Should I take a job or get a free masters degree?
May 19, 2010 11:17 AM Subscribe
I'm graduating this semester with a license to teach secondary history. Help me decide whether to take a one-year teaching job or a fully-funded MA in history. I want to ultimately teach high school, but full tuition + a monthly stipend seems too good to pass up, and I can't do both. What should I do?
The job market is really brutal for history teachers in my area, so I've been planning for awhile to ride out the bad economy in grad school. I've moved forward with all that paperwork up until this point. This job popped up suddenly and I applied to it on a whim, not at all thinking I'd get an interview and at least I could go to grad school knowing it was the best thing for me. But I did get an interview, and now I feel like I have a terrible dilemma. I've asked many people for advice about this already, but nobody really understands the extent of both opportunities so I feel I can't get clear advice. Here are the pertinent details about both opportunities:
TEACHING JOB
-The high school is perhaps the largest and best performing within a very competitive district.
-This district is one I would like to work in in the long-term.
-The posting says it's a one-year-only job, but my friends who are teachers or work in the district say that may not necessarily be true.
-This school has a great program (let's say model UN), that I've coached since high school, and the coach said he would love my help if I'm hired.
-If I take this job I can't sit on my parents' health insurance anymore, which will be a problem if I can't find a job next year. I have an illness that will make it difficult to get health insurance but also makes it absolutely necessary.
-This job could help me get my foot in the door for other jobs within the district, but that's dependent on budget cuts next year.
MA IN HISTORY
-I've been offered a teaching assistant job that will cover my full tuition and give me a stipend of about $1,200 per month.
-I believe I will be very successful in this program -- I know the professors very well, I love history, and have already done some graduate-level work.
-I might be able to defer my acceptance a year, or simply reapply next year, but I believe this TA opportunity is one-time-only. If I don't take it now I will lose it.
-I do genuinely want a masters in history and will get it at some point in the next 10 years.
-Balancing that coursework + a full-time job later down the road seems hard, and it scares me a little. I could take a class or two next year while I teach for the first time, but that scares me even more.
-I can stay on my parents' health insurance the whole way through this program.
-I will continue to help with the model UN program at another high school while I get my MA so I can keep my contacts in teaching fresh.
-A masters can only help my job prospects; it is difficult to get and stay hired in the districts in my area without one. I've spoken with principals about this recently so I know this won't change anytime soon.
Which is the more valuable experience in this situation? I'm lured by the possibility of having a job right away, but it's a new and scary situation. Grad school seems like the safer option because I know I will do well and it's all paid for, but it seems silly to pass up a job in my profession in such a terrible economy. I don't know if I have the job yet, but I would like to know my answer ahead of time in case I do get it.
The job market is really brutal for history teachers in my area, so I've been planning for awhile to ride out the bad economy in grad school. I've moved forward with all that paperwork up until this point. This job popped up suddenly and I applied to it on a whim, not at all thinking I'd get an interview and at least I could go to grad school knowing it was the best thing for me. But I did get an interview, and now I feel like I have a terrible dilemma. I've asked many people for advice about this already, but nobody really understands the extent of both opportunities so I feel I can't get clear advice. Here are the pertinent details about both opportunities:
TEACHING JOB
-The high school is perhaps the largest and best performing within a very competitive district.
-This district is one I would like to work in in the long-term.
-The posting says it's a one-year-only job, but my friends who are teachers or work in the district say that may not necessarily be true.
-This school has a great program (let's say model UN), that I've coached since high school, and the coach said he would love my help if I'm hired.
-If I take this job I can't sit on my parents' health insurance anymore, which will be a problem if I can't find a job next year. I have an illness that will make it difficult to get health insurance but also makes it absolutely necessary.
-This job could help me get my foot in the door for other jobs within the district, but that's dependent on budget cuts next year.
MA IN HISTORY
-I've been offered a teaching assistant job that will cover my full tuition and give me a stipend of about $1,200 per month.
