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Free ticket into grad school?

 
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roman510



Joined: 17 Aug 2009
Posts: 17
Location: North America, California
PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 12:58 am    Post subject: Free ticket into grad school? Reply with quote
I have had discussions with a couple of individuals who informed me that teaching abroad is not only a good way to pay off loans and experience a new culture, but also it almost guarantees you admittance into most grad school programs.

I intend on teaching abroad for a year then attend grad school. More specifically, a Master of Arts in Organization and Leadership. I know other specifications are required for grad school acceptance, but will teaching abroad greatly improve my chances of being accepted?

Thank you very much for your input.
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Justin Trullinger



Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 3110
Location: Seoul, South Korea and Myanmar for a bit
PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 2:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Quote:
I have had discussions with a couple of individuals


Next time, you may wish to converse with several more.

If they were more informed, they'd simply share how many variables there are, and that "teaching abroad" (and for that matter "getting into grad school") is an enormous topic. Not each place, or each case, is the same.

For myself, I can say that teaching overseas, while one of my favorite things, was not, as a newbie, a good way to pay off student loans. (I was mostly in Spanish speaking parts of the world.) Where are you thinking about going? It matters a lot.

Does it help you get into grad school? It really depends on zillions of factors. Without knowing more about the program(s) and school(s) you're interested in, it would be impossible to say much.

My inclination is to doubt whether just a year teaching overseas would have much impact at all on applications to grad school in unrelated fields.

If you learn a language while you're at it, this can sure help. But I certainly wouldn't know what the relevancy of a given language is for the degree you're considering. In general, the places with the most marketable languages aren't good places to save money.

All in all, whoever you talked to oversimplified the case. I don't mean to disuade you- I think spending a year overseas is great. (Heck, spend the next 10-20 years. THat's how it's worked out for me!) But the idea that it's a miracle trump card on grad school apps, as far as I've seen, is a myth.


BEst,
Justin
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denise



Joined: 23 Apr 2003
Posts: 3419
Location: finally home-ish
PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 5:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
I agree with Justin. There are few places in the world where you can earn enough to pay off loans and/or fund grad school, and you're not likely to get jobs in those places without already being experienced & qualified.

It might look nice in the sense that you've got some real-world experience, instead of just going straight from undergrad to grad school, but it depends on what field you're getting into. Yes, if you want an MA in TESOL, having some teaching experience will help. Otherwise... I wouldn't be so sure.

And of course you really have to sell your teaching experience. If, in your year of teaching, you worked for a chain school that allowed you no freedom, were a "human tape recorder", etc., you've really got to show how the experience was valuable to you.

Good luck,
d
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 11:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Why would it help you get into grad school? You mean get an MA in Education or Teaching, maybe. bUt other programmes, maybe not.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 2:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
"Organisation and Leadership". What is that ? Like learning how to run a platoon of boy scouts ?
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