Reply #75: Congratulations, Dr. [View All]

:)

I actually racked up a significant portion of that debt pursuing a Masters in history. By the time I realized that landing a decent job (i.e. tenure track) was akin to winning the lottery, I had already spent three years and thousands of dollars chasing my dream.

The reason I was in an MA program for three years is because I chose to work while going to grad school, in order to lessen the burden concomitant to borrowing. I had a full tuition waver my last year in the program. Didn't make any difference, I still incurred tens of thousands in debt just paying tuition.

I went back to get an MBA, which I completed, and I was offered a full ride for an MS in Industrial and Labor Relations.

So I should be OK when all is said and done, but anyone who thanks that an advanced degree can be attained without accruing a significant amount of debt is either wealthy, naive, disingenuous, or just an asshole.

And yet, despite my situation, I am fully cognizant of the fact that the meager wages offered to those without such credentials are utterly appalling. In today's United States, your choices are, by and large, to work for a maximum wage of perhaps $15 / hour, $20 / hour at absolute best, or incur an insane amount of debt in the quest to carve out a decent life for yourself.

Thank you kindly, 1%...

P.S. I actually wrote about 1/2 of my would-have-been thesis. Food rationing in the UK during WWII. PM me if you'd be interested in perusing it some time.