-I believe I will be very successful in this program -- I know the professors very well, I love history, and have already done some graduate-level work.
-I might be able to defer my acceptance a year, or simply reapply next year, but I believe this TA opportunity is one-time-only. If I don't take it now I will lose it.
-I do genuinely want a masters in history and will get it at some point in the next 10 years.
-Balancing that coursework + a full-time job later down the road seems hard, and it scares me a little. I could take a class or two next year while I teach for the first time, but that scares me even more.
-I can stay on my parents' health insurance the whole way through this program.
-I will continue to help with the model UN program at another high school while I get my MA so I can keep my contacts in teaching fresh.
-A masters can only help my job prospects; it is difficult to get and stay hired in the districts in my area without one. I've spoken with principals about this recently so I know this won't change anytime soon.
Which is the more valuable experience in this situation? I'm lured by the possibility of having a job right away, but it's a new and scary situation. Grad school seems like the safer option because I know I will do well and it's all paid for, but it seems silly to pass up a job in my profession in such a terrible economy. I don't know if I have the job yet, but I would like to know my answer ahead of time in case I do get it.
i'd say go with the MA given i just read this article.
that one year teaching job has a very very high possibility of being only one year due to the current education situation.
posted by raw sugar at 11:21 AM on May 19, 2010
that one year teaching job has a very very high possibility of being only one year due to the current education situation.
posted by raw sugar at 11:21 AM on May 19, 2010
This is no contest: take the sure thing with the MA. You've only been granted an interview, not the job.
posted by runningwithscissors at 11:22 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by runningwithscissors at 11:22 AM on May 19, 2010
A fully-funded MA in History is a rare thing indeed. Go for it!
posted by oinopaponton at 11:26 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by oinopaponton at 11:26 AM on May 19, 2010
Agreed, no contest - do the MA. Being fully funded is a godsend and this will serve you well for job opportunities and higher salary a little further down the road. Grad school in your situation is not only the safer option, it's the smarter option.
posted by meerkatty at 11:29 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by meerkatty at 11:29 AM on May 19, 2010
Free graduate education is not something you pass up because you might get a job offer, and it may well be something you never have time for again. Take the MA.
posted by willpie at 11:36 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by willpie at 11:36 AM on May 19, 2010
Yup, as above.
FWIW, you should be able to ask them about deferment and receive full answers about whether you would be funded if you did defer. If they've offered you the spot and the funding, they won't rescind the offer over questions asked. And if they're willing to let you defer for a year with the funding when you do come around AND you are actually offered the one-year job, it may make more sense to defer, and thus both have your cake and eat it. The year of work will give you time to make friends and contacts within the district you want to work in (if you don't already have a bunch).
But in any other scenario, it is certainly better to just go for the MA.
posted by kaibutsu at 11:37 AM on May 19, 2010
FWIW, you should be able to ask them about deferment and receive full answers about whether you would be funded if you did defer. If they've offered you the spot and the funding, they won't rescind the offer over questions asked. And if they're willing to let you defer for a year with the funding when you do come around AND you are actually offered the one-year job, it may make more sense to defer, and thus both have your cake and eat it. The year of work will give you time to make friends and contacts within the district you want to work in (if you don't already have a bunch).
But in any other scenario, it is certainly better to just go for the MA.
posted by kaibutsu at 11:37 AM on May 19, 2010
Definitely the fully funded MA. That is almost unheard of, something you want to eventually do, you have health insurance, and you are young and free enough to do it. It may or may not hurt your job potential (you'll be a more expensive hire to a school district now that you have your MA) but it is a great opportunity.
posted by quodlibet at 11:50 AM on May 19, 2010
posted by quodlibet at 11:50 AM on May 19, 2010
Yep. Take the MA. You can ride out the bad economy there, and with your grad experience you will be more competitive for any teaching positions at leading high schools.
