I am graduating college in December. Until this evening I had made up my mind to pursue a masters degree in an art field. I felt I needed 2 more years to figure out what I want to do, create a better portfolio, and make connections and get more job experience, etc. It would also not be bad to get a masters degree.

(I also find working pointless so if I get into a program that gives a fellowship, tuition award, and if I can get a part time job elsewhere, I would be happy simply studying. But I also am ambivalent about school since I find it too restricting.)

Because of this plan, I have recently been focusing on my thesis rather than applying to internships for the fall semester. I feel that without another internship under my belt, I am an undesirable job candidate. I also do not like the jobs that my current internship is preparing me for. Even the contacts I've accrued do not really hold the same interests as me. However, because of my intent on going to grad school, I put on hold the internship search because I was feeling overwhelmed. I suppose I can't do everything. (While a well packed resume would be good on a grad school application, there are other things I need to prepare, such as an audition type thing (no specifics here) and written portfolio, both of which have suffered due to my being a late bloomer, aka mental problems haha.)

Today someone I do not and should not trust told me that people who have masters degrees don't get jobs easily because they are seen as too snobby for entry level positions. I shut him down completely but I do need to consider this. I feel personally that I can make whatever I want happen, but I think that I have become too polarizing in my need to stand up for myself in the environment I'm currently in, so I want to ask for advice here over whether a masters would actually be bad. And whether I should apply for a masters in another field--film, for example, or even psychology, or writing.

Now that I'm thinking about this, I really don't know what to do anymore. I feel like I don't know what I want because I've spent a long time being depressed and a bit out of sorts etc etc etc... I don't want to spend time not accomplishing anything just to explore what I want. I want to know now.

I fear that I will need to take some time to lie low and figure things out though. But on the other hand, who really cares if I "follow my dreams". I don't have dreams. Honestly the only thing that matters to me is if I achieve a lot. I could be overthinking this. I don't know if I'm letting others influence me too much or if I'm too unyielding and need to listen to others more.

So any advice would be appreciated. What made you want to get education further than your bachelors? If this is unclear, I will be happy to answer more questions.

[Miswimmy1]

I am a college student who intends on going to graduate school. I am a biopsychology and global disease biology double major. I am not sure whether I am headed to med school or a PhD program, but I foresee one of those in my future. The thing is though - with those career fields (either medical or research), to get any sort of decent paying job requires further education than simply an undergraduate degree.

What is your dream job? If you goal is to become an artist or an actor (you didn't mention your ideal field of work but since you talked about portfolios, these were just guesses), those types of careers don't typically require post-graduate education to find employment. It is worth considering whether you could save money on tuition and enter the working world immediately post-graduation. You would be able to start building a career for yourself sooner.

On the other hand, having more education will open more doors for you in other fields, such as medicine, business, etc. No guarantees but in some fields, higher education typically translates into higher starting salaries, depending on the company too. What the person said about not being able to get an entry-level job with a master's degree is not entirely wrong. The bottom line is that employers want whoever is best qualified and suited for the position. A person with more education and/or more experience could ask for a higher annual salary. And employers don't want to pay that if they could find someone whom they could get away with paying minimum wage for an entry level position. But I would instead try to think of it in terms of - if you have more education, you will have more flexibility in the types of jobs to which you can apply. In almost every scenario, more education will open more doors than it will disqualify you from, if that makes sense.

Deciding on post-graduate study is a big decision. Have you taken the GRE's or the MCAT or the LSAT or whatever test is required to apply to master's programs? That would be the first step. A lot of people also take a year or two off and start working before going back to school. That might give you the chance to see whether you are employable in your desired line of work before you make the commitment to go to graduate school. It would also give you some time to figure out what exactly you would like to do with your degree and save up money.

Do you have an internship and career center at your school? Or some sort of advisor to whom you could voice these concerns?

I have no idea what my dream job is. I hate working because it seems like a trap where you don't accomplish anything, you just go there day after day to earn some money, and then you are too tired to think about anything else in the evenings. I hate school because I find it too restrictive. I am so lost. Everything I do is on a whim. I don't seem to want anything. I'm passionless and stupid.

I apologize for my moping and thank you for your thoughtful reply. Many of the programs I am applying to don't require the GRE. I simply am looking for something to do and getting a masters seems to be the right kind of empty accomplishment for me. But I had never thought of the fact that my advisor could help me decide. So thank you--I will talk with my professors.

I just feel like I lost a significant amount of jr high, high school, and the first half of college. It seems to me like I am actually only 15 years old instead of in my early 20s. I feel behind. I don't doubt my ability to find my way i.e. get a job and all that boring stuff, but I just feel like 1-2 years (depending on the program) more of school would do me good.

How do I ask my professors for advice? Every feeling I having now is due to my personal problems such as being super depressed for most of my youth. How can I speak with them? Will they want an explanation for my anhedonia and lack of will power to do anything besides lie in bed? My ambition is real and necessary to me but unconvincing to the general public because they sense an emptiness, I think. I think all my professors hate me. They look at me and see an unapproachable void they can't understand.