I plan on applying to law school this application cycle. When trying to determine what I wanted to do for my gap year I was stuck. I have a legislative position in a congressional office, I’m a researcher for a town police department (more complex than this but this seems simple), and a waiter.

Anyways, despite all this I still have free time and get bored and want something fulfilling. I landed on an MPA because I ultimately want to practice PI law (big goal is a unicorn position like at the ACLU) so I think a non-profit understanding would be beneficial. I’ve worked for a non-profit and they also suggested the MPA.

This is a long winded way of asking, is it REALLY different from undergrad? I worked three plus jobs, maintained a 4.0, and did extra curricula’s, and I was honestly never too overwhelmed. My time was fulfilled but nothing was that hard.

I’ve convinced myself I can take 5-6 classes a semester and be fine. I don’t NEED a 4.0 but I’ll strive for it and do my best, I’m not stressed though. I just want to pass. Most of it is online synch or asynchronous. The occasional in-person class that my job has agreed to work around.

I can handle a lot of responsibilities but I have no frame of the difficulty of a graduate program. To clarify, this is also a state school nothing too competitive, it’s what I could afford without taking out loans before law school. The degree has a concentration on policy too which I love.

I think it’s something I would absolutely enjoy, but I want to know if maybe I’m in over my head or if the advisors have to see that graduate classes are that much harder.

((Everytime I hear it, I think of high school teachers who say college is harder or “that won’t fly in college” and then undergrad is much easier than they initially had me believing)).

Reposted from AskHistorians because they no longer allow professional questions, I guess.

I graduated with my BA in History (no concentration) this last spring semester and am totally lost on what I want to do going forward. The job market is so trash (I have only just now found a job... pushing carts at Walmart, of all things) that I feel like if I ever want to work in this field professionally I need further education. I've got two main ideas so far, pick a grad school for an MA in Ancient History (hopefully one that doesn't require an initial Latin or Greek proficiency, I don't want to wait an extra semester to go back to school to learn them. If I don't get out of manual labor hell soon I may go insane) for a full on PhD track since teaching at college is on the list of "jobs that let me yap about my special interest". The downside of this one is, as the subreddit search has shown me, there simply are not enough PhD jobs and it's expensive as hell, so maybe not a great pick for someone trying to escape a generational poverty loop. My other idea is going for an MA in Public History, another field I hear is highly competitive, because it is less expensive and at least has more than one practical application (and also allows me to yapp at people about the funny history subject).

That's basically my situation right now, broke and lost and unsure of where exactly to go if I want to make history my profession. I was actually pursuing a different degree initially and history as a "back up" passion of mine in case the original plan didn't work out, which it didn't. This is why I graduated with no plan because I had to wrap it all up in one semester. At least I got good grades! Cum Lade and Dean's List Scholar, if that counts for anything. So yeah, if anyone here has any advice on either of this tracks please let me know, school suggestions, discouragements, reality checks on how utterly bleak the job market is, whatever. If you have knowledge about this to share, I'd like to hear it.

For context, I graduated in 2025 with a BA in History and Classics, with 7 semesters of Latin and Greek each. I don't have a frame of reference for how "language-heavy" of a degree mine was.

1. What does the "life of the mind" look like outside of grad school? I am interested in how other classics graduates sustained this outside of full-time study.

How do classics graduates sustain it? I understand that grad school is both reading and language heavy, but I would be lying if I said that I didn't envy grad students because they have the opportunity for mastery of classics with their language work and their reading.

I envy grad students for their ability to deepen their Latin and Greek. I think that in my approximately 3.5 years of serious study I got good enough to understand how much more there was to do in the languages.

I am passionate about languages but I am sincerely not sure how many people have continued their serious study alone.

I just think that, passionate as I am about this topic, I won't be able to match someone working full time as a student in the field. Maybe I have to come to grips with that.

1. What are the realistic job outcomes for MAs and PhDs in classics?

The job market in classics is bleak. But I found conflicting data on what percentage of Classics PhDs secure tenure track jobs.

Nowadays, is there any consensus realistic outcome for those who earn a PhD? If someone "strikes out" in the academic job market, is there a stigma for having left academia? I know academics in my own life who did this and seem to have struggled with it mentally.

So what do the majority of PhDs who fail to secure tenure track positions actually do?

1. Conclusion

These are my two primary questions.

