I love teaching, and was informed if a full-time position opens up at one college, I would be filling it as my teaching skills are top-notch. But, it has to open. In the meantime, I’ve got a full dance card as an adjunct.
So, everything’s good, right? Not exactly.
Why? Because I will need a Ph.D. and I’ve been aiming too high. My Master’s in Hamster Fur Weaving is from State Uni which is not a good enough school. This was directly from an admissions office. As if I can fix that. Even publication and teaching experience won’t entirely redeem the transgression. However, I now have action steps to make myself more attractive for the next round of applications. I am dreading the amount of money that I will be blowing on application fees since I am no longer only going to send out 3 or 4--but probably 20 this fall in the hopes that a wider geographical area will result in one "yes!"
Should I set a deadline? One year? Two years? Bail now? If no program or full-time job opens up, should I just go back to my old lackluster career in Cubicleville with a steady paycheck?
I would love to hear your thoughts on my personal misery!
My mom has been fighting this battle since 1989.
ReplyDeleteShe got her MA from a State school. She runs the Writing Center at a lower-tier school. They hire her every term to teach English Comp with the grad students. She wins teaching awards on a regular basis. When they have a last-minute cancellation, they hire her to teach higher-level classes, and she loves it.
However, every time there is an opening, she applies, and they tell her they cannot hire her. She does not have a PhD. She is a last-minute replacement only. Her MA is not good enough, accreditation standards are too difficult to accommodate an MA.
She has been fighting this for years. My father supports the family so money isn't the issue. But her applications to grad school -- when successful -- have required her to move away from her family, so she defers. This has happened for 20 years now. And she still is pushed aside every time they hire. Basically, she stays because she loves it. Her approach has not been the best.
If you have the flexibility to get the PhD, do it. But the jobs might not come. The debt will be there. It's a risk, of course.
Do nothing, though, and you'll be in this same position for the next 20 odd years.
And that's what I'm afraid of--doing nothing will continue the uncertainty of where I go semester after semester, and my SO will have to keep footing the bill. That's why I'm seriously considering a deadline for getting into Ph.D. school (or landing a job in a community college) and if it fails to materialize, go back to Cubicleville.
DeleteI'm sorry for your mom--to do so much work and clearly be capable of performing high-level work, and then to be denied anything permanent for one simple credential is terrible. I think if there's already a proven track record at the campus, they should waive the requirement.
This is one case where accrediting bodies play an important role. They're often the ones that count how many faculty in a particular program hold the Ph.D. (or a terminal degree for that field -- e.g. MFA). Failing to have the appropriate percentage can threaten accreditation. It doesn't make such situations fair, but it does, at least, provide an explanation (and a bulwark against institutions failing to hire even minimally-qualified teachers -- but of course there are plenty of well-qualified M.A.s and idiot Ph.D.s out there).
DeleteI have the terminal degree for my field, and will likely need to go get a phd if I have any illusions of tenure track. I fortunately havea job though.
DeleteHmm. . .could you try to schedule some appointments, or at least phone conversations, with the admissions directors in the *departments* to which you're interested in applying? The "your M.A. school is not good enough" advice, and the desire to save admissions fees which would be wasted, might serve as an ice-breaker, as would your experience and publications and desire to find a program which work for your particular situation and ambitions.
ReplyDeleteMy inclination would be to take advice from an admissions *office* (as opposed to a department admissions officer) with a grain of salt, since I believe Ph.D.-level admissions usually work on a department level. That also might mean that networking is a possibility -- ask those who are telling you you need a Ph.D. (to be earned while in a job elsewhere? I didn't quite understand that part) where you might go, and if they know any faculty member in that program to whom you might speak, informally -- an informational interview, so to speak. Going into this blind -- just sending applications into a void and hoping one sticks -- strikes me as the wrong approach to this, and it sounds like you do have opportunities for networking.
Of course, there's also the "are you *sure* you really want a Ph.D.?" question, but if you know you love teaching, and already have full-time job prospects, that alters a bit.
