I've been doing some more research on possible graduate level studies. As I'm discovering more kickass programs, I get more and more freaked out. All of these choices! How can I possibly pick one?
As of today I have considered:
-A Masters of Social Work with a Certificate in Women's Studies (to work in advocacy groups, domestic abuse centers, etc.)
-A Ph.D. in Women's Studies (with which to teach at a collegiate level)
-A JD in Public Interest law
-And now I found various JD/MSW joint programs.
Holy shit. If I had a JD AND a MSW I could basically rule the universe. Ok, well not exactly the universe, but it would be amazing. I could work for the ACLU! Or NOW! However, the only places I've found them are universities in strange places or private/ivy league schools. UC Berkeley has a great program; the in-state cost is low and how fucking cool would it be to have the same name as my university? However, it kind of messes up the Portland/Seattle plans Cody and I have. Portland has Lewis and Clark law school which offers a JD program in Public Interest, so I could always just work my way up, getting a Masters and then a JD. Although unless I was doing it at the same time, I would probably just end up picking one or the other.
BUT I kinda ruled out law school a while ago. I don't think my brain works in those super logisitcal ways. I'm not a good strategy person; I always lose at chess. So I doubt I'd do well on the LSATs. A Masters degree would give me the edge when applying for jobs, but that's pretty much where the outside benefits stop. A Ph.D. would open up college jobs for me, and being Dr. Chapman sounds sexy. But then I feel like I would be forever pigeonholed in academia. I'd rather do good things with my life than deal with 20 year olds (and Freshmen ewwwwwww) on a daily basis. I think a JD would be the most practical...I could be a lawyer, a consultant, an elected official, and I could teach with it. But I have doubts about my own abilities.
Won't somebody just tell me what to do? This whole making-adult-decisions thing is overrated.
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