Work or grad school

[whattodonext]

For as long as I can remember my dream was to be a teacher. So, I decided upon a B.A, and planned to get my certification or M.Ed, once I finished my B.A.

Well I finish my B.A in sociology this December, and I don’t want to be a teacher anymore. I started substituting this year, and would come home crying, or drained.
I started grinding my teeth in my sleep, I was so anxious and even though I had many different classes, schools, and age groups, I had the same reaction. I really am too sensitive to handle the classroom.

At this point I have no debt, but also no savings. My parents paid for my undergraduate degree, but said they would not pay for graduate studies. I also own a decent car with 50,000 miles on, hopefully it should be running well for years to come.


So I have a couple choices

1) I can go into the working world as a pharmaceuticals sales rep, or in an administrative position. I can perhaps get some non-profit community based job.


2) I can accumulate around 30-40k in debt for a Masters in Social Work, or perhaps another professional degree. This would be 2 more years of being a student and possibly studying for and taking the GRE.
Should I stay debt free, or get the more advanced degree? I am open to all careers, I think I could find one I like without getting a masters, but then I think the masters might open more doors for me in the future, and perhaps more income. I'm quite torn. My parents are pushing for the advanced degree because they think it will be more helpful to me...I don't know if I can handle anymore school, and 40k is a lot of money.

[wordsmith]

I had a similar experience...planned on teaching, got my BA in English and got ed certified for 7-12 language arts, and promptly figured out it wasn't for me.

I ended up spending some time doing youth work (same dedication to kids, without the stuff that made me anxious/angry in teaching), and then moving onto another application of my major, print journalism.

I can't justify paying for another degree at this point, so I've looked really just for things I can do with the one I've got.

[texasgirl]

I went to grad school and got a master's in a fast-paced degree program that allowed me to graduate in a year and a half. I basically did it to prolong the "real world," and while it wasn't a huuuge mistake, I think I would have been better off if I'd just started working and then used my job experiences to determine which field I'd be happiest in -- and if a master's would help my career in that chosen field. I graduated with an M.S. in management and then started working in journalism, which definitely did not require a master's. Now, I've become certified to teach (and have subbed and student taught, so I know what I'm getting myself into), and the corresponding salary only pays $1,000 more than I'd make without one. All of that to say that I'd think very carefully about going back to school if you're not absolutely certain that it would pay off long-term.

[Phenomenon]

I started grad school for socal work and hated it. I left and got a job, I haven't been able to find a job anywhere near decent with just my B.A. I've come to the conclusion, grad school and all kind of work sucks, and you just have to suck it up and do it. I'm going back to finish my masters, I figure if I have to be miserable I might as well make more than $8/hr.

[spiritedaway]

Thank you Texasgirl on your perspective. It's not often we see that perspective...from someone who's been there and done that. People should consider all the pros/cons and what works for them before going back to grad school.

[winneythepooh7]

I really think it's important to work a few years after undergrad, especially if you are not really positive about the type of professional degree you would like to pursue. Besides that, many employers nowadays offer perks such as paying for, or paying a portion of a professional degree. That's a really good perk!

[alanisjunkie]

What drives you to want an MSW? Do you know a lot of people with this degree and they've told you all (including the bad stuff) about social work? My friend got an MSW. He thought it was a great idea, help those help themselves. He learned with red tape, you can't get much done in the profession and is very depressed. He now has lots of loans, and a job he's stuck in to pay them off.

Grad school's good....IF you know EXACTLY what you are getting yourself into. I'd suggest taking a non-MSW required social work job to see if you actually like it. Or talk to current MSWs. Please don't think it's like the social work on TV.

[winneythepooh7]

I definitely recommend working in human services before pursuing a MSW. There are plenty of non-Master's level jobs that will help you determine if this is the field you want to pursue. I also recommend talking to MSW's in your area to get a feel for what types of jobs are hot right now, as well as the best ways to make a decent living in this field. Keep in mind as well, that just like any other field, you need to start out at the bottom even if you do have a MSW. I think I commented already in a similar thread you started about this topic, however, feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about my field.

[Deni81]

I agree with the posters who suggest working in the field a few years prior to starting your graduate studies. I think some people look at going to grad school as a delayment of reality. I graduated undergrad in 2003, worked for 2.5 years as a teacher/substitiute teacher before deciding on going back for my education related masters degree.

[winneythepooh7]

You may also be able to start out at a higher salary somewhere post-MSW if you've already worked for a few years in the human services field. That's VERY important because the field pays low enough as it is.