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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I do not want to waste my life running for a seat that I will have very little chance of winning[/quote]

Then you really don't want to make your goal to become a classics professor...[/quote]
PaleoCon here 
Unfortunately, you're probably right. With the way the academic job market is right now, and with my views being very radical, I doubt I'd have much of a chance at landing a tenured professorship.  My only shot would be if one of those small Classical Christian colleges had an opening, but that's not a safe bet, as they rarely ever have one. I'm living in a very gloomy time period. 100 or even 50 years ago, my chances at becoming an academic would've been a whole lot better than they are now. It saddens me, because I think being a Classics professor is something I'd really enjoy doing. Along with teaching Classics, I'd get into political philosophy. I'd write articles for all the prominent Paleoconservative publications, and probably write several boks.   I could teach Latin & Greek at a prep school, but they don't pay very well, and I want to have a large family. I'm going to focus all of my attention in undergrad on academics. The reason my grades and scores are only slightly above average is because I don't put in any effort. At my best, I can be a top student. If I can get top grades, and improve my grammar/writing, then I'll have a better shot at achieving my goal.  I don't really have any other career ideas besides law and academe. I'm certainly not going into finance, medicine, or anything manual. I am a heavy reader who loves studying the Classics, political philosophy, and history. Some have suggested that I go into the ministry, but I don't have the calling. Like I said, the time period and job market are very gloomy.  Even though I'm a pretty chearful guy, it's hard not to fall into despair when I think about it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. All I can do is trust in God and see what happens. [/quote]

PaleoCon, I agree with pretty much nothing you stand for, but it has always impressed me that you are willing and able to come on these boards and hold your own with people who are mostly, presumably, much older than you.  That said, I think you have a long time to explore potentially broader career options than corporate attorney or college professor.  Also, I wouldn't count on a college professorship being that much more lucrative than a prep school teacher...neither one pays particularly well.  And it's quite possible that by the time you are finishing your PhD there are almost no tenured positions left in the Classics...meaning you'd be piecing together a living off adjunct positions.

I have a STEM PhD.  I graduated 8 years ago, and the job market was pretty gloomy for academics when I entered grad school as well.  But careers are not all doom and gloom.  If you go into whatever you are doing with eyes wide open, and willing and able to accept the financial hit from foregone earnings in your 20s, then you can do a lot of things with your life.  I got my PhD out of genuine interest in what I was doing, and I actually had little interest in becoming an academic.  Yes, it probably lowered my lifetime earnings, but I've been able to do some pretty interesting things because of my education.  Who knows, maybe you end up at a think tank.  I generally discourage people from getting any kind of PhD, and I would do the same to you, but if you are able to be honest with yourself and realistic about what a PhD does and does not give you, it can also be rewarding.  But it's sort of the equivalent of being a ski bum throughout your 20s.  Do it for fun, not as a career step.[/quote]

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