Am I a tard for not wanting to go to grad school?

[NickMPK]

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? how is 45k/yr not a really good salary right out of undergrad?

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QFT...I made $45K my first year out of law school.
How much money does a 22 year old need?

And graduate students make a lot less than $45K (like, half that).

To the OP, I don't see why you would be considering grad school anyway. You need to be really into academia to succeed, and it doesn't sound like your GPA is high enough anyway.

[Ganjasaurus Rex]

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? how is 45k/yr not a really good salary right out of undergrad?

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Sorry, my post wasn't clear. I wasn't referring to all majors and i wasn't necessarily referring to undergrads. I was trying to say that settling for 45k when you could go to grad school and get 80k seemed surprising. But i keep forgetting that not everyone has the same goals me or my students do. Again, i wasn't meaning to be rude, and i apologize if it came off that way.

[Suigin406]

do not go to grad school if u don't want to, it could be a big mistake...also, it's possible u might not be accepted into a lot of places with ur current GPA, so getting a job and putting some distance between ur school grades might not be such a bad idea

[Dan.]

From everything I've read regarding grad school, there is pretty much 0 reason to go if you're not 100% committed to it.

FWIW, I'm also a junior and a math major, wanting going to grad school in econ.

[Wyman]

If you are not dedicated to grad school, your time as a grad student will be miserable, and there's a pretty large chance you won't finish. Getting a PhD takes a ton of work and dedication.

There are plenty of jobs for math majors (look into consulting, actuarial work, Wall St., etc) that pay good money (or at least better than 45k/yr). The advantage of having a math major is that it's clear that you know how to think and analyze. The disadvantage is that people may think you're socially retarded, so you'll have to show them otherwise.

And for whoever said half of 45k for grad students' salaries -- keep going. Most of my friends are making about 15 or 16 for the 8-9 month school year, and maybe getting 3k in summer support.

[NozeCandy]

I'm in the same boat. I assumed my whole life I would be going to grad school, but I'm getting so burned out with education that I'm sure by the time I graduate that I'll just want to go out and do something for at least a few years. Switching things up is good; it keeps you fresh.

[wems]

im about to drop out of school for a semester (and decide) if that makes you feel better... im still freshman standings and will be once im 21 so

[Quicksilvre]

First, thanks to everyone who replied. It's kind of a relief to see I'm not alone with this.

Since there was generally the same responses from everyone, I'm just to clip out quotes and respond where appropriate.


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From everything I've read regarding grad school, there is pretty much 0 reason to go if you're not 100% committed to it.

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also, it's possible u might not be accepted into a lot of places with ur current GPA

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That's exactly what I was thinking--from what I can see, you can forget about it with pretty much any GPA below 3.00. I didn't think there was much point in going given that and my lack of enthusiasm for grad school.

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I was trying to say that settling for 45k when you could go to grad school and get 80k seemed surprising.

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Again, as it stands now, getting accepted seems unlikely, and apparently finishing even if I do get in is also unlikely. What's the point if I spend a year or two floating around aimlessly, earning a salary maybe a third of what I would get otherwise, when I may not get anything in return? If just getting in is an issue, staying in and earning a master's is going to be a bigger one.

That being said, if I get a job and five years down the road, whoever I'm working for wants to send me back to school, I'd love to do that if I feel better about school at that point. But I am burned out at this point.

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There are plenty of jobs for math majors (look into consulting, actuarial work, Wall St., etc) that pay good money (or at least better than 45k/yr).

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As I said, $45K is just the average. Thank you, though, for the advice about possible careers; I have taken (very brief) looks at financial market and actuarial jobs already. Consulting is something I will look into as well.

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The advantage of having a math major is that it's clear that you know how to think and analyze. The disadvantage is that people may think you're socially retarded, so you'll have to show them otherwise.

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I will certainly keep this in mind.

[AvivaSimplex]

I have a PhD in neuroscience. You are absolutely making the right decision not to go into grad school. Grad school is for people who hear everything about how hard it is, and how little it pays, and *still* really want to go. You're burned out and likely won't get in or won't finish. Get a job, make some money, and if you change your mind in 2-5 years, you'll be a stronger candidate.

[wstaffor]

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im about to drop out of school for a semester (and decide) if that makes you feel better... im still freshman standings and will be once im 21 so

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Why would you being a loser make someone feel better about not going to grad school?