tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20099192.post930581574681931379..comments2024-01-28T03:35:51.182-05:00Comments on Reassigned Time: Merry Freaking Christmas, People in Language and LiteratureDr. Crazyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12457967076373916629noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20099192.post-45710511134681375182008-12-18T18:29:00.000-05:002008-12-18T18:29:00.000-05:00The investment in graduate school with uncertain p...The investment in graduate school with uncertain payoffs should always caution any of us against uncritically aiding such dreams on the part of students, but I also think we need to ask ourselves what we're "saving" them from by dissuading them from grad school (in the social sciences and humanities at any rate). I think that a student's own reasons and values should be as much a part of how and whether we enable this choice or not. Any kid who thinks that they are buying themselves a "sweet gig" needs to be directed somewhere else. On the other hand, the student who really seems to have a passion for the subject, am I really doing them a service by pressing them to do something else? Non-academic options in many fields will likely still require some level of graduate education, after all. Of course, I rarely face this choice. I have yet to have a student ask for a recommendation to enter an academic program in geography.Shaun Hustonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05374693213232236154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20099192.post-32157568223218857582008-12-18T10:03:00.000-05:002008-12-18T10:03:00.000-05:00Belle, let me tell you, I encourage that totally, ...Belle, let me tell you, I encourage that totally, and I suggest things, and we've got a freaking bulletin board with alumni and what they're doing with their degrees (not just a list, like little personal narratives and pictures), and let me tell you, at least in my experience, once students get the grad school thing in their heads, it's really difficult to divert them from the path. They think that they will be the exception. Really this is worth a longer post as opposed to just a comment, so perhaps later or tomorrow I'll find time for that.Dr. Crazyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12457967076373916629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20099192.post-86483066553372264582008-12-18T09:04:00.000-05:002008-12-18T09:04:00.000-05:00Not to be Pollyanna-ish (as if) but can't you get ...Not to be Pollyanna-ish (as if) but can't you get them to investigate non-academic opportunities for English/Lit majors?Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10849272391043604637noreply@blogger.com