Making school work

Is grad school worth it?

KERRI WOLOSZYN STAFF

ILLUSTRATION TED BARKER

Currently there are around 3,000 students enrolled in graduate studies at the University of Manitoba. Students work with professors and do the necessary research to complete both master’s and doctoral programs. According to the University of Manitoba graduate studies website, $146.7 million comes to the university annually as external research funding. It all seems extremely exciting for a gifted and dedicated young student, doesn’t it?

Graduate studies is not for everyone and it is often difficult to know whether or not one will benefit, in the long run, from another few years of rigorous study. Going to graduate school is also not a guarantee of a brighter future or a more financially comfortable one. Loving school in general is not a guarantee that a student will continue to love their chosen field of study after numerous years and mountains of debt.

Is graduate school worth it?

Making the choice

According to Meghan Gallant, the president of the University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association (GSA), students interested in going into research in academics or industry will benefit greatly from their work in graduate studies. Gallant said that many employers look ti hire employees with a master’s or PhD. “A lot of the time, after completing an undergraduate degree, a master’s degree is more and more crucial to finding work. I think that students are noticing that they need to come back for that second degree a lot more often.”

Indeed, this may be just the case. According to a recent Statistics Canada study called “The Dynamics of Overqualification: Canada’s Underemployed University Graduates,” students with master’s or doctoral degrees were far less likely to work at a job for which they were overqualified. The higher the degree people achieved, the less likely they were to work at a job requiring only a high school education. People with only bachelor’s degrees were “twice as likely to remain overqualified” than those who had higher degrees.

“Graduate school, I think, is often, for any thinking or sensitive or relatively non-careerist type, a living hell.”
— George Toles

The choice to go into graduate studies is often difficult, knowing that the next few years could be demanding both financially and academically. According to the Princeton Review online, a student looking to go into graduate studies should look at a number of factors before making the next step. The most important factor is what career path you plan to take. For some professions — like lawyers, doctors, and architects — a second degree is a must; for others, like accountants, teachers, and editors, only a bachelor’s is required.

Moreover, even though graduate work opens the door to better careers, the job market for academics is actually dwindling. A Modern Language Association study out of the United States showed that only one in every five recent English graduate students became tenure-track professors. The Chronicle of Higher Education did a study of 32,000 PhD students in 2002 that showed that the “common perception” was that if they wanted an academic job they would be able to get one. That perception may no longer be accurate.

Andrew Potter, a regular contributor to Maclean’s magazine, wrote an article called “What do you want a PhD for?” (June 26, 2006), outlining the trials and tribulations of graduate school. He wrote that the demand for graduate degrees in the humanities, such as the PhD he has in philosophy, is very low. Potter said that for every “decent job” that comes up in philosophy, there are about 100 applicants looking to land that very job.

However, Gallant noted that in many cases graduate students are not so career-driven. “Sometimes it’s just that you enjoy studying in your field and want to pursue in more depth something you started as an undergraduate. It becomes very specialized in a master’s degree and even more so in a PhD.”

Is enjoyment enough?

To complete a graduate degree is one thing if your career goals require the degree. But what if, like Gallant suggests, you simply enjoy studying in your field? What if you simply enjoy studying?

University of Manitoba film studies professor George Toles had an undergraduate experience that made him want to pursue English in graduate studies. Toles described an academic world, at the University of Buffalo, where the doors of every office in the English department would come alive with laughter and serious discussion. A world where “extraordinarily creative and revolutionary critics,” many with differing ideas, like Albert Cook and

“If you want to go to graduate school just because you enjoy going to school, well, you know, grow up . . . If you are genuinely bothered by problems and you think you have the character to do it, then by all means go.”
— Andrew Potter

Donald Barthelme, would talk and debate freely. A world where professors cared about individual students. Toles said, “It just seemed to be the best place in the world to be and the most ideal thing in the world to be hooked into.”

Unfortunately, Toles’ graduate career did not live up to the excitement of the University of Buffalo. Toles described his graduate school as “traditional,” “conservative” and “demanding.” It was in graduate school that Toles noticed a definite hierarchy where teachers and students were in competition with each other. His experience was one where he felt that he could never know enough about the right thing. Toles said, “People just feel they’ve got to prove something to their fellow students and the professor. And maybe on both sides of the table everybody suspects that they’re a fraud.

“I had the hardest time adjusting to the alteration to the rules of the game. Graduate school, I think, is often, for any thinking or sensitive or relatively non-careerist type, a living hell,” Toles said, laughing.

Andrew Potter, like Toles, enjoyed his undergraduate degree so much that he decided to go on to graduate studies in philosophy.

