Slashdot Mirror
Advice for Returning to School After Long Break?
arohann asks: "A few months ago, I quit my secure, well-paying (but boring) job as a software engineer in India and have been applying to graduate schools in the US, Canada and the UK. My aim is to get back to computer engineering studies (my undergrad major) as a grad student. However, after a 5 year break from academics I'm not sure about my decision and could do with some advice from Slashdot users."
"Here are some of the things that I'd like to know:
1) Typically, how do graduate admissions officials view work experience? Note that I haven't been working as a Computer Engineer but as a Software Engineer.
2) What are the differences between graduate studies at the Masters level in the US, Canada and the UK? I already know a bit from what is available on the websites, so I'm looking for some deeper insights.
3) I'd like to hear from people who've done this, i.e. quit their jobs and gone back to get a higher engineering degree. What problems did you face and what advice do you have?
4) People who've studied in the UK at the MSc, MPhil, MEngg level - how did you fund your education? Were you able to get things like teaching or research assistantships and how much of your costs did these cover?"
1) Typically, how do graduate admissions officials view work experience? Note that I haven't been working as a Computer Engineer but as a Software Engineer.
2) What are the differences between graduate studies at the Masters level in the US, Canada and the UK? I already know a bit from what is available on the websites, so I'm looking for some deeper insights.
3) I'd like to hear from people who've done this, i.e. quit their jobs and gone back to get a higher engineering degree. What problems did you face and what advice do you have?
4) People who've studied in the UK at the MSc, MPhil, MEngg level - how did you fund your education? Were you able to get things like teaching or research assistantships and how much of your costs did these cover?"
Yeah, I second that. Who cares if it's boring, if it can pay for a car, a house, and lots of life's luxuries, then isn't THAT what you want?
ok, you've got a problem already. First - you had a job already in the field you're wanting to get a graduate degree in...but you found that job to be "boring."
Second problem: how wise was it to quit your job "a few months ago," when you're not even sure that you want to do this? What was it about applying for graduate school that required you to quit work, and sit around home all day playing on the computer (or however you've been spending your time)? Do you think that maybe, just maybe, part of your indecisiveness might have something to do with the fact that you're now not having to deal with that "boring" job?
Perhaps you should consider re-evaluating yourself, and realize that further cementing your life into computer software engineering just isn't what you enjoy. So...go find whatever that thing is, and do it. That's my advice - harsh, but hey.
Its not that I blame you, either - I'm only doing it until my wife gets done with school, myself...then I'm going to put IT behind me and be a teacher. It takes a person that is twisted in a special way to enjoy the drudgery of this field.
Come on now, you lost your job didn't you? Got your ass fired? You can tell us? ---------- For the record, finished my undergrad 2 years ago, and ever since I've been working a good paying job which I love and which gives me the freedom (in fact it encourages me) to pick up a text book, learn new things and apply it to my work. It's called R&D. I am considering grad school, but we'll see where this goes first. Canadian schools are great and more affordable than US in terms of tuition rates. However American schools just have freakin' money dropping out their asses. A couple of my buddies from highschool did their undergrads at some Jesus-Is-King University in Butt Fuck, Michigan, got their 4.0's with relative ease and got into places like UMichigan and Vanderbilt, full scholarship. One doing an MD, and the other an MD/PhD. While they dropped mad coin in the beginning of undergrad (~$16000 USD), the easier marks and the general plethora of wealth made full scholarships relatively quick and easy to acquire. It's like *they're looking for you*. While I wouldn't trade in my experience since I'm very happy with my situation, I was extremely lucky. For better odds, I would say: Fuck public health care, shitty weather and general Canadian sanctimony, and Go South, Young Man. Rod