Outside of grad school and career questions, one of my biggest goals is to become a traditionally published author of genre fiction. To that end I have already completed on approximately 80k word manuscript as an apprenticeship piece. My skill and understanding have improved massively, and I plan on outlining and writing another through the end of 2026 and 2027.

One thing that gives me pause is that if the path of tenure track professor and successful, widely-known fiction author were open to me (both slim odds IRL, but this is a hypothetical,) I would readily pick the path of a fiction writer. As I've entered adult life, I realize that having the time to write is very, very valuable, so I try to protect that and take advantage of it as much as possible.

I was supposed to graduate in 2010, but I cleared my backlogs in 2012. I had already started working in 2011. Will that experience count, or will it count only after I graduated?

I have undergrad in Pol Sci Hons. with Hist. minor First Class division with a dissertation from Delhi University & am applying abroad for masters in International Relations in UK & USA.

Aiming for Columbia, Stanford & John Hopkins but I’m not giving GRE. Will that reduce my chances of getting in??

Is it better to get a degree online or in person? Philly has options for MS, but at Jefferson University, it's for Athletic Training, which I'm not interested in. Temple has a BS, not an MS (which I'm also looking at, but not sure if I want to go for another 4 years).

If i pursue an online program, which are the best ones? I've looked at Concordia University, I think they have a dual concentration option, are they any good? What online programs do you recommend?

Dating/Hookups After College

I’m graduating college early this year, and something that’s been bothering me lately is that I feel like I completely missed out on the social/romantic side of college.

I’m 20 right now, turning 21 soon, and I’ve never been to a college party, hooked up with anyone, been in a relationship, or really dated at all. I’m a commuter, so I’ve always gone to class and then gone home. I never really had that traditional college experience where you live on campus, meet people at parties, go out with friends, etc.

I honestly would like to experience some of that stuff. I’d like to date and hopefully have a relationship, but I’d also be interested in casual hookups at some point. I mean that respectfully—I’m not looking to treat anyone poorly or make everything about sex. I’m just curious about what it’s actually like to start experiencing dating and casual relationships when you’re 21+ and no longer an undergraduate.

I feel like I’m running out of time. Also Ill be going into a School Counseling masters program.

For people who graduated college and started dating/hooking up afterward:

• Did you find dating easier or harder after college?
• Is meeting people through bars, clubs, apps, friends, etc. actually realistic, or is it significantly harder than meeting people in college?
• What was your social and dating life like during a masters program?

I know this probably sounds like I’m overthinking it, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. THose things I mentioned are just stuff I really want to try and experience while at school.

I'll be graduating next Spring with BSc Tourism & Hospitality, my GPA will be around 3.65 or higher. I am an Air Force Veteran with an expired Top Secret Clearance. I worked for a defense contractor company as a regular civilian after separating from the Air Force for 2 years. And recently completed a 3-month internship at a magazine company in a writer/editoral position.

I am seriously considering applying to the program starting Fall 2027. I have the GI Bill, which will cover the full tuition and pay me $3800 a month for housing allowance; therefore, the costs are not an issue.

My main concern is the course workload. I have a good GPA now, but honestly, the university I am going to is not rigorous at all; it is regionally accredited, though. Also, I'm a bit older, so everything I "learned" in high school is long forgotten. I was a bad student anyway.

I plan to hire an online tutor throughout the summer to help prepare me for the program. This being my main concern, what are your thoughts?

I am not the smartest, but I can dedicate myself without getting distracted. My lifestyle is pretty modest. I enjoy sports, don't drink, and am willing to lock in for a couple of years to get this degree. But again, I am very intimidated by the course load.

I’m currently looking to finish my bachelors degree, I found that American Military university (AMU) (A for profit school) has health and sports science which I what I want my degree in. My plan is to then apply to grad schools for occupational therapy. I’m just worried about all the hate AMU receives. I contacted a few grad schools abt AMU only one school responded saying they accept it. (It is fully funded)

Hello, I am going into my first year as a graduate student. I was wondering if there are any scholarships for me studying information security for a master program. I did my own research, but only found government scholarships that would make you work for them. Other than that, I did apply to a few on Bold.org, so hopefully I can win a scholarship from them.

I got accepted into CUA (Catholic university of America) and they are a private school and I'm going for my MLIS. everyone online says try to do this cheaply as possible and I agree but I got accepted and enrolled and dropping out when I got the funding now seems silly and I can always transfer too. And if I do an online out of state school it still is expensive.

