I know this is a controversial point of view, but the recommendation I consistently give friends is: don't go to grad school unless you get a stipend and tuition waiver (that's how my PhD program was funded). If you can't get into a grad school program that offers you this, then perhaps you're not academically good enough for it. Work for a bit and re apply later.
If you're starting your career with debt in a field that can't even pay for the value you will add, how do you expect things to get any better?
Especially if you're American, you have two things going on for you: you speak English fluently, and American universities tend to be better recognized internationally (for example, my European undergrad was not recognized by American grad schools, and I had to spend a year in the UK to round off an "official" BSc.) Leverage that to go to grad school abroad: your profile will be desirable there.
> don't go to grad school unless you get a stipend and tuition waiver
That actually sounds like some of the least controversial advice I've every heard about grad school, at least on the science-y side (maybe things are different in the humanities?). In fact, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone with a Ph.D. who didn't agree with that statement.
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[ 3.7 ms ] story [ 18.5 ms ] threadI have no doubt she'll get that dream though... :)
If you're starting your career with debt in a field that can't even pay for the value you will add, how do you expect things to get any better?
Especially if you're American, you have two things going on for you: you speak English fluently, and American universities tend to be better recognized internationally (for example, my European undergrad was not recognized by American grad schools, and I had to spend a year in the UK to round off an "official" BSc.) Leverage that to go to grad school abroad: your profile will be desirable there.
That actually sounds like some of the least controversial advice I've every heard about grad school, at least on the science-y side (maybe things are different in the humanities?). In fact, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find someone with a Ph.D. who didn't agree with that statement.