Reply to W&M vs. uVA for someone who wants to go for a humanities PhD after undergrad?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I recently came across a former colleague from a respected humanities PhD program who is working at a grocery store. It's a large, nice grocery store, and a management position, but still.[/quote]

They’re making more than they would as a tenured professor in the humanities. [/quote]

Irrelevant. Those are two completely different career paths. The tenured faculty prof went from college into a PhD (or Master’s then PhD program). During this time they are taught pedagogy and usually work as a TA or assistant at the college level. Then they submit applications to colleges and universities looking for someone to teach at the entry level in their field, usually for a pittance. They all know this fact before they even send out applications for the post-grad program. Then they start as an Assistant or associate professor and publish or perish. A lot perish. With very good luck they make tenure and make $67k to $80, which is why most moonlight.

The HOS is usually a fluke occurrence to fortunate private high school faculty who work their way up through private but are recognized as an excellent teacher with an agreeable personality and have fund-raising skills. Most do not have PhDs because they start teaching with the four year degree and sometimes but not always have teaching certificate. Many work towards getting a Master’s of Education on the side. (Our public high school prof did a doctorate in night school. They demonstrate their interest and hopefully get raised through their own private school, or they start sending out applications after getting the masters. Many HOS jump around as they move up the ladder. There are many more humanities profs than private secondary or high school HOS (only 3,400 in the US). A great one with the needed skill set is hard to find and deserving of a high salary but that’s only after he or she develops a track record as assistant HOS or Head of private elementary or middle school. And demonstrates competence, fund raising skills, personnel management skills, is skilled at teamwork, leadership and fundraising. Most educators don’t have all the qualities they make a good HOS.
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