It was actually a high level faculty member in a particular program who told me that a state uni isn't good enough. I've been trying not to send the applications out blind, but only selected a few schools, visited them and with the faculty.
ReplyDeleteI am working, but only as an adjunct, and know that without a Ph.D. my job prospects will be limited. I was surprised the one college was considering me as a candidate should they get approval to open another spot full-time.
Sounds like you're doing what you need to do. Still, I wouldn't take one comment from one institution too seriously. It smacks to me of knee-jerk prejudice/lack of imagination. Also, I wouldn't let it keep you from at least talking to grad programs that you see as *more* prestigious/selective. Sometimes people at a school like that may be less status-conscious, and hence more willing to think outside the box when it comes to judging the quality of applicants.
DeleteOr there's the other approach: if (and only if) the full-time job becomes a reality, and you like it, but you need a Ph.D. to move up and/or get greater job security, you might consider approaching the Ph.D. as, indeed, "just a credential" (see above), and looking into online and/or summer programs designed specifically for people in your situation. Of course you don't want a worthless Ph.D., but there might be a happy medium offered somewhere: a more teaching-oriented Ph.D. (or even a Ph.D. in "higher education" or something along those lines) that would do the trick for what you want to do. I've even heard talk (but not, at least so far, word of implementation) of programs that are considering awarding a Ph.D. on the basis of a certain number of published peer-reviewed articles, rather than a traditional proto-monograph dissertation. That makes sense to me, as would a dissertation that entailed studying the success of a particular pedagogical approach. It might limit your options in the long run, but could qualify you for a particular job -- and, assuming the degree came from a fully-accredited institution, to pacify the accreditors, publications from there on might do as much to shape your reputation.
But don't get too far down the "what if" road on the basis of a verbal promise. Sadly, such promises don't always pan out, for a variety of reasons (e.g. the administration opens up the line, but demands a national search, with a minimum requirement of ABD/Ph.D. in hand).
I'd like to take the Ph.D. for the experience and knowledge I will gain from it, not just as a credential, but my approach will be businesslike so I can finish the dissertation in a reasonable amount of time. And no, I'm not putting all my hopes on a verbal promise, since I know there's no guarantees in life.....
DeleteThat's a good balance, I think. I'm pretty sure I know at least one person who got a Ph.D. through a mostly-summer/partly-distance program (I'd have to go back and check, which might be a bit difficult, since he's now retired). And I know one person who made the most of an Ed.D. at the institution she worked for (which I suspect at least reduced, and perhaps eliminated, the tuition problem). This latter person later went on to get a job elsewhere (though admittedly more of the type Monkey describes above than a typical TT faculty one). So there are ways to get a real Ph.D. (i.e. one representing real learning and real original research), without going the traditional route. Either finding a niche program or customizing one than happens to be convenient and/or affordable is easier if you have a very clear idea of what you want to get out of the degree (both in terms of your own learning/research and in terms of the kind of job for which it will serve as a credential), I think. But that's true of a "regular" program, too -- choosing/going into it with a clear idea of what you want to get out of it, how long you're willing to spend completing it, etc., etc. is increasingly important.
DeleteMy MA is from a public uni that lost its PhD program in my field during the first year of my MA (what is now HLC came through Ohio and cut, cut, cut--and my uni didn't make the cut). They offered to "grandfather" me in, but I figured (rightly), why would I want a PhD from here?
ReplyDeleteI applied to (and was rejected from) a few PhD programs I'd applied to, and I suspect it was due to my public uni being not exactly top-shelf. I just shrugged and applied to the brand new MFA in Writing program at the Juilliard of art schools. Got in, because they looked at my work and not where I got my MA from.
That said, I spent a shit-ton of money on that MFA (I will be 70 before I pay it off), and though I am newly-tenured, I make less than $46K a year for a 4/4 load. I really don't know if I would go through it all again, and I can't in good conscience tell you to throw good money after bad.
Also, what ^Contingent Cassandra said.
Good luck.
I'm fortunate---I was able to take out very little overall in student loans for the M.A. and that's why I'm so wary to go into further debt.