In an interview, Potter explained that while enjoying what you are studying is a prerequisite for going into graduate studies, it probably shouldn’t be the sole determining factor. In fact, Potter said that very few people are given the opportunity, once out of school, to work at what they love. “It’s not sufficient to love something to want to make it your career. I’ve got a friend who started doing yoga and she loves doing yoga. And she quit her job as a school teacher because she wants to be a yoga teacher. And now she’s making eight bucks a week or something.”

Potter continued. “If you want to go to graduate school just because you enjoy going to school, well, you know, grow up . . . If you are genuinely bothered by problems and you think you have the character to do it, then by all means go.”

Rob Ross, a student working on his master’s degree at the University of Manitoba, was bothered enough by something that he decided to make it his thesis. His decision to go into graduate studies was based on an interest in his neighbourhood. Ross said, “After undergrad, I took a year off and tried to figure out what to do with myself, and I came to the conclusion that I really wanted to write about my neighbourhood, this part of Winnipeg, and figured the best way of doing it would be doing it as a master’s thesis. Then I could do it and get a degree at the same time.”

Ross said he is fully enjoying the challenge of graduate school and is so passionate about it that he hopes of going on to get his PhD and one day, getting into the “university teaching world.”

Successful completion

It is Ross’ passion for his thesis that is likely to result in success. In his article, Potter looked specifically at the reasons why it often takes so long for students to make it through graduate school, if they complete it at all, using his own experience as an example. Potter wrote that, like many students, he got sidetracked with other school-related activities like “teaching, reading, coursework, student unions, journalism, university service.”

This lack of focus may be the cause of generally low completion rates for PhD students in Canada. Only 45 per cent of doctoral students will complete their degree in the humanities, while 55 per cent will finish in the social sciences.

Perhaps low completion rates also have to do with the enormous amount of time it takes to finish such degrees. According to a study by the Canadian Association for Graduate Students published in 2003 and revised in 2004, the median time it took to complete a master’s degree in the humanities was six semesters. The study also indicated that there are two different times when people decide to leave their studies before completion. “One group decides, often for good reasons, to leave relatively early; the other group who appears to run out of steam or money leaves without a degree after as many as eight or more years of studying.”

The term “professional student” is a slang term often applied to students working on a professional degree or graduate students. It is used to denote someone who stays in university for an excruciatingly long amount of time, either because they are comfortable there or feel stuck trying to finish.

Do you have what it takes?

Potter explained that finishing

“Like so many others [in grad school] and maybe more than most I felt that I was quickly turning into a nightmare version of myself. I think for about three years I would describe myself, quite charitably, as an asshole.”
— George Toles

graduate school has less to do with smarts than it has to do with being able to stick it out. He noted that it took him “six years and a bit” to complete his graduate degree, plus his four years of undergraduate work. Potter said, “People make the mistake, I think, of assuming that success in graduate school and academia is a function of intelligence and dedication and not a function of character, and it’s far more a function of character.”

Potter claimed that what one really needs to be a success as a graduate student is the ability to enjoy being alone for long stretches of time. He added that, “The people I went to graduate school with were very gregarious people . . . It’s almost like the school took some of the most happy-go-lucky people and sort of told them to go and be alone for 10 years.”

Similarly, Toles said that success in graduate school is often something that happens through a change in oneself. “Like so many others and maybe more than most I felt that I was quickly turning into a nightmare version of myself. I think for about three years I would describe myself, quite charitably, as an asshole.”

Toles went on to explain that to get through graduate school, “You need a thick skin and a lot of self-discipline and hopefully a desire to do something with the degree that matters to you, rather than just thinking that this will lead to a financially rewarding post eventually.”

He added that despite having a less-than-perfect graduate-school experience he would never give up the job he found because of it. “I did know and have been fortunate to know from very early on that teaching was an all-important aspiration. And I’ve never for one second regretted that aspect of my job choice. It’s heaven for me and an endless luxury that I will never feel ungrateful for.”

Ross explained that he too sees the challenges of graduate studies as being ultimately worth it. He said that he fully recommends graduate studies because of the small class sizes and the unique experience of being able to get to know everybody. He also said that he enjoys the competitive nature of the classes. “Once a week you get these presentations in every class, you see what all these people have put into their work and stuff. And you’re going, ‘Oh my God, I really have to work really hard now.’”

There are definitive and sometimes difficult differences between undergraduate and graduate classes. Ross said that “There is much more emphasis on oral presentation, which can be a shock for someone who got away with sitting at the back of the classroom, not saying a word, while still getting a good mark in their undergraduate studies.”

When asked what makes for a successful graduate student, Ross laughed.

“A successful graduate student. I’ll have to take a quote from another student and say, self-medication. Ample and generous self-medication.”





