The curse of the class of 2009

[RapplixGmed]

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I read this article on the WSJ this morning. The curse of the class of 2009: For college grads lucky enough to get work this year, low wages are likely to haunt them for a decade or more.

Reminds me of something from Malcom Gladwell's Outlier's book that talked about how the era you are born in has a huge effect on how successful you are. whether you try to enter the work force during a revolution in commerce or during the height of a recession will vastly change your career outcomes over your entire lifetime given the same amount of effort from the person.

What do you guys think? Makes me happy that I'm off to med school/grad school. I think this article also kinds of verifies the general idea that one would be an idiot to pay full price for a undergrad education these days because it might not get you anything, especially if you study liberal arts.

 

[flip26]

I read this article on the WSJ this morning. The curse of the class of 2009: For college grads lucky enough to get work this year, low wages are likely to haunt them for a decade or more.

Reminds me of something from Malcom Gladwell's Outlier's book that talked about how the era you are born in has a huge effect on how successful you are. whether you try to enter the work force during a revolution in commerce or during the height of a recession will vastly change your career outcomes over your entire lifetime given the same amount of effort from the person.

What do you guys think? Makes me happy that I'm off to med school/grad school. I think this article also kinds of verifies the general idea that one would be an idiot to pay full price for a undergrad education these days because it might not get you anything, especially if you study liberal arts.

I haven't read it yet, but there is also a silver lining in that dark cloud for people just starting out in careers - invest your money in the stock market, buy beaten down real estate that was out of your price range, and live a thrifty lifestyle, and you could really prosper wealth wise down the road.

Chances are that when the folks who are entering med school now, and will not be making any money for 10+ years, will miss one of the opportunities of a lifetime to invest at the bottom.

 

[flip26]

I read this article on the WSJ this morning. The curse of the class of 2009: For college grads lucky enough to get work this year, low wages are likely to haunt them for a decade or more.

Reminds me of something from Malcom Gladwell's Outlier's book that talked about how the era you are born in has a huge effect on how successful you are. whether you try to enter the work force during a revolution in commerce or during the height of a recession will vastly change your career outcomes over your entire lifetime given the same amount of effort from the person.

What do you guys think? Makes me happy that I'm off to med school/grad school. I think this article also kinds of verifies the general idea that one would be an idiot to pay full price for a undergrad education these days because it might not get you anything, especially if you study liberal arts.

I extend this same logic paying "full price" for a med school education - just look at the threads where people are trying to decide between their state school for $ versus some higher ranked med school for $$$...it really doesn't make much sense to me, but from the looks of these threads, plenty of people opt for the higher debt.

 

[45408]

I extend this same logic paying "full price" for a med school education - just look at the threads where people are trying to decide between their state school for $ versus some higher ranked med school for $$$...it really doesn't make much sense to me, but from the looks of these threads, plenty of people opt for the higher debt.

While I'm usually the guy arguing for the cheaper med school, I'd like to point out that I don't know any med school grads who are making $600/month doing band promos. Some of the people in that article are really screwed, and if not for mom and day, they might be homeless. And yeah, I'm definitely glad I'm not out there in this job market.

 

[Food]

Yeah, I'm not one to complain by virtue of circumstance, but this really does suck.

I just graduated with my B.S. in Chemistry, and was planning on going to medical school right after. I've been waitlisted by the only school that interviewed me, and therefore have to re-app. My GPA is low, but not in a range that I think makes it necessary for me to get a SMP, especially given my good MCAT score...

Job-wise my Chem degree gives me crap. There's the tiniest trickle of job opportunities available for people with Bachelors in Chem right now, at least in Central / North Florida. I can't afford to simply volunteer this whole year, I need a job to pay bills, so I'm probably looking at working minimum wage (Wal-Mart or restaurants) in addition to my part-time Kaplan job...

The only consolation is that I know there are people way worse off than I am. Thankfully I still have a shot at med-school. I feel bad for my Engineering friends who are getting shafted by the job-hunt. I've got Mech Es and Electrical Es who have been applying for jobs since November and have yet to hear from any companies. They're just going back home to live with their parents while they look for work.

 

[pianola]

I've got Mech Es and Electrical Es who have been applying for jobs since November and have yet to hear from any companies. They're just going back home to live with their parents while they look for work.

🙁 Yes. Quoted for truth. Sad, sad truth.