What should I do with this 4 year degree I've got?

Question

I have a BA in philosophy--needless to say I am not in demand right now (no work experience). Are there any jobs I could work at with my degree that will help me to get into a top mba program? I also thought about getting certified as a teacher. I could get a master of arts in teaching and become a licensed teacher. Does anybody know if I get the masters in teaching if I would make more money than other beginning teachers who only have a bachelors? Thanks!

Answer 1

I wish I were in your shoes right now. Years ago, I held an "unmarketable college degree" in political science, but I had the belief that more schooling, especially a graduate education, would solve the problem. People often accept uncritically that more school and training is the answer to career success.

Three years, 100 pounds and a tens of thousands of dollars later, I still find myself asking the same question you are asking now.

It's fine to specialize, but it really takes a lot of research into the particular field. Had I done my homework prior to enrolling in law school, I would have never signed the dotted line. Also don't allow the pressure of parents to get to you. Yes, every mom and dad wants a doctor, lawyer or Ph.D in the family, but at what cost?

My first priority was to work to pay off a small credit card debt and the undergraduate loan debt. When I entered grad school, the student loan and consumer debt mounted! All the talk about "unclaimed financial aid" is a crock. When there is a scholarship available, it's usually to only a specific class such as children of World War II pilots. If your dad was in the infantry, you are out of luck. So, in all likelihood, you will have to sign loan papers to finance your education. The document itself is only a few pages, but you are essentially giving a 15 to 30 year mortgage to Uncle Sam and the private banks. This is a debt that will not go away even in the most dire of circumstances such as bankruptcy. You may be held liable for the debt even if you lost a limb. Perhaps the bank would argue that you would need to lose all your limbs before you are forgiven of the debt. At any rate, whether in sickness or in health, richer or poorer, student loan debt is a major burden.

Stay with what you have because your opportunities are still wide open. Specialize and you risk precluding yourself from most jobs. Once employers see that graduate degree, the red flag known as overqualified goes up. If you ever try to leave your field, employers will wonder why you're doing it. The answer that "there aren't enough jobs available" won't cut it. Even if you aren't an underachiever, you will be perceived as one. Once you choose a graduate program, you must realize that your career prospects are between your specialization field and poverty.

Graduate school is generally a bad investment. I am of the belief that each year of postsecondary education should add $10,000 a year in income. Thus, someone with a four year degree should make at least $40,000 out of college (and even $20 an hour is not enough for a single person to survive on these days). With college and law school, a graduate should accept no less than $70,000 a year. I have even seen postings for jobs that require a law degree offering to pay only 25-30k. You may not make $40,000 right away, but don't go to law school or grad school just to make that amount. If you stay with a reputable company, you should be at the $40,000 mark within 3 years after raises, bonuses and other compensation. The amount of student loan debt should be subtracted from the net income in order to derive the true income, which will be much less than $40k.

Invest in cheap education. Learn from the best school you have now--the school of hard knocks. Employers look more at street smarts and people skills rather than how well you understood Plato and Aristotle.

Answer 2

The only problem I see is you majoring in criminal justice. You arrest record, if any, has no bearing at all. Yes it was a felony, no you were not convicted, Yes a background investigator can see the arrest, no they will not count it again you, especially with no record of any sort since then. I rant about how useless a criminal justice degree is in preparing you to become a cop. I used to do most of my adjunct professor work teaching different CJ classes. I stopped when I realized that those classes did not help the bulk of my students who wanted to be cops. A cop needs a more generalized education. Air Force is fine but a general education, one that sharpens your critical thinking skills, is what will help you as a future cop. You will get all the real and up to date cj courses you need to start in the police academy when you actually start. College is not trade school for cops, the academy is. Talk to the cops/detectives you are doing the cadet thing with. One phrase you will hear over and over again is "common sense" The result of being able to think clearly, critically and logically is common sense. I would also suggest AF first. You can, while serving, get most of your basic college courses (first 60 semester hours) out of the way. Just make sure whatever school you sign up for is fully accredited. After AF yu then can easily get into a 4 year and finish up if you wish. With the vagaries of hiring going on with major departments, not offering testing except sporadically, you then are flexible enough to test whenever the opportunity arises. remember your county is what you are used to. You may want to spread your wings when it is time to become a cop.  

Answer 3

Have you ever thought of financial planning? You could take a course and become a Certified Financial Planner. There are plenty of opportunities for a good career and the certification course is probably shorter than a masters program with a better income potential. Of course you wouldn't get those two months off during the summer but then you won't have to deal with 30 kids AND their parents either.

Answer 4

this is why it's so important to network with fellow students. You should have befriended every single one of your fellow Class of '07 Philosophy classmates - even the ones you didn't like that much.
With this network of contacts, you could have found out from them some ideas on getting a job - if your own ideas were firing blanks.
Several people I know are teachers and in my state, they are required to have a master's degree within a certain period of time ( perhaps within 5 years of getting hired), plus teachers need a certain number of hours of continuing education for their entire career. So, getting a masters degree now would give you a 5 year headstart on a newbie teacher. And it wouldnt be a waste of money either, because it's probably either required in your state, or will soon be anyways.

Answer 5

I think that's a great degree. Just try hard and don't put yourself down. I'm doing economics but I think philosophy would be very challenging. Just apply to a lot of your jobs and be confident. If you know something about computers or take an accounting class it would help you in business. Hopefully you have good grades and good writing samples to back yourself up.

Answer 6

Get your masters. Everybody has a bachelors.
I have the same problem, I have my bachelors in Sociology???? now I am starting grad school in January (for Library Information Studies) so I can find a job eventually
Good luck

Answer 7

Look: You spent "4" years of learning to get ``a`` ~!! Whatever it's in or for.... Use it to the best of your ability!?! Just use some of your old pappers & or notes as reminder !! You may make good on whichever projects you tackle!?! Go back to the basics & use some old notes or reminders you've jotted down at one time or another to help keep some of that stuff fresh on the mind!! & you just may expand on whatever you'd have dealings in or with !?!

Answer 8

Having a job and a degree are two different things. Good luck! I have a BS on my wall and it looks great. Self employed, because I gave up looking.

Answer 9

of course you would