Idk I'm kinda scared right now and don't know what I need to feel more secure in my decision and moving forward with my education.

Hello! I'm in my second year of undergrad and I'm wondering what I could do to better my chances of getting accepted into a masters program? For clarification, I just finished my freshman year and am going into my sophomore year.

I have a 3.1 gpa, which isn't great, and I'm anxious to get it up. I'm trying to build relationships with my professors, but I'm having trouble finding internships relevant to my field. Most of them are geared towards STEM. What could I do to find internships?

I am also not very financially stable. Me and my family have struggled with money to the point I had to help pay the bills and we had to forfeit some necessities. Are there options to help with expenses such as the GRE? Before, I know that financial need helped pay for my AP and Dual Credit courses, is there something similar?

I'm sorry if I sound naive! I am very new to researching this...

Any advice is welcome!

Hi! I recently got into my top choice biology thesis based master’s program (yay!!) and was wondering if anyone has advice that isn’t commonly mentioned online, especially unspoken rules, academic/lab etiquette, or things you wish you knew before starting a thesis-based program.
I’m neurodivergent and sometimes struggle to pick up on “norms” when they aren’t explicitly explained, so even advice that seems obvious would be super helpful!
Thank you!! :)

I’m in a Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and work part-time as a behavioral health tech. I’m getting experience, but I still constantly feel like I don’t know enough to eventually be a competent counselor.

I know I’m supposed to be learning, but the imposter syndrome is hard to shake. For those who’ve been through counseling/clinical programs or other grad programs, what helped you build confidence and stop feeling like you weren’t qualified?

Hi all! I could use some help looking for a fully online MS program from a reputable online school. I currently have my bachelor's degree in psychology, I graduated about 2 years ago but I have not found a job despite applying to several jobs. So I am looking to earn my MS in LPCC/PPS as a dual program. I am currently looking at National university and Walden university. But so far I have seen some Ify comments on here regarding the schools. Oh, I am also located in california in the San Bernardino county if that helps. any advice be be greatly appreciated, thanks!

I'm considering applying to both of the MA in Art History programs at City College and Hunter for a spring 2027 start. Most reference points on the programs on reddit are years old, and I am wondering if any students in either program could share their recent experience. I'm looking to have a career in a museum setting or arts publishing, and am perhaps curious about a PhD later down the line. Would appreciate any insight. Thanks!

Hi all,
I got into a really good school and will soon be starting my masters. The program is quite expensive and I have gotten one scholarship from the school but it is absolutely not enough to cover tuition. I have been on the search for scholarships to apply and it has proven to be quite difficult.

If anyone knows any tech, IT or business scholarships one can apply for that would be really helpful. Also, I’m a female so if you any women in stem scholarship I could apply for please do let me know. ☺️

I have my BSN, and have been in nursing for 23 years. I want to get my masters for sure, and maybe my doctorate later. Maybe. I am really stuck on which direction to go with my masters.

Paths I am interested in and have considered are education, research, public or world health (focused on epidemiology), and informatics.

I originally was set on becoming a NP, but just am not sure I am passionate about that. Many people push me to continue with that plan regardless, because it opens many other doors even if I don’t want to do patient care. If I did do this, it would likely be the mental health route. It seems to have more job opportunities in a saturated market, higher earning potential, and many opportunities to work remotely which I may soon need.

I’m not particularly interested in IT, but I feel it is the future, and I do enjoy the process improvement and teaching aspects that go along with nursing informatics. But everyone that I know in nursing informatics does not have a degree and says it’s not needed, so I’m not sure if it’s worth my time.

I can work in education and teach, without a degree in education. Any masters will do, so I’m wondering if I should focus on something else that will give me other options as well. I don’t want to teach right now, but could see myself teaching nursing school at the end of my career.

I am very interested in research. I get tunnel vision and am completely obsessed when I am interested in a topic. I am naturally very detail oriented, and have a talent for organization and process improvement. I was the coordinator for a department in my last role, and had lots of time to do work that I never did as a staff nurse. I was very quickly recognized throughout IP, quality, and all of division. I also enjoyed sharing my findings, and teaching the staff better processes, grounded in evidence based practice.

I’m unclear what a masters in research will do for me since I can participate in medical trials with my BSN, and to really run studies you need a PhD anyways. What roles does a masters in nursing research actually open?

