Comments on: Reasons for Attending Graduate School

By: allise

allise — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:20:51 +0000

not ever high school can help everyone

By: Intyalle

Intyalle — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:02:42 +0000

Same here

By: Danielle

Danielle — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:08:48 +0000

Unless, of course, you’re super slick and are getting your doctorate with an assistantship or a fellowship?

Science field win!

By: imnotpeaseblossom

imnotpeaseblossom — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:01:33 +0000

I love this ^-^ And I’m totally going for scholarly ambition! (…yeah)

By: pompernikkle

pompernikkle — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 07:15:31 +0000

ahahaha! that’s great! I love it.

I wish I was in grad school. T.T

By: D-chi

D-chi — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:58:53 +0000

lulz @ your first paragraph.
(Is a job really easier than grad school? because I’m really considering stopping after I get my Bachelor’s.)

By: D-chi

D-chi — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:56:47 +0000

I, too, would like a real job.

By: D-chi

D-chi — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:55:30 +0000

Unless you’re getting a music performance degree, in which case if you’re still in school at that point, you obviously don’t have the skillz to get a job.

By: D-chi

D-chi — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:53:08 +0000

Paying tens of thousands of dollars to park in front of a Starbucks….?

By: LJ

LJ — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 04:51:28 +0000

exactly, see if I don’t go to grad school…I need to pay my student loans.

By: scf

scf — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:22:48 +0000

This was me in grad school. No idea what I wanted to do, so more school! There is a reason I quit….

Of course now I am considering going back for ‘Job I want to change to requirews a graduate degree.’

By: RJ

RJ — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:13:38 +0000

Wow. You not only became the elitist you derided in this tirade, you made it political? I can’t believe you didn’t throw an abortion reference and religion into your argument.

You are way too serious to ever read a graphjam again. Stay away.

I am so late on this response. Geez.

By: Sunbunny

Sunbunny — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 04:23:14 +0000

BAs are the new High School Diploma. Masters are the new BAs. Doctorates are the only thing that impress people anymore, and those only because you get called “Doctor” when people address you. I doubt that will ever stop being cool.

By: Jenaroo

Jenaroo — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 22:05:18 +0000

Wait a second.. you’re saying going to graduate school is easier than getting a real job? Did you even get as far as graduate school? Because that’s the most ignorant statement I’ve heard since Obama became president.

How do you avoid a real job by going to graduate school? Do you just live off your loan money and ignore the later consequence of enormous debt? Obviously the majority of the population has to hold some sort of job during school to at least feed themselves, because not everyone was born with a silver spoon in their mouth, has scholarship help, or wants that kind of debt.

My father had to work full time when he was in grad school. He still claims it was the biggest struggle of his life and he nearly cracked under the pressure. So if you’re a rich over-indulged asshole who wants to avoid the inevitable, then I guess this chart is for you to laugh at.

By: littleriver1

littleriver1 — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:31:37 +0000

4 some, 4 years of listening to wide eye academics babble endlessly about their visions of socialist nirvana aren’t enough. They need to get MS degrees so they can listen to the ranting for another year or two. It’s very enlightening I’ve heard.

By: tina

tina — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:54:07 +0000

HAHA what a relief I clicked on this expecting a wishy washy list of reasons meant. to guilt me into applying but this was hilariously true. “I don’t know what to do with my life” should definitely be thrown in there though

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 23:49:57 +0000

Glutton for punishment should be a larger portion of the chart…

By: marckus

marckus — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:47:09 +0000

Bill Gates , Michael Dell dropped out of school because it limited their time suceed. Avoiding your debts by racking up more debt? I guess you need to enroll in some basic math courses before you do something you will regret someday.

By: jill

jill — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:28:21 +0000

how ’bout a category “still haven’t figured out what to do with my life” (that was me until a few months ago!)

By: downshift

downshift — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:48:11 +0000

perspective description WIN!!

& I am definitely considering leaving grad school should a proper job come up on the horizon

By: Grandevil

Grandevil — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:02:40 +0000

The only people who think graduate school is easier than a “real job” have the worldly perspective of the inside of their own asshole.