Volume 94 Issue 22	The Official University of Manitoba Students' Newspaper Website	Febuary 28, 2007

Home About Us Advertise Contact Staff Current Issue PDF Employment Letters to the Editor Meet the Staff Online Archives Personals Volunteer	Font Size Respond Email Print-Friendly Making school work Is grad school worth it? KERRI WOLOSZYN STAFF ILLUSTRATION TED BARKER Currently there are around 3,000 students enrolled in graduate studies at the University of Manitoba. Students work with professors and do the necessary research to complete both master’s and doctoral programs. According to the University of Manitoba graduate studies website, $146.7 million comes to the university annually as external research funding. It all seems extremely exciting for a gifted and dedicated young student, doesn’t it? Graduate studies is not for everyone and it is often difficult to know whether or not one will benefit, in the long run, from another few years of rigorous study. Going to graduate school is also not a guarantee of a brighter future or a more financially comfortable one. Loving school in general is not a guarantee that a student will continue to love their chosen field of study after numerous years and mountains of debt. Is graduate school worth it? Making the choice According to Meghan Gallant, the president of the University of Manitoba Graduate Students’ Association (GSA), students interested in going into research in academics or industry will benefit greatly from their work in graduate studies. Gallant said that many employers look ti hire employees with a master’s or PhD. “A lot of the time, after completing an undergraduate degree, a master’s degree is more and more crucial to finding work. I think that students are noticing that they need to come back for that second degree a lot more often.” Indeed, this may be just the case. According to a recent Statistics Canada study called “The Dynamics of Overqualification: Canada’s Underemployed University Graduates,” students with master’s or doctoral degrees were far less likely to work at a job for which they were overqualified. The higher the degree people achieved, the less likely they were to work at a job requiring only a high school education. People with only bachelor’s degrees were “twice as likely to remain overqualified” than those who had higher degrees. “Graduate school, I think, is often, for any thinking or sensitive or relatively non-careerist type, a living hell.” — George Toles The choice to go into graduate studies is often difficult, knowing that the next few years could be demanding both financially and academically. According to the Princeton Review online, a student looking to go into graduate studies should look at a number of factors before making the next step. The most important factor is what career path you plan to take. For some professions — like lawyers, doctors, and architects — a second degree is a must; for others, like accountants, teachers, and editors, only a bachelor’s is required. Moreover, even though graduate work opens the door to better careers, the job market for academics is actually dwindling. A Modern Language Association study out of the United States showed that only one in every five recent English graduate students became tenure-track professors. The Chronicle of Higher Education did a study of 32,000 PhD students in 2002 that showed that the “common perception” was that if they wanted an academic job they would be able to get one. That perception may no longer be accurate. Andrew Potter, a regular contributor to Maclean’s magazine, wrote an article called “What do you want a PhD for?” (June 26, 2006), outlining the trials and tribulations of graduate school. He wrote that the demand for graduate degrees in the humanities, such as the PhD he has in philosophy, is very low. Potter said that for every “decent job” that comes up in philosophy, there are about 100 applicants looking to land that very job. However, Gallant noted that in many cases graduate students are not so career-driven. “Sometimes it’s just that you enjoy studying in your field and want to pursue in more depth something you started as an undergraduate. It becomes very specialized in a master’s degree and even more so in a PhD.” Is enjoyment enough? To complete a graduate degree is one thing if your career goals require the degree. But what if, like Gallant suggests, you simply enjoy studying in your field? What if you simply enjoy studying? University of Manitoba film studies professor George Toles had an undergraduate experience that made him want to pursue English in graduate studies. Toles described an academic world, at the University of Buffalo, where the doors of every office in the English department would come alive with laughter and serious discussion. A world where “extraordinarily creative and revolutionary critics,” many with differing ideas, like Albert Cook and “If you want to go to graduate school just because you enjoy going to school, well, you know, grow up . . . If you are genuinely bothered by problems and you think you have the character to do it, then by all means go.” — Andrew Potter Donald Barthelme, would talk and debate freely. A world where professors cared about individual students. Toles said, “It just seemed to be the best place in the world to be and the most ideal thing in the world to be hooked into.” Unfortunately, Toles’ graduate career did not live up to the excitement of the University of Buffalo. Toles described his graduate school as “traditional,” “conservative” and “demanding.” It was in graduate school that Toles noticed a definite hierarchy where teachers and students were in competition with each other. His experience was one where he felt that he could never know enough about the right thing. Toles said, “People just feel they’ve got to prove something to their fellow students and the professor. And maybe on both sides of the table everybody suspects that they’re a fraud. “I had the hardest time adjusting to the alteration to the rules of the game. Graduate school, I think, is often, for any thinking or sensitive or relatively non-careerist type, a living hell,” Toles said, laughing. Andrew Potter, like Toles, enjoyed his undergraduate degree so much that he decided to go on to graduate studies in philosophy. In an interview, Potter explained that while enjoying