DD wants to take a year off before graduate school... anyone BTDT?

[Anonymous]

Just curious: What is her plan for paying for graduate school?

[Anonymous]

Charge her a (low) rent. Shes, what, 22 years old and post graduate? Totally age appropriate to start pushing it to be on her own.

My parents helped me too post college (and as an undergrad they paid for college...so long as it was in-state) , but in order to not let me become too complacent and too comfy living with mommy & daddy they charged me $100/mo. Not enough to break me or make it too hard, but enough to make me appreciate my paycheck and the value of a dollar.

It made me work hard. And it made me grateful. And it brought in reality and being an adult and that this is life. I realized, too, that the benefits of grad school didnt pay off as much as I envisioned given the cost of tuition and the time/experience of a real job that I would lose out on bc I had class(es).

Just a thought

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She should work in a related field/job to see if her planned career is actually a good fit before she takes on the cost and time of grad school.

At this point she knows she wasn’t able to do that well in the subject as an undergrad. Is this purely about time? It could be it’s not a good match for her strengths? In any case, try to get as close as possible to the planned job so you can go in informed (or decide not to do it). There are hardly any journalism jobs these days, for example—she’s having trouble getting one now, but is it actually going to help to have a journalism masters?

Her in-major GPA was a 3.4 - it was mainly physics and foreign language that brought the total GPA down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious: What is her plan for paying for graduate school?

She got full tuition undergrad paid for, so we are using her (mostly untouched) 529 to pay for grad school.

[Anonymous]

I hate unpaid internships. I think they should be illegal.

BUT, as a hiring manager or even an admissions person, I would want to see her doing something with this year that furthers her career goals.

If it were my child, I'd have her do a part-time internship / fellowship in something related AND work the retail job.

[Anonymous]

I know you said you're not in DC, but the Capitals (sorry, Stanley Cup Champion Capitals!) just posted a communications internship that specified producing content and doing statistical research. Maybe suggest she explore that? I'm not sure if it's paid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She should work in a related field/job to see if her planned career is actually a good fit before she takes on the cost and time of grad school.

At this point she knows she wasn’t able to do that well in the subject as an undergrad. Is this purely about time? It could be it’s not a good match for her strengths? In any case, try to get as close as possible to the planned job so you can go in informed (or decide not to do it). There are hardly any journalism jobs these days, for example—she’s having trouble getting one now, but is it actually going to help to have a journalism masters?

Her in-major GPA was a 3.4 - it was mainly physics and foreign language that brought the total GPA down.

It's more than just physics and foreign language that dragged a 3.4 down to a 2.7. Honestly, that looks really bad, to have such a huge split. And a 3.4 in-major isn't impressive, certainly not to a top tier school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mom. Land the helicopter. She is an adult.

+100. I feel suffocated just reading OP’s post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know you said you're not in DC, but the Capitals (sorry, Stanley Cup Champion Capitals!) just posted a communications internship that specified producing content and doing statistical research. Maybe suggest she explore that? I'm not sure if it's paid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She should work in a related field/job to see if her planned career is actually a good fit before she takes on the cost and time of grad school.

At this point she knows she wasn’t able to do that well in the subject as an undergrad. Is this purely about time? It could be it’s not a good match for her strengths? In any case, try to get as close as possible to the planned job so you can go in informed (or decide not to do it). There are hardly any journalism jobs these days, for example—she’s having trouble getting one now, but is it actually going to help to have a journalism masters?

Her in-major GPA was a 3.4 - it was mainly physics and foreign language that brought the total GPA down.

It's more than just physics and foreign language that dragged a 3.4 down to a 2.7. Honestly, that looks really bad, to have such a huge split. And a 3.4 in-major isn't impressive, certainly not to a top tier school.

OP - you sound like you have a lot of excuses.

And why cant your DD find a job in her field - she honestly can't find a job in PR or HR or any media/TV/radio or even with a temp agency to get the ball rolling and get pertinent work experience under her belt?? You claim there is nothing in this area for her so why doesn't your DD apply outside the area?

What did she do for summer jobs in college ? She can't work any connections from that? Let me guess...she's refusing to consider entry level jobs?