I would much rather have a real job than be in graduate school now, but because I want a better “real job” I am suffering through the exhaustive and expensive work of graduate school.

Why would anyone choose to do MORE work while accruing more debt to avoid this so-called “real” job?

By: tlsanders

tlsanders — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:42:28 +0000

My sole reason for going to graduate school is so I don’t have to pay back my undergraduate loans for another three years.

By: Tehshay

Tehshay — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 14:34:45 +0000

It’s a pretty campus.

And there’s a starbucks. You caught me.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:30:15 +0000

Except for those of us who are going to grad school part-time AND holding down a full-time real job…wait, that might fall into the glutton for punishment category. NM. =P

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 06:17:28 +0000

That’s what I was thinking…

By: cecilia

cecilia — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:29:07 +0000

Close – just a bitter old prof who has heard this one too many times. (But you’re right, lightening up is definitely in order)

By: scully546

scully546 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:48:27 +0000

You forget “pressure from parents to make something of yourself.”

By: Me

Me — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:43:14 +0000

haha. clearly you are a doctoral student, you’ve lost all sense of humor and take things like this chart a little too seriously. nobody actually thinks this is true. relax.

By: I8MYD8

I8MYD8 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:55:09 +0000

I would add a 5th reason: surviving the job market. Seems like masters level degrees are supposed to be considered the norm now. Like a BA doesn’t count anymore.

By: bugwitch

bugwitch — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:22:54 +0000

You only have to pay uncle sam back when you stop going to school….Or when you’re done with the Peace Corps…or when you’re done with AmeriCorps…or when you’re…..

By: LHLD

LHLD — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:47:16 +0000

i wholly agree, and after 5 yrs of undergrad work and a few months of getting job offers from anything BUT the field i studied, i’m thinking of going back for master’s. ugh. moar loans?

By: cecilia

cecilia — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:08:06 +0000

Good luck finishing a doctoral dissertation if any of those are the reason you’re in grad school.
Neither funny nor true.

By: medstudent

medstudent — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:56:03 +0000

To quote that great philosopher, Karen Walker, “it’s funny cos it’s true”.

By: sasamigirl

sasamigirl — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:08:34 +0000

Seconding the “field of study requires grad degree” reason. Otherwise you wouldn’t see me anywhere near a school for at least the next decade.

By: Ghost

Ghost — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:20:43 +0000

How about “The only field of study I’m interested in offers no jobs without at least a Master’s”? Or would that fall under “avoiding a real job”?
Also I’m gonna have to reiterate LJ’s comment that avoidance of paying back student loans is a HUGE perk.

By: SpeeD

SpeeD — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:37:12 +0000

Agreed. I want to go to graduate school so I can get my dream job.

By: LJ

LJ — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:54:59 +0000

You forgot “So I don’t have to pay my student loans back yet.”

By: wimple

wimple — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:39:22 +0000

But – you wouldn’t even NEED a parking permit if you weren’t going to grad school in the first place. Or do you just like to park there?

By: Tehshay

Tehshay — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:23:59 +0000

You forgot about Faculty/Staff parking permits… Or is that just me?

By: Tehshay

Tehshay — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:23:12 +0000

I concur. Fuck a bunch of those entry-level B.S. (pun intended) jobs.

By: Khaaaaaaan

Khaaaaaaan — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:20:42 +0000

*confers with the PC police*

*ahem*

After lengthy discussion, we have determined you do in fact have a WIN, sir. Carry on!

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:00:39 +0000

Missing choice (about 20%): Maintain student visa status to stay in the US and avoid going back home to China.

By: dave

dave — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:50:07 +0000

humor fail

By: Kristin C

Kristin C — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:38:36 +0000

Ha! Yes.

By: rockntrumpet

rockntrumpet — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:31:45 +0000

True.

By: F. Sanders

F. Sanders — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:17:11 +0000

What about “avoiding entry-level work and getting a better paying job in the long run”?
No debates, please. I know not every graduate degree guarantees this.

By: lolol

lolol — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:06:13 +0000

Came for the first one, staying because of the other three