tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7366909960546184927.post6844503983153982531..comments2023-06-11T02:19:27.429-07:00Comments on Academic Cog: Higher Education and AccessSisyphushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880634753539329199noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7366909960546184927.post-73752149330711221452007-08-13T03:56:00.000-07:002007-08-13T03:56:00.000-07:00I'd say that the UC figure includes *everything*: ...I'd say that the UC figure includes *everything*: MA/MS, PhD, JD, MD, MBA, MSW, etc., etc. And although it's still a startlingly high number, I think it reflects students' sense that a college degree alone may not be enough for them to succeed. And as you say, it's probably an aspirational number anyway. The Iowa figure, on the other hand, probably includes just grad (not professional) degrees.<BR/><BR/>So I wouldn't go out of my way to talk to your students en masse about how hard grad school is--I think the number who will actually take the step of applying to PhD programs is pretty small (and since an MA/MS is a necessary public-school teaching credential, that probably explains the attraction of that route).<BR/><BR/>But that's not to say that it's not worth talking to those who seem *serious* about grad school (for some students, I think "being a professor" is as vague and romantic a goal as "being a novelist," or "being a judge"), and I've definitely seen/heard the same thing. But unless they contact me to *ask* about grad school or to write a recommendation letter--in which case I give them all the warnings I can without being unkind--I just let it ride and assume that it's merely the romantic fantasy of someone who's always been good at school, but who doesn't really know what he/she wants to do.Flaviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17832765671541392835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7366909960546184927.post-41231387215831484632007-08-12T18:36:00.000-07:002007-08-12T18:36:00.000-07:00I try to have a copy of the ADE (Associated Depart...I try to have a copy of the ADE (Associated Departments of English) workup of the MLA job hiring information, and make a copy available to students who are talking about going on. It's hard, but I try to balance encouragement and a reality check. We also work on helping students think about how their liberal arts degree contributes to their potential careers and opportunities.<BR/><BR/>It's a tough, tough problem, though!Bardiachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11846065504793800266noreply@blogger.com