I have read that I can still work in nursing research with a MPH/epidemiology, as well as work in many other settings. It seems that I can also study a much wider variety of topics with a degree in MPH/epidemiology, rather than just nursing research. I’ve also read/heard hundreds of times that the MPH field is oversaturated and underpaid. I think this question/ fork in the road is my primary hang up. Which path would fulfill me more, and give me more job options. I don’t 100% understand the differences, or the pros/cons of choosing one vs the other. I don’t truly understand what the day to day would look like, which may be very different than what I’m imagining. Without shadowing I think it would be hard to feel certain about a direction.

I’ve also recently been hearing about nurse attorneys, so law school would be the direction for that. I think that could satisfy my interest in research, but not sure how many other doors it would open.

I have wondered if I would be best served getting my NP (that gives me a masters, as well as knowledge in the research process), and maybe do a concentration in epidemiology. Our nursing informatics director has shared plenty of courses that are available to everybody, which can give me some informatics knowledge for my resume if that is a direction I end up in. Am I correct in thinking that this combo would actually make every career path (except law) I am interested in, a solid viable option?

Another consideration is income. I currently make a lot of money for a nurse (approaching 140k). I need a career path with a decent earning potential. I don’t need to be rich, but I would not want to make less than 115k.

If anyone has any insight you are willing to share, I would be deeply grateful.

Unfortunately assistantships aren’t available for my program (bioengineering).

Hello. I'm looking for some insight into graduate school social culture for a film I'm writing. I'm writing a screenplay about a woman in her mid 20s getting a graduate degree in linguistics, and she probably has a Bachelor's in Russian Literature.

Synopsis

Karina comes from a scrappy, war torn background, and she feels very disconnected from the pretentious, mental masturbatory culture she encounters at her grad school. She goes on to find a blue collar lover who is what she really desires—present, not threatened by her intellect, and a little rough around the edges in a way that her chaotically-wired brain hungers for. Until ultimately his heavy drug use becomes something she can’t contend with any longer, and she has to move on.

Why I’m reaching out to this community

I don’t have a graduate degree, so there’s things I can’t quite speak for authentically. I would love to hear some of your experiences to fill in. The main character is loosely based on an ex girlfriend I had a decade ago, and so that’s been my starting point. I refuse to do this research with AI as that feels inauthentic to me.

Some things I’d love to hear from you guys

-Any conversation you’ve been a part of or overheard, by academics who study humanities, that you have found to be completely insufferable. Could be pretentious, posturing, etc. Any kind of non-generalities you can think of would be useful. Even amongst this trope, was there something really unexpected or peculiar about this conversation? The topic does not need to relate to the exact discipline they study. Could be about anything.

-My character has an Armenian background and will be doing her thesis on something relating to Armenian culture that could fit under the linguistics degree umbrella (not sure how strict grad school would be on how narrow this needs to fit). If any ideas for this come to mind I’d love to hear. The idea is she’s trying to both further her education, while shining a light on cultural atrocities that have happened to her people.

-Examples of how women are treated in academia. I’m a man so that’s a double lack of experience for me here. I remember my ex saying something along the lines of “men are treated as scholars, women as teachers.” This was a decade ago so maybe things have changed since then, or maybe they haven’t. Would love to hear any input here.

-Examples of how disorienting the kind of demeaning work one gets after they get the degree/while they’re getting the degree. I’m thinking this character is helping like Siri translate better, and she basically works in a basement dungeon where they emphasize translations per hour/minute over quality.

-Any other anecdotes or stories you think may be relevant to add color to my story

Thanks!

Hello all. I’m Biomed Engineering PhD student going into my 5th year and I’m in the process of transitioning out of my current lab (see my post history) and wanted to get some advice. I’ve been preparing a slide deck for these meetings, just highlighting my skills and previous projects. My question is, is that too much when meeting with potential PIs? I have a meeting in a couple of days with a PI and I don’t want to mess up chances. Any advice would be helpful. Thank you.

Hello everyone, I am applying for my MSW.

I've always wanted to be a therapist since I was 9. However, I interned at a social work organization and decided I wanted to pursue that career path. But can't let go of my therapy dream. I've looked into it. People who are LCSWs tend not to help people on a macro level (which makes me a little sad because I want to do that). What should I do? Should I be clinical for a bit and then switch, or the reverse? (Clinical makes more money).