I'm not sure how it works with a lot of math programs, but I know a lot of people were surprised to learn I (originally) wanted to go for my Ph.D. straight through, without any breaks, and after getting my Master's I can see why.
This article, Goodbye, Mr. Keating talks about the academic experience, moving from undergrad to grad school and beyond, from an English major's perspective. I think it can apply to the "culture shock" you're experiencing too, though.
For me, it's strange and wonderful, after receiving tenure, to be able to rediscover my undergraduate self, to nurture in my students the motives that drew me to graduate school in the first place.
The problem is you can't get to where I am now without going through a decade or more of immersion in a highly politicized and anti-literary academic culture. You have to spend so many years conforming that, by the time freedom presents itself, you don't know why you became an English major in the first place. The Master's program really turned me off to academia. Soured me to
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Deciding what you wantpeccavoApril 13 2007, 12:21:10 UTC
This department is not kind to abstract mathematics-- it very much caters to applied and industrial mathematics. This kind of mathematics department is rare, which is why I came here. Most mathematics departments I found had little in the way of applied material. You may serve yourself best by getting your masters and applying to a different university. But I don't know what you want out of life. If you don't want to spend your life doing research, then go for the math-ed degree. That way you'll spend your days teaching calculus and other undergraduate topics; and if that's how you envision your life, go for it. If you want to research, and teach a graduate course every few semesters- spend one on one time instructing graduate students- then find another university that's more amenable to abstract stuff. You're deep enough in to know what you're looking for-- somehow I don't think that was the case the first time you applied to grad school.
It was me that said it's not failing if you change your mind by way of Ellen Walker. It's what she told me when I was struggling so hard with not wanting to go to grad school. It's honestly the best thing that anyone has ever told me. Clearly you know what decision I've made but I'm also so much happier for it. I had completely lost the love for what I was doing and I really think that it's important when you're going to put yourself through so much work and so much stress. I can also say that getting out of where I was and having worked in corporate america for two years has also pointed me in a new direction. I've found that I'm highly interested in information management and have begun to contemplate going back to school when two years ago I was vehemently swearing to jump of a bridge before doing more school. I had the realization that I was 22 years old and had been in school for 19 years of my life (yes i started school at 3). These past two years have given me time to think and reorganize and reorder what is important to me and
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We should take a trip back to Hiram sometime. Do you know when they let out? We could try going in just over two weeks, when I'm done with school (I think they'll still be in session).
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This article, Goodbye, Mr. Keating talks about the academic experience, moving from undergrad to grad school and beyond, from an English major's perspective. I think it can apply to the "culture shock" you're experiencing too, though.
For me, it's strange and wonderful, after receiving tenure, to be able to rediscover my undergraduate self, to nurture in my students the motives that drew me to graduate school in the first place.
The problem is you can't get to where I am now without going through a decade or more of immersion in a highly politicized and anti-literary academic culture. You have to spend so many years conforming that, by the time freedom presents itself, you don't know why you became an English major in the first place.
The Master's program really turned me off to academia. Soured me to ( ... )
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But I don't know what you want out of life. If you don't want to spend your life doing research, then go for the math-ed degree. That way you'll spend your days teaching calculus and other undergraduate topics; and if that's how you envision your life, go for it. If you want to research, and teach a graduate course every few semesters- spend one on one time instructing graduate students- then find another university that's more amenable to abstract stuff. You're deep enough in to know what you're looking for-- somehow I don't think that was the case the first time you applied to grad school.
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I'm just chalked full of those delicious walnuts.
PS JAPAN ROX
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