Which is a paycheck) and I think that I belong back in the classroom. |
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Dessie
Pileated woodpecker
Joined: May 16, 2011
Age: 20
Posts: 177
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| Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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Hello to you! And welcome to WP!
Well first I have to say: WOW you have a lot going on. If I had that much going on my brain would probably just shut down!!!! And congrats on graduating.
I haven't been to graduate school yet, I'm still an undergrad. Just a sophomore actually. But I've been considering what I might study later so I've been doing some research and speaking with some of my favorite professors. One thing I've been told is start getting together letters of recommendation because most grad schools require three. So all these great jobs and internships you've got, be asking your bosses for letters of recommendation. (And if you figure out the right way to do that, let me know please!!!!  )
As far as deciding what to study in graduate school, see if you can talk to some of your professors in the fields you're considering. I've done some of that lately and I think I've gotten some good advice as far as what to stay away from and such. I'm a Sociology major. I don't know anything about "HCI(Human Computer Interaction), or AI(Artificial Intelligence)" so I can't help with that at all!
| Axion004 wrote: | | How do I know if I should quit my job and go to school? I really dislike my job(Which is a paycheck) and I think that I belong back in the classroom. |
That's a tricky one. Money is money even if you've got the worst crap job in the world. If you want to get a better job, maybe quitting and going to school is better? If you need the money to pay for school, you might want to keep the job for awhile. At least until the semester starts.
Depending on where you go, maybe you can get a job on campus? Or work with the professors on campus in your field/major? Maybe the department of your major will have research studies going on or something? Sometimes they pay you for it. And it would be a good way to see if you're going to like the field you're going into. I'm getting a job on my campus next semester for work-study. Maybe you could do something like that? I wish I could work in the department of my major, but as usual they probably won't have anything available.
| Axion004 wrote: | | I have many things to think about(Many of which are inevitably adult responsibilities- How am I going to pay rent and then sometime in the future buy a house? How am I going to save most of my paycheck so that I can buy gas and groceries and other necessities? Also how am I going to find a girlfriend? The third one is presenting to be rather difficult since I currently live at home and girls don't like skinny computer boys, especially not ones who live with their parents. |
THIS! I worry about this stuff all the time! I thought it was only me! And I'm only 18.
It's probably not a bad thing that you live with your parents right now. That way you can use your money for tuition and books and stuff instead of having to worry about every bill and groceries and gas all by yourself. Use that time to learn how to do all that stuff. I'm in the process of learning how to cook (with a stove instead of a microwave), learning what to buy when grocery shoping, and learning how to pay bills. The future does show up sooner or later though....I guess we can only hope we figure things out?
And the girlfriend thing? Maybe you can find a girl who does like skinny computer boys who live with their parents! You never know! Don't stress though. You sound like a smart guy. I'm sure you'll find someone.
And my own personal confession: I haven't been on a date since the homecoming dance my sophomore year of high school almost 5 years ago.  And that's the only date I've ever been on. And the guy left me to walk 2 miles home alone at 11 o'clock at night in a dress and heels in a bad neighborhood. Can you say "relationship" over?
For some reason the bad ones are everywhere, but the good ones are few and far between. That seems to be true for girls and guys. So don't rush it, you don't want to end up with a loser like I did. 
Anyway, I wish you the very very very best of luck!!!!! |
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Axion004
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Jan 27, 2010
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 11:53 pm Post subject: |
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At around the age of twenty I started to get more serious. I didn't like how the Professors in school seemed to know more about the subjects then I did. At about age 20.5 I started really studying compulsively.
| Quote: | | That's a tricky one. Money is money even if you've got the worst crap job in the world. If you want to get a better job, maybe quitting and going to school is better? If you need the money to pay for school, you might want to keep the job for awhile. At least until the semester starts. |
Unfortunate fact of life.
| Quote: | | It's probably not a bad thing that you live with your parents right now. That way you can use your money for tuition and books and stuff instead of having to worry about every bill and groceries and gas all by yourself. Use that time to learn how to do all that stuff. I'm in the process of learning how to cook (with a stove instead of a microwave), learning what to buy when grocery shoping, and learning how to pay bills. The future does show up sooner or later though....I guess we can only hope we figure things out? |
Essentially what it "feels" like(I don't really feel very often) is an adult child trapped inside the world of a teenager. I know I am saving money but I definitely want to get out. |
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