[Still Water]

You don't have many options with your b.s? I'm going to school right now and was thinking about going for that. You've found that you need a master's to get anywhere?

[Old Glory]

Originally Posted by Still Water

You don't have many options with your b.s? I'm going to school right now and was thinking about going for that. You've found that you need a master's to get anywhere?

For lab and research positions....yes, you pretty much need a Master's if you plan on making a decent living. I recently landed a job that I had to pass on that paid about $21,000 a year.....8-5 M-F with occasional weekends. I taught for a couple of years, which seemed to be the best option.....I really enjoyed the experience, but it just wasn't something I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Besides, after Katrina, there are so many teachers looking for jobs, and it seems right now as if senority trumps actual teaching ability.....which is why I'm screwed if I don't get into school.

[Still Water]

$21,000 a year? What the fuck? What was the job?

[Old Glory]

Originally Posted by Still Water

$21,000 a year? What the fuck? What was the job?

research assistant at Ochsner.....they're pretty well known for underpaying employees.

What do you want to do with your degree?

[spaned23]

Originally Posted by Old Glory

Thanks. My big problem is that I've got ad/hd and reading discrepancies (neither of which, along with numerous medical documentations from doctors and university disability services, would grant me extended time on the MCAT); so standardized tests are a pain for me.....reading in particular. Verbal was my hardest section on the MCAT, which is why I'm a tad hesitant about the LSAT, since, to my knowledge, there are no facts to memorize. I figure I'll start getting applications and essays after I take care of my AMCAS, and start getting applications in order.

Also, would you think that schools take majors into account as opposed to a strict GPA? I mean, I finished college with a 3.6 after a bad first year, but I was also majoring in Biological Sciences and minoring in Chemistry and Political Science. Do you think that a 3.6 in a really tough field would stack up well against.....say....a 3.8-3.9 from a General Education degree?

If you test poorly, don't pay attention to the don't worry about the lsat comment that the one guy made. Some people test well, others don't. The LSAT is a motherfucker. There is no memorization, except for methods. You can memorize methods to make the games section easier. I took it but didn't go to law school. It is heavily timed. The point is that you won't have enough time to answer everything. Practice can help you alot. For example I studied like 30 minutes every other day. I scored a 154 which is in like the 66th percentile. My girlfriend studied for like 2 hours a day and got a 167 which is in the 95th percentile. I test way better than she does. My sat scores were way better than hers. A 3.6 and a decent score should set you up pretty well though. I don't think they care about what degree you have, unless you had an advanced degree. Law school admission is not as tough as Med school admission, at least as far as my friend who went to med school said. As I understood her explanation only a certain percentage of people can be accepted to med school (say 10%) whereas a law school will accept a higher percentage. Really focus on your personal statement too. It can make or break you. Think too about your exit. NY and CA have some of the toughest BAR exams out there. Luckily for you it seems, the BAR is all about memorization. My girlfriend rented a room in student housing for the summer to study for the bar. I would go to visit and there were a lot of NYU law students there doing the same thing. People there looked fucking crazy and stressed out. It was a scene out of a movie. Good luck.

[Still Water]

Different field, I'd like to work for the DNR or something along those lines. I work construction right now while going to school and make 27 bucks an hour and the job sucks, but it's like, am I spending all this money, effort, and time just to get a job where I'm paid the same as the cashier at the grocery store? What about when I have a family? You know what I'm saying? It's like what part do you sacrifice, the money or the enjoyment of the job?

[spaned23]

Originally Posted by Old Glory

research assistant at Ochsner.....they're pretty well known for underpaying employees.

What do you want to do with your degree?

If you get into a good school, say Tulane, you could make 21,000 for your second summer job. If you can get an internship with a bigger firm, you'll be amazed at the money these cats throw around. You'll have a lot of debt, but you should be able to pay it off quicker by becoming a lawyer than the Ph.D or Med school route. I assume that Ph.D work is like the teaching work you did before. Experience will reign supreme. With med school, you'll have to do a residency for 2-8 years at what amounts to less than minumum wage.

[Old Glory]

Originally Posted by Still Water

Different field, I'd like to work for the DNR or something along those lines. I work construction right now while going to school and make 27 bucks an hour and the job sucks, but it's like, am I spending all this money, effort, and time just to get a job where I'm paid the same as the cashier at the grocery store? What about when I have a family? You know what I'm saying? It's like what part do you sacrifice, the money or the enjoyment of the job?

To be quite honest with you, I never really had any interest in those fields, and I don't know what's available. When I got into biological sciences and chemistry, I was looking to get into research, teaching, or medical school. I looked into research....jobs that were health related, and I would have needed a Master's to be paid worth a damn.....salaries vary from state to state, though.

[GermanBJJ]

I'll sell you my degree for a good price. Just redact the name and write yours in with crayon.

[Zankou]

Originally Posted by GermanBJJ

I'll sell you my degree for a good price. Just redact the name and write yours in with crayon.

I'll buy it for $50, assuming your name is easily redacted. I must be able to find some use for a second one.