Comments on: “The Curse of the Class of 2009″ http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/ A higher education blog about news, humor, advice, and opinion on education, college degrees, university life and careers. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:03:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: What is a College Degree Worth these Days? The Case for a U.S. Gap Year Campaign... | Off Track Planet - The Backpackers Ultimate Travel Guide http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-143297 What is a College Degree Worth these Days? The Case for a U.S. Gap Year Campaign... | Off Track Planet - The Backpackers Ultimate Travel Guide Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:28:24 +0000 http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/#comment-143297 [...] The Curse of the Class of 2009: Now this is truly scary (not just because it has the word “curse” in it). The curse is that [...] [...] The Curse of the Class of 2009: Now this is truly scary (not just because it has the word “curse” in it). The curse is that [...]

]]> By: Get Into Graduate School in Psychology http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-125456 Get Into Graduate School in Psychology Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:28:24 +0000 http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/#comment-125456 This approach only works if you can actually GET into a Ph.D. program in the first place. People underestimate the impact that the recession is having on universities themselves! At the nameless university that I attended for grad school, competition for funding has become fierce, in the name of departmental training grants that provide fellowships to students, etc. While number of applications are on the upswing (even last year), we were able to extend funding to only half the number of students as the year before. Ouch! It's going to be the most competitive candidates who are able to get into grad school in this economic climate. Even some great students who great promise who did all the right things will be shut out of graduate school. This approach only works if you can actually GET into a Ph.D. program in the first place. People underestimate the impact that the recession is having on universities themselves!

At the nameless university that I attended for grad school, competition for funding has become fierce, in the name of departmental training grants that provide fellowships to students, etc.

While number of applications are on the upswing (even last year), we were able to extend funding to only half the number of students as the year before. Ouch!

It’s going to be the most competitive candidates who are able to get into grad school in this economic climate. Even some great students who great promise who did all the right things will be shut out of graduate school.

]]> By: Educated Nation--Sweaty Mortarboards | Educated Nation | Higher Education Blog http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-125261 Educated Nation--Sweaty Mortarboards | Educated Nation | Higher Education Blog Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:51:20 +0000 http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/#comment-125261 [...] Going back to school is always an option. I mentioned previously that research has been done (I do love data) on college grads in the early 1980s who hid out in grad school instead of trying to find a job in a recession, and their future career trajectories and earning potential were in no way harmed. [...] [...] Going back to school is always an option. I mentioned previously that research has been done (I do love data) on college grads in the early 1980s who hid out in grad school instead of trying to find a job in a recession, and their future career trajectories and earning potential were in no way harmed. [...]

]]> By: Lynn M http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-125214 Lynn M Tue, 19 May 2009 19:03:52 +0000 http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/#comment-125214 Perhaps, in a way, it is a good thing, this dose of reality. If we were to stereotype or believe the many articles written on this subject, Generation Y is a generation of people who act "entitled" in the workplace. I'm not saying I totally agree with this opinion, but it has been said numerous times that they expect high starting salaries, to be sent overseas on projects in their first year of employment, and expect offices, right off the bat. If this is true of our new generation of workers, then a dose of reality (you have to work hard to get a job, keep a job, pay your dues) may help to mold their character a bit. I was always told "life isn't fair" but we are increasingly pushing this idea on our youth that everything does have to be fair, evenly distributed, and that competition is bad. And now for something completely different :) I wanted to comment on working for public service. I recently read that 2009 law graduates are being offered deferred employment (with stipend) to work in public service for a year with hopes of being hired when the economy is better for the law firms to do so. The only problem with this is it sets up a collision between 2009 and 2010 law graduates for open positions. Should be interesting to see what happens there. Here's an article from Law.com http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202430617666&Deferrals_Could_Create_PileUp_of_Available_Associates Perhaps, in a way, it is a good thing, this dose of reality. If we were to stereotype or believe the many articles written on this subject, Generation Y is a generation of people who act “entitled” in the workplace. I’m not saying I totally agree with this opinion, but it has been said numerous times that they expect high starting salaries, to be sent overseas on projects in their first year of employment, and expect offices, right off the bat. If this is true of our new generation of workers, then a dose of reality (you have to work hard to get a job, keep a job, pay your dues) may help to mold their character a bit. I was always told “life isn’t fair” but we are increasingly pushing this idea on our youth that everything does have to be fair, evenly distributed, and that competition is bad.

And now for something completely different :) I wanted to comment on working for public service. I recently read that 2009 law graduates are being offered deferred employment (with stipend) to work in public service for a year with hopes of being hired when the economy is better for the law firms to do so. The only problem with this is it sets up a collision between 2009 and 2010 law graduates for open positions. Should be interesting to see what happens there. Here’s an article from Law.com http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202430617666&Deferrals_Could_Create_PileUp_of_Available_Associates

]]> By: Gary Alan Miller http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-125208 Gary Alan Miller Thu, 14 May 2009 12:18:21 +0000 http://www.educatednation.com/2009/05/13/the-curse-of-the-class-of-2009/#comment-125208 According to wikipedia, Gen Z started with those born in mid-1990s. So, presumably they won't be hitting college for another three years or so. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Z I worry less about Gen Yers going off the grid as I worry about them moving back to mom and dad's place, which I think is a much more likely and unfortunate outcome for many of the jobless among them. My sincere hope is that they don't do it. You hear me out there Gen Yers? Don't go home! It's time to blaze your own trail! According to wikipedia, Gen Z started with those born in mid-1990s. So, presumably they won’t be hitting college for another three years or so. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Z

I worry less about Gen Yers going off the grid as I worry about them moving back to mom and dad’s place, which I think is a much more likely and unfortunate outcome for many of the jobless among them. My sincere hope is that they don’t do it.

You hear me out there Gen Yers? Don’t go home! It’s time to blaze your own trail!

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