Another benefit to the grad school route -- age. You will simply command more respect if your are that much older than your students and it will lessen (somewhat) the work you have to put in to maintaining classroom discipline.
posted by cross_impact at 12:14 PM on May 19, 2010
Another benefit to the grad school route -- age. You will simply command more respect if your are that much older than your students and it will lessen (somewhat) the work you have to put in to maintaining classroom discipline.
posted by cross_impact at 12:14 PM on May 19, 2010
In addition to nthing the take the MA--
Teaching university students, even at the graduate student level, is and can be a lot of fun. I think you should take the MA to have the opportunity/experience teaching uni students.I'm even suggesting that you may find that more enjoyable than teaching high school students, but YMMV. In addition, if your research area and content are is interesting perhaps a Ph.D, provided that you continue to be funded. You will have those options with a graduate degree, though.
posted by Wolfster at 12:34 PM on May 19, 2010
Teaching university students, even at the graduate student level, is and can be a lot of fun. I think you should take the MA to have the opportunity/experience teaching uni students.I'm even suggesting that you may find that more enjoyable than teaching high school students, but YMMV. In addition, if your research area and content are is interesting perhaps a Ph.D, provided that you continue to be funded. You will have those options with a graduate degree, though.
posted by Wolfster at 12:34 PM on May 19, 2010
"I'm lured by the possibility of having a job right away, but it's a new and scary situation. Grad school seems like the safer option" IMHO it's a wrong reason not to choose MA and wrong reason to choose the job. Free Higher Education in America?? Are you kidding me? Higher education trumps the job any time and if it's free, I would definitely won't let this chance go. As many pointed out above, you can leverage MA for further career opportunities though rest of your life. GO FOR MA!! Best luck!
posted by tvjoshi at 1:07 PM on May 19, 2010
posted by tvjoshi at 1:07 PM on May 19, 2010
I am a junior high social studies teacher (certified for high school too). Honestly, I think it depends on a couple of things.
Do you want to teach high school or be a professor someday?
How good is the college you are doing the MA at? If you aren't at an excellent college it is very unlikely you'll end up with a degree (if you went on to a PhD) that would get you a job as a professor.
You also have to think about while you would be getting a free education, you are also missing out on a year of paid, full-time employment.
As someone who did an internship at a great high school, I could see that experience in a respected district can give you opportunities in the future. I landed a job after my internship in an excellent district out of 118 applicants!
Some schools might see a year of teaching under your belt as much better experience than a MA you didn't need anyway. I know in my first year I figured out a lot on the job, so a second year teacher is really kind of an ideal hire: still cheap, but not clueless!
States have different requirements, but some would rather have you get an MA in teaching/education instead of your subject area anyway for certification.
Good luck!
posted by NHlove at 3:23 PM on May 19, 2010
Do you want to teach high school or be a professor someday?
How good is the college you are doing the MA at? If you aren't at an excellent college it is very unlikely you'll end up with a degree (if you went on to a PhD) that would get you a job as a professor.
You also have to think about while you would be getting a free education, you are also missing out on a year of paid, full-time employment.
As someone who did an internship at a great high school, I could see that experience in a respected district can give you opportunities in the future. I landed a job after my internship in an excellent district out of 118 applicants!
Some schools might see a year of teaching under your belt as much better experience than a MA you didn't need anyway. I know in my first year I figured out a lot on the job, so a second year teacher is really kind of an ideal hire: still cheap, but not clueless!
States have different requirements, but some would rather have you get an MA in teaching/education instead of your subject area anyway for certification.
Good luck!
posted by NHlove at 3:23 PM on May 19, 2010
are you insane? an MA is worth thousands and thousands and if you pass on that oppertunity for a 9 month contract you're a fool.
posted by swbarrett at 3:23 PM on May 19, 2010
posted by swbarrett at 3:23 PM on May 19, 2010
go for the MA, which will open up other opportunities in the future than a under paid teaching job.
posted by WizKid at 1:26 PM on May 21, 2010
posted by WizKid at 1:26 PM on May 21, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Good luck!
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:21 AM on May 19, 2010