Master's that weren't worth it

[Gigantopithecus]

Yes, more so on history, especially ancient Roman and medieval history. I've become a voracious reader the last few years on history is my main subject. Since I couldn't get a degree in those, you're right on the approach -- make it your passion and a hobby, which is what I've tried to do.

Great to hear. I really like reading about medieval history - it's astonishing what kind of crazy notions people had about the natural world before the scientific revolution. Medieval medicine is a strange and terrible topic.

Hell, all I wanted to be when I grew up was a zookeeper. Unfortunately zookeepers make less than median income and the jobs are scarce, so that was not an option. Now I just go to the zoo a lot and have made connections so that I get to hang out behind the scenes sometimes. 😀

 

[Markbnj]

A Masters in molecular biology is a near worthless degree. A B.S. with 2 years experience is just as competitive, if not more. On top of that, there's a huge surplus of Ph.Ds.

That surprises me. I would have thought there would be opportunities in pharma at least. But it makes sense that the BS would be just as competitive at the beginning. As others have noted you always start at the bottom. But wouldn't the MS have a leg up later on?

 

[Gibsons]

That surprises me. I would have thought there would be opportunities in pharma at least. But it makes sense that the BS would be just as competitive at the beginning. As others have noted you always start at the bottom. But wouldn't the MS have a leg up later on?

Not really, imo. At that point they'll look at your publications, skill list and recommendations more than any degree.

 

[FearoftheNight]

wish I had read this before college oh well 😛

 

[Wreckem]

Yeah, this makes me regret not going into patent law when I graduated with my engineering degree in 1993. Had I done so, I would've landed when the law job market was healthy and would probably be in really good shape now. I'm looking at a possible career switch and law school is something I've thought long and hard about, but the massive debt and the uncertain prospects (new law grads who find jobs make much less than I do now) are scaring me away.

From what I understand the years 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995 were bad years for the legal market as well. They weren't as bad as 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, but they weren't that good.

 

[uclaLabrat]

A masters in a life science (chemistry, biology, biochem, etc.) gets you almost nothing. Many folks who have them are PhD dropouts. That is precisely why I got a BS in chemistry and didn't go on to get a masters in science. Its either get the PhD (which I did not want to do, not that I was incapable), or try to spin the BS into something worthwhile (which I did).

It constantly amazes me how many people make education decisions without understanding what opportunities those decisions are likely to make available.

It's generally much easier to get a job in chemistry with a master's then a PhD, unless you came from a top 5 school and have an assload of papers.

 

[Ns1]

It's generally much easier to get a job in chemistry with a master's then a PhD, unless you came from a top 5 school and have an assload of papers.

Got a friend who is graduating with a PhD in one of the sciences. After 8 years in school/labs...she's becoming a business consultant. Lol

 

[uclaLabrat]

Depends greatly on the field.



Link?



I don't think you read his post correctly. His last line:



In his case, he went to law school. 🙂 I've heard a lot of people with advanced life science degrees (even some PhDs) have a hard time finding jobs, especially chemistry majors.

This. Everyone I know is struggling. Some people have landed some good jobs, but it's really difficult to break the postdoc cycle.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Well of course lawyers (JDs) are still doing ok. But a MS in chemistry isn't necessarily a dead end job compared to law. Most are paying 75-125 range with just a quick check on Monster:
Job example.


The pharm field (like the one above) seems especially hot for Chem majors.

It is and it isn't, there's a lot of jobs out there but it's extremely competitive because of all the layoffs that have happened. There are chemists out there with masters and PhDs with 3-10 years experience. People coming straight out of school have a hard time competing with that.

I've applied to probably several hundred positions, had emails or phone interviews with maybe 3-5, and one on site, which was for a temporary position (another postdoc).

I went back to business school, and will hopefully land an internship over summer that will allow me to branch out from chemistry.

 

[uclaLabrat]

Got a friend who is graduating with a PhD in one of the sciences. After 8 years in school/labs...she's becoming a business consultant. Lol

That's a common path for the program I'm in now...it pays a lot, and the travel can be brutal but there's much more mobility. And consulting in industry gives you a LOT of networking potential to land future jobs. I've heard many use it as a stepping stone, but I'm still new in this world and haven't seen much.

 

[silverpig]

Got a friend who is graduating with a PhD in one of the sciences. After 8 years in school/labs...she's becoming a business consultant. Lol

The top consulting firms like hiring Ph.Ds from the sciences. And Ph.Ds generally like the consulting firms too 🙂

 

[Nintendesert]

I have a BS in ATOT.

 

[Imp]

Good thing I realized over the past few months that I could forego the formal degree and just buy some damn books off Amazon for a fraction of the cost...

 

[T_Yamamoto]

I have a BS in ATOT.

Me too!

 

[tcsenter]

I still say something does not compute and there is more to the story. Either he got degrees from crap schools, his GPA wasn't too impressive, refuses to relocate, is applying only to senior positions. Just at first glance, his degrees and competencies would be a great fit with clinical chemistry/science (e.g. lab). Hell I know a couple HS science teachers who make $60K+ per year with great bennies (in communities with decently reasonable cost of living) with just a BS from a second tier college and teaching certificate. What the hell is he going for?

 

[roguerower]

I graduated with a BS and picked up a job in my field, but that was a direct result of the two internships I had with the same company. Luckily a MS or MBA isn't a desirable trait because it usually means that you were in school for an extra couple of years and that's experience you don't have.

Construction management is all about experience. On a smaller scale that's two projects that you didn't get to experience, two different types of construction you don't have a background in, and two projects where you didn't gain experience dealing with subcontractors.

My superintendent doesn't have any sort of college degree...he's a steamfitter from Philly by trade but is smart as a whip and can interact with people. I'm pretty sure both of the VPs for my operating group don't have a Masters, but once again, that's because of the field.

The only guys I know who went to college, had easy as shit majors (history, poli sci,etc.) and are doing well now are the ones who had ROTC scholarships and commissioned into the military on graduation. One of my best friends graduated from VT, a school with a shitty lib. arts program, got commissioned in the USMC, and then got sent to school for a year to be a comm officer...he'll do fine when he gets out. Same thing goes for a lot of my friends.

 

[disappoint]