I never applied.:D

I beleive the Coast Guard Academy is the hardest school to get into. I will always remember them brushing aside the guy in front of me at the college fair back in HS because he didn't have a 4.0 GPA. You need more then that, but if you don't have a 4.0 they don't even want to know your name.:eek::D

Big name schools are not better, some are worse. They have their share of liars and cheats and geniuses as any other school. Usually they just have fatter wallets. If you were a business major you could establish connections at name schools, but it looks like you are going into academics.

As a Phd candidate you should KNOW what you want to do by now. Determine your major then find the school with the best program for that major.

As someone with a useless degree (art), I recommend a subject that will earn you money. You can learn/study/read pursue Medieval lit in your own time.
If you do get a useless degree, I recommend not spending a ***** ton of money on it from some hoity toity school.
I don't know how grad school works, but I got into an Ivy League wanna be undergrad (W&M) with average grades and SAT score based on recommendations, my essay, and maybe my chameleon-like race (at various points according to the school I was Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Asian).

Funny thing is that courses at big-name schools are taught by grad students and you pay a fortune for them. You can take the same course at a community college for far less money and have a professional or a phd for a teacher. Education is a personal thing and depends upon what you want from it and what you are willing to put into it. The rest is decoration.

Jobs are another story, most jobs are bought in one way or another, have you paid your dues?

That is very true, you gotta pay your dues. I'm currantly paying and it sucks, looking forward to reaping!:D

I'm paying and from what I see, there is no reaping in my field. Actually, before I can reap, the whole field will be gone ... :eek:

When that happens, I'm either going to become a truck driver or a Victoria's Secret model. Haven't decided yet.

Botnst - This is an interesting perspective. While not new to me, I have to say that I've always been under the impression that where you get your post-grad degrees is quite significant. You have a point there.

Emmerich - Hehe, I'm always lost. It's really not funny anymore, and I shouldn't laugh about it. I mean I know what I like and where I'd like to go, but my mind doesn't always work that way.

I'm quite aware that my field of study is what many may consider "useless" outside academia. But I don't care about what's profitable or what is highly esteemed. I know that I can study medieval lit on my own, and I'm strongly considering that, and in fact I am doing that now. I guess the PhD thing is more a personal pursuit than a professional one. I guess having a big degree will add weight to one's writings, and I mean the research type and not novels.

My entering a doctoral program will be for all the right reasons and for all the wrong ones. Alas, I fear it's more of the latter.

Yes, I'm not completely delusional.

I think it's a great choice as long as you go into it with your eyes wide open. There are far more important things in life than money.

Degrees in philosophy are not always useless. You could become the national drug czar.

That will help you get through grad school. When you are finished, you will be, completely.

That's why society loves to tease about with scholars -- they really are ****** weird in comparison to most people.

B

Lots of good advice so far...even from those with no experience with college pedigree!

Speaking as someone with a post-graduate degree and work experience years thereafter, the top-notch schools can get your foot in the door of top-notch corporations...for example, a Harvard MBA can be a "Carte Blanche" to a sweet Wall-Street internship with a promise of a nice job thereafter. Beyond that, it's just bragging rights. And FWIW, the elite do have an inside track at acceptance (despite dialog claiming otherwise).

If that type of fast-track mission is not your pursuit, then it REALLY is a waste of money...and as previously stated, a particular course can be taught by a capable professor at a lesser college for far less, as opposed to paying tons to have a grad assistant plod through the same course at a prestigious university.

Fast forward, five or ten years. Your work experience will eclipse your college history by then. And you will certainly gain more real world credibility being a starting shortstop for a minor league ball club than a third-string right fielder for the Yankees!

The day I completed my dissertation defense I was overcome with an irresistible urge to go for a naked walk in the woods. Which I did.

How long were you naked in the woods? For me, it was less dramatic but very soul-satisfying for me: I left the ratty-ass grad student trailer and bought a house for my family, the same family I had when I entered grad school.

B

About an hour. My wife was worried the whole time we'd run into a ranger.

Absolutly, but for me college and probably an MBA afterwards is 90% about money. Without a degree your are limited to what you can do. I'm giving up 6 income earning years to go to school, I am expecting a return on my investment in dollars and cents.

Their are many things in life that are more important than money, but its nice having money.:D

I used to enjoy school, but after 4 years and now I'm taking pointless science and music courses to finish my BS, I am done with it. Since I commute its pretty much like going to a job you hate, that pays you literaly nothing. Also dealing with the administartion is about as fun as dealing with the DMV, I swear they must hire the same people.:rolleyes: I just want to graduate, blast through the MBA as fast as possible, and get on with life.

An MBA without several years of post-undergrad work experience is a shocking waste of money.

MBAs are a dime a dozen now. Don't bother until you have some meaningful work experience. Even then, I would not spend the time and money on an MBA for anything less than a top 25-ranked program.

My $0.02.