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Another College/Life Question
Murphy
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
To start, I know there have been a lot of college major/career questions here lately, and I appreciate that you're taking the time to read yet another. I tried posting this on my LiveJournal first, but only received two responses, neither of which were particularly helpful. Since I'd like to get a bit more feedback than that, I thought this might be a good venue. At first I was hesitant about admitting certain facts about myself here, but I figured I'd better lay it all on the line so that I can get honest responses.
Thanks in advance for reading.
The basics - after dropping out of the 9th grade* twelve years ago, I'm finally returning to college at age 29. I'm starting at a community college, and then transferring to a local four year university. I know what I don't want to do with the rest of my life (sales, food, medicine, law, banking), far more specifically than what I don't want to do. But I have narrowed it down, considerably.
I have always enjoyed working for and with non-profit arts organizations (museums, ballet, opera). I've volunteered at our local contemporary arts museum for years, and though I've scanned the job listings at all of the local arts organizations, I've always been woefully unqualified for any available positions.
So, my first option is a four year degree in Art History, after which I would apply for the Arts Administration MA/MBA program at the university I'll be transferring to. It's an incredibly competitive program that only admits 8-10 students per year. There is every chance that I might not get in. Heck, considering my history, I wouldn't be surprised at all. Still, it's worth trying for.
In the event that I don't get into the Arts Admin program, I could instead pursue a MA in Art History, and also complete the Museum Studies certificate program offered as an option. Or I could spend another year becoming certified as an Art teacher to grades K-12.
I've been a reader since as long as I can remember, and the only teachers that I ever really connected with were taught some form of English or Reading. I love books. I love reading, talking and writing about them. I thing it would be amazing to work for a book publisher in just about any capacity. Being involved with the process that brings books to the world is incredibly appealing to me. I also think I would enjoy teaching, though I admit that I'm not a huge fan of kids.
In light of that, I could instead pursue a BA in English, and then a MA in English and Comparative Literature (in one of three focuses). From that point I could try to get a job in publishing, perhaps take the steps necessary to teach English in Middle/High school, or continue on towards a PhD, and the possibility of teaching at the college level.
So, tl;dr – I’ve been reading a lot about liberal arts degrees. How they are on the one hand good, because, hey, broad possibilities, but on the other hand bad, because boo, you have to go for the hard sell with employers and compete with a cast of thousands for some random job once you’re done with school.
Is it a good idea for me to pursue not only a liberal arts degree, but a Master's or higher, or should I find something that I don’t necessarily love, but also do not hate, and get a two or four year degree in that, because, hello, practical.
EDIT: Damn it, I keep forgetting stuff I meant to say. Anywho - To address any concerns that years of school might not be a keen idea for me, I'd like to assure you that I'm all in. I've been wanting to go back to school for years, but never thought it was possible for me. I could quite happily spend the rest of my life in school. I don't know if it's an attempt to make up for what I missed, or because I honestly always enjoyed school, but wasn't able to get into it as much as I could have because I was an idiot teenager. But regardless, it's not a worry.
*Ok, here's the long version of that up there. I did really well in school until the 7th/8th grade, when things at home began to affect other areas of my life, and my performance started to suffer. I failed a class in 8th, and had to take summer school, but my father refused to let me, explaining that repeating the year would teach me not to slack off.
Though I was ashamed to now take classes with my younger sister, I made sure not to mess up again, and passed with flying colors. I didn't fare so well the next year, as things at home really started to get bad, and I also found myself dealing with some sexual confusion. I confessed my "I think I'm a homo" feelings to my mother, who flipped out. She informed my father, who beat me half to death, and threatened to kill me if I ever made mention of it again. Rather than call the police or do anything sensible, I ran away. I'm not proud of it. Anyway, I totally failed that year due to non-attendance.
My parents separated, I came home, and I gave the 9th grade another shot. I was now a year behind my younger sister, and two years behind everyone else my age. I started out strong, but some lingering bad habits left over from my months away from home came back, and by spring I was cutting class, and doing stupid shit I shouldn't have been doing as a 17 year old. When it became clear that I was going to be held back again, I made the decision to drop out. My mother insisted that I move, and as I thought that was fair, I did.
I got a job in retail, was eventually promoted to manager, got my GED, and started temping as an administrative assistant. I quickly found full time work as an admin, and over the years moved up via various employers as much as I could on personality and raw talent, but I came to the realization earlier this year that 1.) I can't go any further as I am, and 2.) I don't want to be a 40 year old secretary some day.
Thanks in advance for reading.
The basics - after dropping out of the 9th grade* twelve years ago, I'm finally returning to college at age 29. I'm starting at a community college, and then transferring to a local four year university. I know what I don't want to do with the rest of my life (sales, food, medicine, law, banking), far more specifically than what I don't want to do. But I have narrowed it down, considerably.
I have always enjoyed working for and with non-profit arts organizations (museums, ballet, opera). I've volunteered at our local contemporary arts museum for years, and though I've scanned the job listings at all of the local arts organizations, I've always been woefully unqualified for any available positions.
So, my first option is a four year degree in Art History, after which I would apply for the Arts Administration MA/MBA program at the university I'll be transferring to. It's an incredibly competitive program that only admits 8-10 students per year. There is every chance that I might not get in. Heck, considering my history, I wouldn't be surprised at all. Still, it's worth trying for.
