25 years old and deep in debt

[derspiess]

What are her degrees?

She won't tell us.  So naturally we can safely assume the worst.

[Barrister]

I don't know I mean if you are a teen and your parents are all like its a good idea to take on those loans, honey - what real hope of success do you have? You're a teen so you're already likely to do something foolish and then when encouraged by parents and lenders - pretty awful.

When I floated the idea of film school to my Dad, he told me I didn't need to go to film school to refill his iced tea at TGIFriday's like every other film school grad not named Scorsese.

Pops is a sensitive cat that way.

My eldest nephew graduated high school this year.  He's off to study theatre.

He's somewhat sensible about it - attending a local college for two years, then plans to transfer to university.  His parents are reasonably well off so he's not going to accumulate a lot, or any, debt.  And he knows acting jobs are hard to come by, so instead he's aiming to be a drama professor.  Apparently no one told him jobs in academia are almost as hard to find as acting jobs.

[CountDeMoney]

Plus lots of people don't plan their life around their career. Lots of people do masters and phds and all that because they love the subject and want to learn more. Or they can't face the real world and want to put it off as long as possible

There are indeed lots of people who do that.  I call them stupid people.

And they probably all support marijuana legalization.  Coinkydink?  I THINK NOT

[Legbiter]

What are her degrees?

She won't tell us.  So naturally we can safely assume the worst.

If it's in the humanities, she should go to Alberta and work in the tar sands. Or fake her death or something. I don't suppose she can just declare bankruptcy and make the debt go away?

[Malthus]

Plus lots of people don't plan their life around their career. Lots of people do masters and phds and all that because they love the subject and want to learn more. Or they can't face the real world and want to put it off as long as possible

There are indeed lots of people who do that.  I call them stupid people.

I cop to being one of them.  Major in anthropology = not a great career move. Or maybe it was, because I got excellent marks (since I was doing what I liked anyway that wasn't hard) that helped me get into law school later. If I'd taken something dreary like business administration I could easily have flunked out.

Of course, in my case undergrad tuition was free at U of T - profs don't get paid very well, but they get great perks. Free tuition for your kiddies was one my dad got that I made use of ... 

[Legbiter]

, so instead he's aiming to be a drama professor.  Apparently no one told him jobs in academia are almost as hard to find as acting jobs.

[Barrister]

Plus lots of people don't plan their life around their career. Lots of people do masters and phds and all that because they love the subject and want to learn more. Or they can't face the real world and want to put it off as long as possible

There are indeed lots of people who do that.  I call them stupid people.

I cop to being one of them.  Major in anthropology = not a great career move. Or maybe it was, because I got excellent marks (since I was doing what I liked anyway that wasn't hard) that helped me get into law school later. If I'd taken something dreary like business administration I could easily have flunked out.

Of course, in my case undergrad tuition was free at U of T - profs don't get paid very well, but they get great perks. Free tuition for your kiddies was one my dad got that I made use of ...

Indulging in learning for the sake of learning when you have free tuition doesn't qualify as stupid to me.

[Barrister]

, so instead he's aiming to be a drama professor.  Apparently no one told him jobs in academia are almost as hard to find as acting jobs.

I know, I know.  But I'm only his uncle.  When he was younger he inquired a few times about what it was like to be a lawyer.  I'd be happy to encourage him that way, but nothing doing.

[CountDeMoney]

What are her degrees?

She won't tell us.  So naturally we can safely assume the worst.

Yeah, she's got some squirrelly degrees, I'm sure.  Your usual humanities degree from Miami, and God knows what grad degree at X.

Graduate Programs, Xavier University


Graduate Programs
Master of Business Administration

    MBA Programs
    Executive MBA

Master of Education

    Administration
    Elementary Education
    Montessori Education
    Multicultural Literature for Children
    Reading
    Secondary Education
    Special Education
    Sport Administration

Master of Health Services Administration

    Long-Term Care
    Dual Degree with M.B.A.

Master of Arts

    Community Counseling
    English
    General Experimental Psychology
    Industrial-Organizational Psychology
    School Counseling
    Theology
        Health Care Mission Integration

Doctor of Psychology
Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Master of Science in Human Resource Development
Master of Science in Nursing

    Nursing Administration Concentration
    Education Concentration
    Forensics Concentration
    Informatics Concentration
    School Nurse Concentration
    Health Care Law Concentration
    RN to MSN
    MSN Clinical Nurse Leader Concentration
    MSN/MBA Dual Degree
    MSN/MED Dual Degree
    MSN/ MSCJ Dual Degree
    Direct Entry Second Degree (MIDAS) Program

Master of Occupational Therapy

It sure as hell isn't Nursing, or she'd have a job by now. 

My guess:  Industrial-Organizational Psychology 

[CountDeMoney]

Indulging in learning for the sake of learning when you have free tuition doesn't qualify as stupid to me.

No shit;  I knew plenty of people at Hopkins that were collecting degrees like fucking baseball cards over there.

"I'm in Billing Supervision, but I'm wrapping up my MLA this semester."

[derspiess]

What are her degrees?

She won't tell us.  So naturally we can safely assume the worst.