DeleteHaving published won't make up for it? Geez. That's some tough minimum requirements. You'd think that they'd be eager for someone who had teaching experience and managed to publish while adjuncting at multiple colleges. If nothing else, you show drive and dedication. And not only that, but I would think the quality of work you turn in (i.e., your writing sample) would outweigh just the name of the school.
ReplyDeleteThe only possible suggestion I could make is to apply as a non-degree student and take one course a semester, and hope that they'll consider you in the next round. Of course, if this program isn't local, that's not an option, although you might look into those doctoral programs that offer online classes. It's possible, too, that having hours past the master's will count for almost as much as the finished degree (there's FT salary boosts locally for having completed 18+ hours, 24+ hours, and the finished PhD). But it's a serious money sink. At Local Doctoral Programs, it costs as much in tuition and fees to take one class as it pays to teach one class at the local CC. Given how little we're paid, it's a rock and a hard place for sure.
I should have said, the salary boosts for hours past the M.A. are at one of the CCs I work at.
DeleteThanks, I thought it seemed ridiculous, too. I think you're right about trying to apply as a non degree and see if I can network my way in. I shudder to think what it's going to cost me, though.
DeleteYou know, I chose the PhD route because I was led to believe that the MA-only people don't normally get full-time jobs. Increasingly, this also applies at CCs too.
ReplyDeleteImagine my surprise when I was at an R1 and all the adjunct jobs went to MA-only people who also had no desire to get a PhD; some of them even had TT jobs!...in research positions! I was there, trying desperately to work while earning my PhD and I couldn't get a decent job. I won all sorts of awards too. But all the jobs went to other people, who only had a MA and no PhD training, experience, or aspirations.
Why am telling you this? Grass is greener phenomenon. The profession is fucked and so are you if you believe ANY advice you get from a school that says they won't hire ...or WILL hire you BUT only if you do X, Y, and Z.
Go to school only if you want to, need to, can't think of anything but moving forward in the profession. If you don't want the degree for your own sake, do not go for it just to get a job. "The Job" is just a carrot dangled in front of you, Donkey. It may always be out of reach. ALWAYS.
Keep in mind that most schools will almost quite literally hire ANYONE to adjunct. They really could give a damn who teaches for them. We're disposable and interchangeable, no matter what teaching award you think you've earned. But standing faculty (in the TT stream) have to offer the blood of their firstborn just to get an interview. Consider that.
I do want the degree for myself, and I know "the job" is often unattainable.....
ReplyDeleteThe "Do you want to get a PhD" question is still most important. It will add to and destroy your soul in a variety of ways.
ReplyDeleteWill having a PhD make you overqualified or too expensive to hire for other adjunct positions you hold now?
Will having a PhD make you overqualified or too expensive to hire for other adjunct positions you hold now?
DeleteAt least in my field and geographical location (composition; high-cost-of-living coastal greater metropolitan area), this is not an issue, since the salary bump for a Ph.D. is miniscule, and outweighed by the advantages of having a Ph.D. There is one -- but only one -- local university that famously wants to hire only M.A.s for its writing program (if there's a reason, I don't know what it is).
Having a post-B.A. degree *is* a detriment in public school hiring. As I understand it, the correct strategy there is to get the grad credits for accreditation (which are usually earned in addition to a required subject-area B.A. in our state), get a job, and then finish the M.A., since schools don't even want to pay the M.A. bump for new hires. However, in the independent (private) school sector, having a Ph.D. appears to be increasingly a plus at the high school level (and independent schools could be another good option for Ancillary since it sounds like teaching is her first love).
Get out while you still can.
ReplyDeleteDon't pay for a PhD. It barely pays back what it cost in time, it will never pay back up front monetary costs, and you are likely to eat those costs with nothing to show but a piece of vellum (or tyvek, at some schools now).
Be serious about the utility of a PhD as a career advancement tool. It doesn't open nearly as many doors as it closes. Additionally, there are a whole lot of people who already have PhDs and no jobs. You will be joining their ranks and competing with them for the small number of jobs available.
