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Crossroads of work, grad schoo, other grad school....
nuclearalchemist
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hi all,
So I have something that has been bothering me for the past several weeks. A little background is in order. I applied to graduate school in physics for Fall 2008, and got rejected. This is a big deal since I only applied to one school. The reason for this is that I live in the area, my fiance has a good job and is in graduate school already (in EE), and I was locked into a lease until at least November. I talked to several of my professors at the school, it is the same one I got my undergrad in physics from, and they all seemed shocked that I didn't get in. I attempted to get in through the 'side door', but so far that also seems to be a dead end. The side door is that not enough people accept, and they are hurting for TAs, and the like. After talking to one of my profs, he said that my best bet to get into physics graduate school was to keep my chin high, and to improve my verbal and physics GRE scores for next year, and to apply to more places. Right now I have an hourly job until August working as a software test engineer, which I do not particularly enjoy. It was fine while I was waiting to hear about graduate school, but since it is becoming more and more probable that I will not be in physics grad school this year, facing work seems to be a problem for me.
Unfortunately, there isn't a lot one can do with a physics degree, minor in computer science. I've been looking for jobs in my area (driving 1hr to work each day is beginning to get on my nerve), but there are only a couple that seem promising. I have a friend who works at the Univiersity, who said he might be able to get me a job in the IT department, but I don't know if I want to do that either.
As for other grad school opportunities, I might have the option to go to EE grad school as well, since I have a much better 'in' there than I did in physics. My question on help and advice is if anybody else has gone through this, or just using other people as a sounding board. I'm waiting to hear back from another professor on an email I sent to him, but thus far nothing. Again, I have my current job that I am not too fond of until the end of August, then I have to go and do something. Any ideas?
So I have something that has been bothering me for the past several weeks. A little background is in order. I applied to graduate school in physics for Fall 2008, and got rejected. This is a big deal since I only applied to one school. The reason for this is that I live in the area, my fiance has a good job and is in graduate school already (in EE), and I was locked into a lease until at least November. I talked to several of my professors at the school, it is the same one I got my undergrad in physics from, and they all seemed shocked that I didn't get in. I attempted to get in through the 'side door', but so far that also seems to be a dead end. The side door is that not enough people accept, and they are hurting for TAs, and the like. After talking to one of my profs, he said that my best bet to get into physics graduate school was to keep my chin high, and to improve my verbal and physics GRE scores for next year, and to apply to more places. Right now I have an hourly job until August working as a software test engineer, which I do not particularly enjoy. It was fine while I was waiting to hear about graduate school, but since it is becoming more and more probable that I will not be in physics grad school this year, facing work seems to be a problem for me.
Unfortunately, there isn't a lot one can do with a physics degree, minor in computer science. I've been looking for jobs in my area (driving 1hr to work each day is beginning to get on my nerve), but there are only a couple that seem promising. I have a friend who works at the Univiersity, who said he might be able to get me a job in the IT department, but I don't know if I want to do that either.
As for other grad school opportunities, I might have the option to go to EE grad school as well, since I have a much better 'in' there than I did in physics. My question on help and advice is if anybody else has gone through this, or just using other people as a sounding board. I'm waiting to hear back from another professor on an email I sent to him, but thus far nothing. Again, I have my current job that I am not too fond of until the end of August, then I have to go and do something. Any ideas?
~Eigen-fleichen
nuclearalchemist on
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I have a BS in EE and was never able to do anything with it because when I graduated in 2003 there was a hiring crunch and after two other jobs I ended up at my current position working in IT. I tried to leave this job for an 'engineering' position in Newark last year, but the engineering turned out to be setting up a server to run Windows Small Business Server on a network for a guy that owns a firm that regulates temperature systems in schools. I also would have had to give up my over 250 hours of cto + sick time and start over again with two personal days and one sick.
I can't really move up in this current job. It's cushy as hell and it's a great environment, but part of that also hinges on my current team being awesome and my boss takes a very soft hand with me and generally let's me do as I please as long as my work is being done in a prompt manner.
About a month ago I started looking at the possibility of taking the GRE and applying for grad school. You're probably in a better boat than I am because my undergrad GPA was horrible due to me still being young and dumb. I'd like to get in and work on a masters in EE while keeping my current job. The way the work force is heading, you're going to need a masters to get somewhere and I figure it's better to do it now while I'm still young and able rather then later.
So I guess what I'm saying is, I hear you and it kind of sucks, but it's one of those hard things that you have to decide what you want to work toward for your future.
Why didn't you apply to other schools anyway? Your fiance being there is a good reason, being in a lease for a rental house is not. I'm not trying to ride you with hindsight, you'll see my point in a minute.
Did you do as well as you thought you would on the GREs? When you sent the application in, how did you follow up on it? Did you keep in communication with people, trying to push your application through?
That's straight up nonsense. The jobs around you might suck, but a good degree in the sciences with a minor in CS will open up many doors for you. Depending on your university's rep, it might only open bottom-rung doors for you, but the jobs are there.
What do you like? EE or Physics? What makes you think you want to go to the most advanced level of education in a subject you didn't major in at undergrad?
My point (yay, I got there) is this: You don't sound like you want it. Nothing in your post sounds like you actually want to go to grad school. It all sounds like you just don't want to be in your current job, and you were clinging to grad school as an eventual goal. Applying to one school is folly, even if you have no real intention of going to the others, you have to keep all your options open. You're not even sure what subject you want to study, after presumably a long time to think about this.
What do you actually intend to do when you get your grad degree? Is it Masters or PhD? If you were thinking PhD and you're not thinking about going into a research job, you're wasting your time and money. It's not helpful to most jobs, and will probably overqualify you.
I think you need to seriously consider your motivations for applying to grad school. The choices you've made, and the way you describe it, all seem to indicate that it's just a bit better than what's going on now. That's not a good reason to burn 3-6 years of your life with minimal income on a really difficult life choice (talk to any grad student... it's not all that fun) for a job market you might not even want to be in.
I did keep in communication with people; I even got them to re-open my application after I had been rejected. I hadn't heard back on that in a long time, and another of my professor friends then told me that I should consider this year a wash and to try again next year for physics. I do have job opportunities, which I know, just not exactly doing what I would like to be doing.
What I would truly like to study is Particle Physics, thats what I did my undergraduate research in, thats what I applied to, and gosh, thats what I enjoy and am good at. I didn't decide to apply to graduate school willy-nilly. I have seen my friends who don't sleep, hell, the one semester I took a full graduate load just to see what it was like. The EE graduate school is, for lack of a better alternative, a place to learn for me. I know it seems crazy, but thats the truth. I have gotten lots of pressure from my family (they are all prominent EE, hence the in) to look at EE as a possible alternative. Right now I am just weighing in my options on the different subjects. Honestly I would have no problem being a full time student.
Oh, and in physics my plan was to get a PhD and then become a professor.
In which case, you already know what you have to do:
1. Stick it out for another year, in this job or another one
2. Retake the GREs
3. Apply to 5 or 6 universities across a spread of institutions to do Particle Physics
4. See what happens
If you're planning on becoming a professor, then there is absolutely no reason for you to take EE. That's stupid talk, and it doesn't matter what your parents think on the subject.
Hunker down for a year and see what happens. Good luck
3clipse: The key to any successful marriage is a good mid-game transition.