Please Help: Way, way in the future

jellybean24
Thu, 23 Dec 2004 19:32:08 +0000

I have recently been admitted to Stanford University. This has caused me to start thinking about the distant future.

I am interested in going into teaching at the college level (history or sociology or something of that sort). My parents didn’t attend college and I have so many questions about my future. I realize this is a long way away, but I know nothing. These are basic questions.

How long does it take one to get a PhD? Do you get a masters first or can you do it all in one swipe?
How much will this cost me? I know there is financial aid, but how much? After undergrad, my parents can’t finance my graduate education. How much are the average expenses after financial aid?
How competitive are admissions? If I wanted to do graduate work at Stanford, how successful will I need to be in undergrad? What things do graduate admissions officers value as far as out-of-the-classroom activities?
What would be the general process for getting involved in teaching at the university level?


I’d like any other generic advice as well. Thanks! I feel the same way about high school; I want to go shake freshmen and tell them everything I know four years later.