Rec
When youâre looking at multiple, grad-level programs itâs probably because you want something specific out of it. Look up the professors who will be teaching your classes - whoâs more in line with what you want to get out of the program? Have a question for one of them? - email them! Grad school is a lot of networking as much as just taking classes and doing research.
Mar 9, 2024
Related Recs
Rec
đMake sure you have some idea of why you want to do grad school. Don't just do it because you feel you need to, or want a distraction. And if your program requires a thesis/dissertation, make sure you are really passionate about the subject. Like, as passionate as the people who make three-hour video essays are.
Oct 17, 2024
Rec
đwhat school? What degree program? how is it being funded? why do you want to go to grad school - professional reasons? Do you want to enter academia?Â
donât pay an institution whose investment portfolio you have serious ethical qualms with for a masterâs degree - but you probably know that. Ideally you go somewhere where you get a TA or RA-ship and your tuition waived and where graduate student workers are unionized. Having done the PhD app process this past cycle, it involves a lot of cost benefit analysis, self interrogation, and vulnerability - keep stewing on the tension.
Somewhat related, breakdown of Columbiaâs finances from earlier this month by Adam Tooze. Maybe a good reminder know that the academyâs labor can audit the system?Â
donât pay an institution whose investment portfolio you have serious ethical qualms with for a masterâs degree - but you probably know that. Ideally you go somewhere where you get a TA or RA-ship and your tuition waived and where graduate student workers are unionized. Having done the PhD app process this past cycle, it involves a lot of cost benefit analysis, self interrogation, and vulnerability - keep stewing on the tension.
Somewhat related, breakdown of Columbiaâs finances from earlier this month by Adam Tooze. Maybe a good reminder know that the academyâs labor can audit the system?Â
May 17, 2024
Rec
đ(US perspective) at my school at least people frequently did double majors even in seemingly ârandomâ combos. interdisciplinary work is amazing, so you might find the overlap of both fields interesting (do some googling?). iâm also biased but sociology is like the macro version of psych and philosophy combined, so you may want to check that field out as well if you havenât yet!
i also think humanities are undervalued in theory but very useful in practice. unlike psychology, philosophy isnât really a âfieldâ unless you plan to become a scholar/professor one day, but youâd still graduate with valuable skills/knowledge. obviously someone hiring a therapist, would generally hire a psych, social work, etc student. but for a lot of other grad school programs and careers wouldnât be as partial to either field. for example, i once was even told by a lawyer that (American) law schools seek diversity of academic backgrounds, and sometimes prefer or at least equally value philosophy students to pre-law students.
you should also look into each program at your school, as they can differ by school. you might find the philosophy or psych programs at your chosen school actually donât match any of your interests or goals, and that is a deciding factor to go with one over the other. ie, maybe you want to study the philosophy of gender but there are no female or gender-focused philosophy profs at your school; or maybe you want to do child psychology but no courses on that or related topics are ever offered. or, maybe you can do a double major to cover all your interest areas.
my very very hot take (in America at least) is that if you have multiple career interests or a career interest that doesnât require very specialized skills (jobs like becoming a doctor or a visual artist, for example), i wouldnât make whatâs most employable your main factor. a well-rounded student from most backgrounds can find ways to find a good jobs in their field of choice. and excelling in a field youâre passionate about is MUCH easier than forcing yourself to study a subject you lack interest in but feel is more practical.
and of course if you havenât started school yet iâd recommend spending your first semester with an intro course in each subject area youâre interested, if possible, so you can see sooner rather than later how you feel. and speak to the professors about their programs etc for a feel of the vibes lol
good luck! :)
Aug 30, 2024
Top Recs from @vin
Rec
I work on a college campus where we have this statue of a rat with giant balls and it has become a regular phenomenon for students/people to offer their vapes to the ball rat. It is both so silly and so beautiful to me.