here I am modding shit all day with a lowly MFA, getting denied by engineering departments because my work is 'too complex to be manufactured on a large scale'. Sadly engineers can never have free reign of their own projects anymore. Always gotta meet that bottom line for maximum margin...
DU EEETTTTT. But seriously, not to be a downer, I will say only do it if you're sure. I'd actually recommend working full time for a year or two if you think it won't mess you up when you go back to school (ex forget how to do math, etc.). Most MS students I know who went straight in after a BS didn't get nearly as much out of it as those who worked and went back in.
Sounds like you know what you're looking for then. A few people I know got the advanced degree + job only to find out "not what I wanted / expected" and have so far been somewhat to sorely disappointed in their careers but won't switch b/c of (IMO) sunk costs fallacy.
Anyways, go for it if you want it, just throwing out a rhetorical mental check... It pains me to see the above scenario play out in people's lives.
I agree with @penguins on taking a break, but not for money reasons (unless you really need money). I continuously went to school from kindergarten until I finished my Ph.D. I was burned out. I wish I took a year off after high school or getting my BS. Starting graduate school right away did not help me.
@spwath - For me it was paid for by the department. You usually earn it by working as a TA or working in a lab as a grad student. Liberal arts have to worry about tuition a bit more.
Basically don't worry about tuition for an acoustics program.
Thanks for the info, I might go for a Ph.D, thats where all the coolest stuff seems to be.
Ill talk to my advisor and my parents about this too, but ill start looking into things.
@spwath, of course I hardly know you, but you seem pretty comfortable and able with the academic thing. Looking forward to congratulating you on the PhD, maybe even Professor Spwath?
I can't comment on the field of acoustics but grad programs typically prioritize funding for PhD candidates. If your application is for the PhD, you can get funded through the MA, and if you decide to pull the ripcord when you get the MA, that degree won't have cost you anything.
I'd recommend taking the time to identify the best programs (they'll have the most $ for grad students) as well as the professors you'd work with - look for those whose specializations match your interests best, or else think about working with the bigger names in the field.
Definitely make use of profs at your current institution - find out where they went to grad school (should be on their faculty pages), and ask them for advice. You'll need them for letters of recommendation anyway, they can open doors with introductions, and networking can go a long way in smoothing the paths of applications.
Go to work for a place you like and gain real experience. Make sure they have an education reimbursement program so they will pay for your grad school. This is how I got degree #2 paid for.
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