Does one of the schools you adjunct for offer to pay employee tuition? That'd be my best advice.
But do not pay out of your own pocket.
Omg. This is my constant worry, obsession, thought, damnation, etc. etc.... This is MY MISERY too! I am lucky to have a FT job but it is hell. I teach a bunch of shit that I have *justenough* grad hours to do but my primary MA field is largely ignored. ( I'm afraid of divulging much more than that here for fear of losing anonymity.) I have a yearly contract at my FT job but teach adjunct at a large state uni to be able to teach in my field. I keep hoping and praying and wishing that a FT instructor position will appear at the uni bc I'm working myself into the grave trying to please everyone. I need for my FT contract to be renewed, but I also NEED to adjunct to feel like I'm worth anything in my field. Nut this coming AY, I have decided to tell the uni to shit or get off the pot bc I've done far beyond what is required...and in my field, there are not a lot of people in this area that are going to have the degree to teach the 2 classes I do. I have also won awards and gotten stellar evals, much like Academic Monkey's mother. They just hired someone (the only FT person to teach the subject) but I, too, was told not to apply since I do not have a PhD. But I have a significant amount of debt and am caught in an awful position. And I would also like the closure of finishing my PhD. I wish we could drink together over this.
ReplyDeleteHolly, I wish we could drink together over this too....I know I am fortunate that I was able to get an assistant position with tuition waiver so I was able to keep the debt from getting out of hand. I'm with you on wishing for the closure of having a Ph.D.......I don't know if I can even get into a program. I'm bright and capable, but apparently I don't fit a rubric.
DeleteI am thinking of contacting a postdoc I know at a school outside my geographical area and see if he can do some fishing for me, so I can find out what the culture is, what they want, and try to tailor my application there to it. They have a brilliant Hamster Fur Weaver I would LOVE to study with.......and they only take students on full fellowships. I have to have a full fellowship or a decent work/study where the debt will be negligible, that's my one non-negotiable. That's why I'm seriously considering setting a deadline to get into schools.
I also learned a 90% on the test from the Evil Testing Syndicate is not enough so I bought a course and I'm studying to take it again and hopefully significantly improve my scores to be more attractive as well.
Finally, since I have the summer off, I'm working on another article and I'm going to see about submitting it in the fall after a few of my advisers look it over. Maybe another publication may aid me, and if not, it does my ego good!
Not starting a Ph.D. program unless you have a full ride, or very close to it, is also a good rule to follow, or at least was when I was applying. I'm not sure what the general crisis in higher ed funding, especially at state schools, has done to that rule. Even with a "full ride," you may well end up incurring some debt for living expenses at some point, but tuition remission and some kind of stipend are probably the minimum to look for.
DeleteA steady paycheck sounds really really good right now. If you don't want the cubicle, I'll take it!
ReplyDeleteBut, really, I've heard the bs before. Overqualified, underqualified, etc.
Don't let one institution get to you. I've found that for every institution that didn't want me, there has always been another that welcomed me with open arms. It's not like any one of them happened to be better than the other. They all payed about the same. And I only have a Master's too!
Hang in there. Jobs really suck right about now. For myself, I am exploring online options, otherwise I feel like I would need a dimensional portal to move my stuff. I really don't want to pack up and move. I've done that since I started Grad school and you would think it would have stopped after I finished grad school. Some things just get old after a while!
Thanks, EMH! I know some of it is b.s. I am trying not to let it get to me, and on the plus side, I did learn there are some things I can work on to appear more attractive.
ReplyDeleteAs for the pay and job situation, you're right, it's lousy out there. I may also consider some online options--what have I got to lose, and I'd save on gas!
I'm being brave and sending out my application today to a college that admits Ph.D's are preferred--but maybe with my publication record and conference presentations, they'll give me the green light and they pay pretty well. And maybe, just maybe, they'll have some tuition assistance program as well, which would help with those non-degree classes that could aid in boosting my transcripts!
Graphic of the year!
ReplyDeleteAlan from Apex has it right.
ReplyDelete