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Wow I had no idea a Masters could be that expensive! I paid $16k for a Masters in Computer Engineering at a local unglamorous state university (half paid for by

Wow I had no idea a Masters could be that expensive! I paid $16k for a Masters in Computer Engineering at a local unglamorous state university (half paid for by my employer) and immediately got a promotion for $30k when I was done, so it was a pretty good rate of return!

ghaff 5y ago
Engineering Masters can be even less than that. I don't remember what my Engineering Masters cost all-in but it wasn't a lot including CoL at an Ivy.
coldcode 5y ago
I worked on my Chemistry Masters around 1980 and it cost me nothing, they paid me a pittance as a grad student to teach but I got free tuition at a public university. Strange how much things cost today.
- samatman 5y ago
  Chemistry, at least c. mid 2000s when I was looking into it, is largely paid for by GAANN. There aren't many grad school slots available but those there are tend to be full-ride.
- vxNsr 5y ago
  Sounds like they paid you a masters program tuition… granted back then that probably wasn’t a lot, but they were paying more than just your teaching salary.
mabub24 5y ago
The general advice I give to anyone considering grad school, and the same advice I was given by professors, is: unless you are absolutely certain it will be worth it, do not go to grad school unless you are paid to do so by the school or through some other form of compensation.
- rejectedandsad 5y ago
  This is always interesting, because when I went to my crappy state school people always said "Oh, but you can always go to a top grad school!". It seems like if you're not cut out for success at 17 you'll never have it.
  - BeetleB 5y ago
    > because when I went to my crappy state school people always said "Oh, but you can always go to a top grad school!". In engineering, you definitely can, and it's not unusual. This doesn't conflict with your parent. Do not pay for it out of your own pocket. Get funding (teaching/research assistantship).
    - rejectedandsad 5y ago
      From my school? Yes it is. To get into a top grad school you need multiple first author papers. Most research groups at state schools straight up don’t have that research capacity. I had 2 2nd author papers and people that I've shown my profile to say I have straight up no chance at good schools. They then trot out the 'ol "It matters more who your advisor is".
      - BeetleB 5y ago
        > To get into a top grad school you need multiple first author papers. What field are you in? Most engineering programs will not require this.
        rejectedandsad 5y ago
        I’m in CS. I’m basically hopeless at this point of ever being considered more than an untermensch.
        BeetleB 5y ago
        I'm curious: What are you considering as a top CS school? At the one I went to, virtually no incoming student was a first author. Granted, this was a while ago, but it was still the case about 10 years ago. 2nd question: Did you actually apply, or did you merely ask around and get discouraged? My experience is that most of the advice people give on this topic is wildly off. That includes advice from professors in top schools. Finally, GPA mattered in my time, and I'm sure it still does. It's not at all sufficient, but a poor GPA would almost always kill your chances. I those days, beneath 3.5 would be a guaranteed reject, and around 3.5 would be a weak candidate.

ghaff 5y ago

Engineering Masters can be even less than that. I don't remember what my Engineering Masters cost all-in but it wasn't a lot including CoL at an Ivy.

coldcode 5y ago

I worked on my Chemistry Masters around 1980 and it cost me nothing, they paid me a pittance as a grad student to teach but I got free tuition at a public university. Strange how much things cost today.

samatman 5y ago
Chemistry, at least c. mid 2000s when I was looking into it, is largely paid for by GAANN. There aren't many grad school slots available but those there are tend to be full-ride.
vxNsr 5y ago
Sounds like they paid you a masters program tuition… granted back then that probably wasn’t a lot, but they were paying more than just your teaching salary.

mabub24 5y ago

The general advice I give to anyone considering grad school, and the same advice I was given by professors, is: unless you are absolutely certain it will be worth it, do not go to grad school unless you are paid to do so by the school or through some other form of compensation.

rejectedandsad 5y ago
This is always interesting, because when I went to my crappy state school people always said "Oh, but you can always go to a top grad school!". It seems like if you're not cut out for success at 17 you'll never have it.
- BeetleB 5y ago
  > because when I went to my crappy state school people always said "Oh, but you can always go to a top grad school!". In engineering, you definitely can, and it's not unusual. This doesn't conflict with your parent. Do not pay for it out of your own pocket. Get funding (teaching/research assistantship).
  - rejectedandsad 5y ago
    From my school? Yes it is. To get into a top grad school you need multiple first author papers. Most research groups at state schools straight up don’t have that research capacity. I had 2 2nd author papers and people that I've shown my profile to say I have straight up no chance at good schools. They then trot out the 'ol "It matters more who your advisor is".
    - BeetleB 5y ago
      > To get into a top grad school you need multiple first author papers. What field are you in? Most engineering programs will not require this.
      - rejectedandsad 5y ago
        I’m in CS. I’m basically hopeless at this point of ever being considered more than an untermensch.
        BeetleB 5y ago
        I'm curious: What are you considering as a top CS school? At the one I went to, virtually no incoming student was a first author. Granted, this was a while ago, but it was still the case about 10 years ago. 2nd question: Did you actually apply, or did you merely ask around and get discouraged? My experience is that most of the advice people give on this topic is wildly off. That includes advice from professors in top schools. Finally, GPA mattered in my time, and I'm sure it still does. It's not at all sufficient, but a poor GPA would almost always kill your chances. I those days, beneath 3.5 would be a guaranteed reject, and around 3.5 would be a weak candidate.