what you are studying is a prerequisite for going into graduate studies, it probably shouldn’t be the sole determining factor. In fact, Potter said that very few people are given the opportunity, once out of school, to work at what they love. “It’s not sufficient to love something to want to make it your career. I’ve got a friend who started doing yoga and she loves doing yoga. And she quit her job as a school teacher because she wants to be a yoga teacher. And now she’s making eight bucks a week or something.” Potter continued. “If you want to go to graduate school just because you enjoy going to school, well, you know, grow up . . . If you are genuinely bothered by problems and you think you have the character to do it, then by all means go.” Rob Ross, a student working on his master’s degree at the University of Manitoba, was bothered enough by something that he decided to make it his thesis. His decision to go into graduate studies was based on an interest in his neighbourhood. Ross said, “After undergrad, I took a year off and tried to figure out what to do with myself, and I came to the conclusion that I really wanted to write about my neighbourhood, this part of Winnipeg, and figured the best way of doing it would be doing it as a master’s thesis. Then I could do it and get a degree at the same time.” Ross said he is fully enjoying the challenge of graduate school and is so passionate about it that he hopes of going on to get his PhD and one day, getting into the “university teaching world.” Successful completion It is Ross’ passion for his thesis that is likely to result in success. In his article, Potter looked specifically at the reasons why it often takes so long for students to make it through graduate school, if they complete it at all, using his own experience as an example. Potter wrote that, like many students, he got sidetracked with other school-related activities like “teaching, reading, coursework, student unions, journalism, university service.” This lack of focus may be the cause of generally low completion rates for PhD students in Canada. Only 45 per cent of doctoral students will complete their degree in the humanities, while 55 per cent will finish in the social sciences. Perhaps low completion rates also have to do with the enormous amount of time it takes to finish such degrees. According to a study by the Canadian Association for Graduate Students published in 2003 and revised in 2004, the median time it took to complete a master’s degree in the humanities was six semesters. The study also indicated that there are two different times when people decide to leave their studies before completion. “One group decides, often for good reasons, to leave relatively early; the other group who appears to run out of steam or money leaves without a degree after as many as eight or more years of studying.” The term “professional student” is a slang term often applied to students working on a professional degree or graduate students. It is used to denote someone who stays in university for an excruciatingly long amount of time, either because they are comfortable there or feel stuck trying to finish. Do you have what it takes? Potter explained that finishing “Like so many others [in grad school] and maybe more than most I felt that I was quickly turning into a nightmare version of myself. I think for about three years I would describe myself, quite charitably, as an asshole.” — George Toles graduate school has less to do with smarts than it has to do with being able to stick it out. He noted that it took him “six years and a bit” to complete his graduate degree, plus his four years of undergraduate work. Potter said, “People make the mistake, I think, of assuming that success in graduate school and academia is a function of intelligence and dedication and not a function of character, and it’s far more a function of character.” Potter claimed that what one really needs to be a success as a graduate student is the ability to enjoy being alone for long stretches of time. He added that, “The people I went to graduate school with were very gregarious people . . . It’s almost like the school took some of the most happy-go-lucky people and sort of told them to go and be alone for 10 years.” Similarly, Toles said that success in graduate school is often something that happens through a change in oneself. “Like so many others and maybe more than most I felt that I was quickly turning into a nightmare version of myself. I think for about three years I would describe myself, quite charitably, as an asshole.” Toles went on to explain that to get through graduate school, “You need a thick skin and a lot of self-discipline and hopefully a desire to do something with the degree that matters to you, rather than just thinking that this will lead to a financially rewarding post eventually.” He added that despite having a less-than-perfect graduate-school experience he would never give up the job he found because of it. “I did know and have been fortunate to know from very early on that teaching was an all-important aspiration. And I’ve never for one second regretted that aspect of my job choice. It’s heaven for me and an endless luxury that I will never feel ungrateful for.” Ross explained that he too sees the challenges of graduate studies as being ultimately worth it. He said that he fully recommends graduate studies because of the small class sizes and the unique experience of being able to get to know everybody. He also said that he enjoys the competitive nature of the classes. “Once a week you get these presentations in every class, you see what all these people have put into their work and stuff. And you’re going, ‘Oh my God, I really have to work really hard now.’” There are definitive and sometimes difficult differences between undergraduate and graduate classes. Ross said that “There is much more emphasis on oral presentation, which can be a shock for someone who got away with sitting at the back of the classroom, not saying a word, while still getting a good mark in their undergraduate studies.” When asked what makes for a successful graduate student, Ross laughed. “A successful graduate student. I’ll have to take a quote from another student and say, self-medication. Ample and generous self-medication.”


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