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jobs-grad so forth so on
Lee Bradley (VRLBM@TTACS.TTU.EDU)
Thu, 9 Jun 1994 14:26:23 -0600
Once again, thanks to all those who responded with suggestions.
One comment was to focus down all my interests. True, and I do.
I also try to combine them, such as a paper I'm working on right
now that combines ethnomedicine and folk beliefs concerning
pregnancy and childbirth among Chinese women, how it effects which
form of treatment they use. Yes, contact is very important. If
nothing else, to find out you won't fit into the program. That's
what sort of happened to my trying to go to UT-Austin. I called and
talked to several of the profs, and was told not to bother: they
had only five openings, and the program was not one that would be
of use to me. I couldn't get in and I wouldn't fit in. So much
for the universities in Texas. I was told that my GPA was outstanding
and my GRE respectable.
Now, why go to grad school for PhD? As commented on earlier, if it
takes a PhD to dig ditches, what kind of job can an MA get? These
days even librarians got to have an MLS, when experience used to be
more important. Now its all degrees. MAs used to be able to teach
in community colleges, but now they can get PhDs for that. And I'm
not sure I want into academic work. I love teaching, but I hate
committees, paperwork, and all the new landmines one finds in
teaching. I got the impression that a PhD would, as someone else
put it, legitimize my credentials. Never mind all my consulting
experience; I got that working as a secretary, or by community service
for free, which doesn't count. Now a days, you can have the
experience, be able to do the job, but not *get* the job, if you
catch my meaning. I have often done the work, but didn't get
the pay. That comes with having the right degree. Does this
sound cynical? Sorry, but if I were *real* cynical I'd get a
degree in accounting. Instead, I love anthropology and think I
can make contributions of worth from this degree. So I'm still
an idealist. Applied and medical anthr. do appeal to me as being
something I can do and make a contribution from. And get a job.
I'm realistic about the job market. I might get into a program,
and still not get a job. Well, I can still type. But at least,
I gave it a shot.
Thanks for all the input, it has certainly been a great help. Round
three of applications is about to commence.
Lee Bradley
vrlbm@ttacs.ttu.edu
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