Best Job Pre-Ph.D. Application?

Graduate School
1

<p>I just graduated from college and (about a year too late to be convenient) realized I want to apply to Ph.D. programs for education history/policy. </p>

<p>I am currently working as a program manager at an education-related non-profit, but–for a variety of reasons–I am searching for a new job. </p>

<p>What kinds of jobs will be best for my admissions prospects? Will an unrelated job hurt me (I have a corporate offer)? Should I take the risk of leaving my current job and being unable to find another in my field?</p>

<p>Here’s some background:

  • Graduated May 2012; Ivy undergrad; majored in education history & policy
  • Planning to apply this December for Fall 2013 matriculation
  • I’ve already contacted my former professors to inquire about research positions; so far, no luck
  • Prefer to be based in NYC </p>

<p>I don’t know much about the graduate school admissions process at all, so any advice you have will be helpful! Thanks!</p>

2

<p>An unrelated job will kind of hurt you, in the sense that admissions committees will wonder why you left a connected job to go to an unrelated one. The one that you are in will be a great way to segue into an education-related degree, but the corporate one will be like “huh?”</p>

<p>It’s not that you are going corporate period - everyone needs to pay the bills - but it’s leaving the education job to go to a corporate job that will raise some eyebrows. But if it’s only for one year, and you are applying for next year, it probably won’t matter much.</p>

3

<p>My experience was that they were mostly looking at my previous academic experience, recs, and the kind (and feasibility) of research I was planning. (This was for a for a humanities Ph.D. at an east Coast U). </p>

<p>My only work experience besides some short internships were day jobs, one at a gas station. No one I spoke with during the process asked.</p>