[Anonymous]

I took four years off.

[Anonymous]

OP, this educational track zero sense to me. It feels like I must be missing something. I see where she might have the background for a journalism masters if she has a communications degree. But journalism and CS? What in the world do you do with a journalism and CS double masters?

Does your DC has a CS background? Did she major in CS in college? Has she interned or researched in CS? It seems like we are missing part of the story here. I have a risin g high school senior who is applying to college CS programs and interning this summer, FFS. You can’t just decide to get a masters in CS without the math and CS BS undergrad. If she has the background to go on for a masters in CS, why in the world is she not spending the gap year in a real world CS job?

CS is a field where actual, on the job experience is much more important than an MS. My DH is the chief software architect for a company without having ever been to grad school. Stopped at a BS and has never been limited by not having a grad degree in CS. Many of his best hires don’t have more than a BS either. Unless you are going to teach, you need good, practical experience much more than an advanced degree. For that matter, actual experience in journalism will probably get your DC further than an MS in journalism.

So step 1: what is the end goal?

Also, I agree with PPs. A 2.7 GPA is going to make getting into a good grad school hard. And communications is a super easy major in many schools. A 3.4 in communications is underwhelming. If she was making Cs or Ds in physics, that is not going to help her get into a good CS program. Those are super competitive.

PP is right. You have a lot of excuses. She only has a low GPA because... She only has low GREs because... She can’t get a real job in her major because... She never interned or got work experience in her field in college because... saying But she worked for the school paper is not the same as real world, summer and school year internships.

But If this is my kid, once they graduate from college, they support themselves. If they live in my house, they pay me fair market rent, and I put it in a savings account to give back to them to help them set up their first apartment or a cushion when they go out on their own. Everything else, they pay for.

I would not pay for grad school just because their 529 still has money in it. I’m sure some school will take your money. But no good program is going to take a kid who says she wants CS and journalism, but does not have a CS major, and has not done a CS internship or worked in CS, and has no journalism experience, except a school paper. And has a weak GPA. And meh GREs.

Make your DD go the time honored route of working two jobs that suck to make ends meet. And when she pulls it together enough to develop a resume that will get her into a top grad program— and she has a career goal that really requires the education, then revisit. Right now, she sounds aimless. And that the plan is to put off the real world for 4-5 years while she lives at home and works PT and then gets two grad degrees she might not need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know you said you're not in DC, but the Capitals (sorry, Stanley Cup Champion Capitals!) just posted a communications internship that specified producing content and doing statistical research. Maybe suggest she explore that? I'm not sure if it's paid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She should work in a related field/job to see if her planned career is actually a good fit before she takes on the cost and time of grad school.

At this point she knows she wasn’t able to do that well in the subject as an undergrad. Is this purely about time? It could be it’s not a good match for her strengths? In any case, try to get as close as possible to the planned job so you can go in informed (or decide not to do it). There are hardly any journalism jobs these days, for example—she’s having trouble getting one now, but is it actually going to help to have a journalism masters?

Her in-major GPA was a 3.4 - it was mainly physics and foreign language that brought the total GPA down.

It's more than just physics and foreign language that dragged a 3.4 down to a 2.7. Honestly, that looks really bad, to have such a huge split. And a 3.4 in-major isn't impressive, certainly not to a top tier school.

OP - you sound like you have a lot of excuses.

And why cant your DD find a job in her field - she honestly can't find a job in PR or HR or any media/TV/radio or even with a temp agency to get the ball rolling and get pertinent work experience under her belt?? You claim there is nothing in this area for her so why doesn't your DD apply outside the area?

What did she do for summer jobs in college ? She can't work any connections from that? Let me guess...she's refusing to consider entry level jobs?

3.4 in her major still isn't all that great (unless it was engineering, which I doubt given the physics trouble).

Mom, time to step away from the daughter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I took four years off.

I took three years off, then paid my way through night law school by working full-time during the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took four years off.

I took three years off, then paid my way through night law school by working full-time during the day.

I took off 5. The only problem was the my biological clock started ticking very loud while I was writing my dissertation. It was not a good time to get pregnant, but I did.