In the event that I don't get into the Arts Admin program, I could instead pursue a MA in Art History, and also complete the Museum Studies certificate program offered as an option. Or I could spend another year becoming certified as an Art teacher to grades K-12.
I've been a reader since as long as I can remember, and the only teachers that I ever really connected with were taught some form of English or Reading. I love books. I love reading, talking and writing about them. I thing it would be amazing to work for a book publisher in just about any capacity. Being involved with the process that brings books to the world is incredibly appealing to me. I also think I would enjoy teaching, though I admit that I'm not a huge fan of kids.
In light of that, I could instead pursue a BA in English, and then a MA in English and Comparative Literature (in one of three focuses). From that point I could try to get a job in publishing, perhaps take the steps necessary to teach English in Middle/High school, or continue on towards a PhD, and the possibility of teaching at the college level.
So, tl;dr – I’ve been reading a lot about liberal arts degrees. How they are on the one hand good, because, hey, broad possibilities, but on the other hand bad, because boo, you have to go for the hard sell with employers and compete with a cast of thousands for some random job once you’re done with school.
Is it a good idea for me to pursue not only a liberal arts degree, but a Master's or higher, or should I find something that I don’t necessarily love, but also do not hate, and get a two or four year degree in that, because, hello, practical.
EDIT: Damn it, I keep forgetting stuff I meant to say. Anywho - To address any concerns that years of school might not be a keen idea for me, I'd like to assure you that I'm all in. I've been wanting to go back to school for years, but never thought it was possible for me. I could quite happily spend the rest of my life in school. I don't know if it's an attempt to make up for what I missed, or because I honestly always enjoyed school, but wasn't able to get into it as much as I could have because I was an idiot teenager. But regardless, it's not a worry.
*Ok, here's the long version of that up there. I did really well in school until the 7th/8th grade, when things at home began to affect other areas of my life, and my performance started to suffer. I failed a class in 8th, and had to take summer school, but my father refused to let me, explaining that repeating the year would teach me not to slack off.
Though I was ashamed to now take classes with my younger sister, I made sure not to mess up again, and passed with flying colors. I didn't fare so well the next year, as things at home really started to get bad, and I also found myself dealing with some sexual confusion. I confessed my "I think I'm a homo" feelings to my mother, who flipped out. She informed my father, who beat me half to death, and threatened to kill me if I ever made mention of it again. Rather than call the police or do anything sensible, I ran away. I'm not proud of it. Anyway, I totally failed that year due to non-attendance.
My parents separated, I came home, and I gave the 9th grade another shot. I was now a year behind my younger sister, and two years behind everyone else my age. I started out strong, but some lingering bad habits left over from my months away from home came back, and by spring I was cutting class, and doing stupid shit I shouldn't have been doing as a 17 year old. When it became clear that I was going to be held back again, I made the decision to drop out. My mother insisted that I move, and as I thought that was fair, I did.
I got a job in retail, was eventually promoted to manager, got my GED, and started temping as an administrative assistant. I quickly found full time work as an admin, and over the years moved up via various employers as much as I could on personality and raw talent, but I came to the realization earlier this year that 1.) I can't go any further as I am, and 2.) I don't want to be a 40 year old secretary some day.
Murphy on
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However, the one thing I would say is while it's good to have planned out the next (what would be in the UK) 4-5 years in terms of education, you should keep in mind that things change during the course of a degree, and you may find other things that really excite you. If it was me, I would try and find a pretty general degree that would qualify you for the largest number of masters.
Also, a degree is pretty hard and while thinking about the future is good, make sure that you put your concentration into getting the actual undergraduate degree first, and then work out what is the best way forward.
Hope this helps in some way.
Ryan M Long Photography
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Can you as frequently get your employer to pay for it with art degrees? A good employer will pay for you to go to school for your master's, and then pay you more when you get it.
Also, I really haven't seen or heard of this really happening in the arts fields. To be honest it's usually something that someone will have in order to get into a job and for an employer to pay for a Master's is kind of like paying for an employee to move on to a better position somewhere else. I mean, at least with the sciences the more you know the more valuable you should be to the company. In the arts generally the more you know the more you're looking to get hired in somewhere else, not advance within a given company (this is from what I've seen, I may be way off).
Ryan M Long Photography
Buy my Prints!
Re: Getting paid to get the MA - that seems incredibly unlikely. When I was working for a financial services firm a few years ago, they offered to pay for my school (undergrad), but only if I went for a business degree. Most individuals in the arts that I've spoken to weren't provided with an option like that (most of them weren't even considered for a position until they had at least an MA under their belt). It just doesn't seem like something that happens (at least, not very often) in the arts world.
Absolutely. Two year blocks is really my focus right now. Two years for the Associate of Arts (even though I'm going to be in the transfer program, I will have an AA when I leave, regardless), then I'll focus on my BA, and so on. I've always been a sort of cart before the horse kind of guy (or rather, a design the intricacies of the cart before the horses have even been purchased kind of guy), and I sometimes worry about things that I won't need to for some time.
One thing I haven't considered at all is the option of minoring in something else more useful (something business related perhaps) just in case. So I should probably look into that.
Ryan M Long Photography
Buy my Prints!
Because as it stands right now, I don't know that many people. I volunteer a few times a month for the contemporary art museum, but that's about it.
What I'm saying is that I'm aware that social connections are going to make a big difference. It isn't my intention to spend the next few years in school, to the exclusion of any other activity, and then expect to get a great job when I'm done. I realize I have to do a lot of extra work in the meantime.