Hmmm. I don't think either of those scenarios is the better option. The idea of applying to something that "loosely makes sense" raises a big red flag for me -- when I was shopping around for graduate schools, I saw an enormous range of programs within my field alone, and I know that some would not have suited me at all because of my particular interests and the interests of the faculty I wanted to work with. The other option of waiting to find the "perfect" program sounds all right -- but I have a distinct feeling that my mentee hasn't determined what she wants out of a graduate program. Until she sits down and really figures out what she's going after in terms of the whole experience and outcome, I'm thinking she won't be able to assess whether a program is the "perfect" fit for her (or if such a thing exists for her).
I've also talked to way too many disillusioned graduate students who are working on a second graduate degree because the first program they entered didn't end up letting them do what they had hoped or believed it would, even after much investigation -- only now, they've discovered that the next program is no better for other reasons. Clearly, what may look "perfect" may turn out to have substantial flaws. But I guess that information really can't help my mentee with her decision beyond serving as a precaution when she's doing her preliminary shopping.
My mentee also asked me, "What's the academic world really like? Do you feel super-competitive in your field ... ?" I think I smiled a little ruefully when I got to these questions. To be "competitive," I'm going to need more than an MFA (I was told this in no uncertain terms by the first-year advisor of my program within the first month of my arrival). It's funny to look back at how I was feeling over the summer about that situation. I think finding a home in teaching has made a huge difference -- I know now that working with students is in itself exciting for me. Will it be community colleges for me, then? Quite possibly, if they'll take me. We'll just have to see what's out there when I finish here and hope that the economy decides to play nicely. If there isn't anything viable, well, D and I will figure out our options then, but I think we've earned the right to say we'll wait it out in the same city.
(I say this with conviction now, but believe me, underneath it there's still fear that we'll be forced to return to some form of commuting again. Gaaah. For some really excellent thoughts on that aspect of career development, check out the conversation in the comments over at Medieval Woman's place in response to this post.)
Somehow, I don't think these were the answers my mentee was looking for.
Okay, let's end this on a lighter note -- so around the same time that my mentee e-mailed me, I found this little quiz online. It tells you where you fall on the "male-female brain continuum" based on your ability to perform certain mental tasks, and I'm amused to report that my gray matter is apparently quite masculine:
Does this mean that I make good decisions? No clue. But at least I know this quiz thinks they're ballsy ones ...
4 comments:
That quiz was fascinating. I already knew I had no spatial awareness but now I've had it confirmed by the BBC.
Asfor the right courses for students to take, I suppose they are thinking about the end product and either the research they will be able to go into or the career they want to make or themselves. It's so hard when you are young to know what to do for the best. They are lucky to have a mentor such as you
Awww. Thanks, FF. I like mentoring partially because I didn't really have a mentor myself when I was figuring some of this stuff out. I'd like to think I'm keeping someone else from feeling the total uncertainty I did in the face of big life choices (even if it only reduces the uncertainty a little bit).
CT, seems like some of your mentor/mentee questions are similar to the ones raised elsewhere that I also addressed a bit on my own blog. BTW, thanks for stopping by my blog! I've been coming by your place now, too, and I look forward to reading through the archives. Cheers!
Welcome, Good Enough Woman! Thanks for stopping by too :). Great stuff over at your place -- looking forward to keeping up with you there.
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