If it's in the humanities, she should go to Alberta and work in the tar sands. Or fake her death or something. I don't suppose she can just declare bankruptcy and make the debt go away?

She has to stay here.  She's a Daughter of Cincinnati!!!!  And no, student loans are unique in that they can't be wiped away by bankruptcy.  You gotta pay.  IIRC if you still have a balance left after 25 years (?) that balance is forgiven.

Anyway, for some fun we can try to figure out her major.  I'm guessing she went to Miami for her undergrad since she mentioned it first.  Here are all their undergrad majors:

A–D
Accountancy
American Studies
Anthropology
Architecture
Art (see Studio Art)
Art and Architecture History
Art Education (Grades preK–12)
Athletic Training
Biochemistry
Bioengineering
Biological Physics
Biology (see Botany, Microbiology, Zoology)
Black World Studies
Botany
Business Economics
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Chinese Education (Grades preK–12)
Classical Humanities
Classical Languages (Greek and Latin)
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Diplomacy and Global Politics
E–H
Early Childhood Education (Grades preK–3)
Earth Science
East Asian Languages and Cultures
Economics
Economics (Quantitative)
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (General)
Engineering Management
Engineering Physics
Engineering Technology
English/Creative Writing
English/Literature
English/Professional Writing
English Language Arts Education (Grades 7–12)
Environmental Earth Science
Environmental Principles and Practice (co-major)
Environmental Science (co-major)
Family Studies
Finance
French
French Education (Grades preK–12)
Geography
Geology
German
German Education (Grades preK–12)
Gerontology
Graphic Design
Health Promotion
History
I–M
Individualized Studies
Interactive Media Studies (co-major)
Interdisciplinary Business Management
Interior Design
International Studies
Italian Studies
Journalism
Kinesiology
Latin American, Latino/a, and Caribbean Studies
Latin Education (Grades preK–12)
Linguistics
Management Information Systems
Management and Leadership
Manufacturing Engineering
Marketing
Mass Communication
Mathematics
Mathematics Education (Grades 7–12)
Mathematics and Statistics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Laboratory Science
Microbiology
Middle Childhood Education (Grades 4–9)
Music
Music Education (Grades preK–12)
Music Performance
N–Z
Nursing
Nutrition
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Pre-Professional Study (e.g., law, medicine)
Psychology
Public Administration
Religion (Comparative)
Russian, Eastern European, and Eurasian Studies
Science Education (Grades 7–12)
Social Justice Studies
Social Studies Education (Grades 7–12)
Social Work
Sociology
Software Engineering
Spanish
Spanish Education (Grades preK–12)
Special Education (Grades K–12)
Speech Communication
Speech Pathology and Audiology
Sport Leadership and Management
Statistics
Strategic Communication
Studio Art
Supply Chain and Operations Management
Theatre
Urban and Regional Planning
Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Zoology

[Malthus]

, so instead he's aiming to be a drama professor.  Apparently no one told him jobs in academia are almost as hard to find as acting jobs.

I know, I know.  But I'm only his uncle.  When he was younger he inquired a few times about what it was like to be a lawyer.  I'd be happy to encourage him that way, but nothing doing.

I honestly can't say I'd be all that enouraging to someone wanting to get into the profession these days - it is so goddam tough to make it. And if you do, young lawyers are treated like slaves even worse than when we went through it. Though of course, I'm thinking of the big firms here.

The heartbreak of going through law school and articling just to be tossed aside is a tough sell to me, and its increasingly common I think - though I have no figures to base it on.

[Legbiter]

I know, I know.  But I'm only his uncle.  When he was younger he inquired a few times about what it was like to be a lawyer.  I'd be happy to encourage him that way, but nothing doing.

Academia: Take Hell, add professors.

[garbon]

I believe this is her so she got a BA but I don't know in what:

http://www.miami.muohio.edu/cdp_lists/pdfs/12_09/Commence_Ohio.pdf

Katherine Elizabeth Brotherton

[Barrister]

, so instead he's aiming to be a drama professor.  Apparently no one told him jobs in academia are almost as hard to find as acting jobs.

I know, I know.  But I'm only his uncle.  When he was younger he inquired a few times about what it was like to be a lawyer.  I'd be happy to encourage him that way, but nothing doing.

I honestly can't say I'd be all that enouraging to someone wanting to get into the profession these days - it is so goddam tough to make it. And if you do, young lawyers are treated like slaves even worse than when we went through it. Though of course, I'm thinking of the big firms here.

The heartbreak of going through law school and articling just to be tossed aside is a tough sell to me, and its increasingly common I think - though I have no figures to base it on.

I remember thinking the same when I graduated though.  I did have the good fortune to secure an articling job in '99 in the midst of the tech boom - I suspect it's rougher this year.  But its hard to plan your career based on year to year economic fluctuations.

But if I was graduating high school today, in 2012, what else are your options?  Thinking of my nephew - despite growing up on the farm he has no interest in farm work, or oilfield (his younger brother, on the other hand...).  He's smart, does well in school, enjoys working with people and helping people.  And of course he likes talking in front of groups of people.  In terms of reasonable career goals I think law would be a strong choice for him.