An Aid To Memory

I am becoming less and less interested in getting a PhD. I used to think that getting my PhD was the way to go, but now I am not so sure.

I am really enjoying teaching high school, and my Master’s Degree allows me to teach at the college level anyway as an occasional instructor. Plus, even if I would get my PhD, my future would likely involve moving to a big city, taking low pay, and having to deal with the Academic nonsense that pushed me out of the system to begin with. Plus, I really don’t want to put myself or a family through the agony of PhD poverty.

Also, I just wonder what benefits a PhD carries anyway. With the internet, ideas are available to anyone (with a computer), written by anyone. This, of course creates problems, but it also means that a person doesn’t have to earn an advanced degree to publish information. Sure, to publish academically a person needs the advanced degrees, but to publish popularly (where the real market is anyway), a degree isn’t needed. And for someone like myself that is far more interested in discussion/writing that has an academic tone but is meant for the popular level, the time and effort needed for me to get a PhD seems like a bad use of time and money.

Sure, I am still interested in getting a doctorate. However, I am going to wait for the right program, make sure I can afford it, and make sure I don’t have to move to a ghetto with skyrocketing rents to get my PhD. Any thoughts? Keep in mind I am not saying PhDs are worthless, since I would like to get one eventually, just thinking out loud.

I have taken the GRE! Thank God that is over. My mind has been swirling with so many GRE words that I give blank looks when someone speaks common English to me. Well, it’s not that bad, but the night before the GRE someone asked me my age and I said "28." My brother had to gently remind me that I was only 26. I can define "obstreperous" but can’t remember my age. This means I’ll fit in at most grad schools!

Anyway, I did very well. I am not bragging, and I absolutely hate the competition among grad students who share their scores on tests as a means to feel better about themselves, even though they feign humility. You’ll just have to take my word that I am not trying to brag or one-up anybody. I mention my performance because many in cyberspace have been concerned and have offered their prayers. My verbal score was in the 700s (the most important score for my field) and my Quantitative score was in the 600s, 100 less than my Verbal. The writing portion won’t be graded for a few weeks. I am pleased, and thank you for your prayers.

I am still not convinced the GRE tells us much of anything. Perhaps it means I have a knack for comprehending writers who purposely use big words when they don’t have to? That always comes in handy. Well, joking aside, I think the GRE serves some purpose, but a 120 dollar purpose…I am not sure.

Note: the image is from http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~wwu/images/gre/thirds.gif, and is a photo of the GRE’s practice software. I did not bring a camera into the testing center!!!