Let Your Past Catch Up With You, Grad School Article

You have spent years establishing your career but now you have a burning desire to try something new. If you are worried about "throwing away" all of your education and training, you may not have to. You may be able to find your way to a new career that utilizes your past experiences, and a graduate education may help you get there. As a graduate student in chemistry I was often asked, "So are you planning on going into academics or industry?" as if those were the only two options. After a colleague referred me to an Internet site for science careers, nextwave.org, I learned that there are a number of nontraditional careers out there for scientists, such as patent law, public policy, science writing, business, and even crime fighting. I discovered that scientific experience is not only welcomed in these professions, it is in demand. I decided I would make the transition to journalism, but not until after spending five years on an academic career. Like many contemplating a career switch, I was held back by a lack of confidence to leave a known career track to face an unknown one. In her book, Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career, Herminia Ibarra describes the plights of a multitude of career switchers, each of whom had to face the same uncertainty, whether it was a banker turned novelist, a literature professor turned stockbroker, or a psychiatrist turned Buddhist monk. Many of those career switchers turned to graduate school to start their transition. A graduate education can provide not only knowledge and experience, but also the self-confidence to overcome the anxiety and apprehension of changing careers. The confidence building starts with that first acceptance letter to graduate school when you realize that someone in your new field of study believes you can succeed. Getting that acceptance letter with a limited education related to your new field may not be as difficult as you think. Graduate programs are primarily looking for students who demonstrate the ability to succeed in their program. You have the advantage of having had a successful career experience, which is a strong indication that you will also be successful in graduate work. Some fields of study-in particular law, business, and journalism-are especially in need of expertise and experience in outside areas, and this is reflected in the applicants they admit into their schools. At the Northwestern University School of Law, over 80% of incoming students have at least one year of post-college work experience and over 60% have at least two. At the Washington University School of Business, a variety of factors are examined for admission, including work experience. According to their Internet site, "We consider your GPA and GMAT scores, but we also look at your goals, work history, motivations, experiences, activities, and character - and how well you communicate those to us in writing. We do not require any previous coursework in business." A number of graduate programs in journalism are geared for scientists looking for a career transition to journalism, including programs at Johns Hopkins, New York University, MIT, and Boston University. At the science writing program at the University of California at Santa Cruz, laboratory research experience is required for all applicants. According to their Internet site, "Full-time laboratory or field work gives program graduates an important edge over science writers who lack such experience. Most of the people accepted into the program have done graduate work in science, many to a Ph.D." According to research published in Career Development Quarterly by Kanchier and Unruh, the motivation for switching careers usually has more to do with fulfillment rather than financial gain. Yet financial considerations are still important when switching careers, especially when it involves tuition and lost wages. Fortunately there are ways to minimize the financial burden. One is to find a program that can be completed quickly, which is possible as some programs take as little as one year to finish. You can also apply for an assistantship, which generally carries a tuition waiver and stipend. Even if you lack education in your new area, don't assume that an assistantship is not within reach. Many of the criteria used for determining admission are the same as