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| If you had a choice of working at an excellent school, or a mediocre school with a good salary, which would you choose? |
| 1) Excellent school, low salary |
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57% |
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| 2) Mediocre school, good salary |
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42% |
[ 8 ] |
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| Total Votes : 19 |
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Kurochan
Joined: 01 Mar 2003
Posts: 944
Location: China
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 Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 7:26 am Post subject: Which would you choose: Excellent school, or good salary? |
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OK, I got an offer from one of the best universities in China. I was SOOOO excited! But then they got back to me saying although my salary was going to be 7,500 a month, I'd only actually RECEIVE 4,500! If I lived in the "free" campus housing, they would deduct 3,000 RMB from my salary!
That's less that I got at my school three years ago!
I have another option, where they offered me 6,500 a month, with 6,200 after-tax pay, and free housing. But it's in a smaller city (Nanning), and a school that isn't as well-known (I read it's ranked like 97th, while the Shanghai school is 25th, and my current school is 105th).
Famous school, low pay, or less good school, higher pay? Which would you choose? I know I personally fret a lot about money, and if I werent' putting any away it would REALLY bother me. Another thing is that I am really interested in Chinese minority culture. But, I would love to live in Shanghai and meet a bigger variety of people. I need a better social life.
Pardon me while I go and either cry or throw up!  |
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august03
Joined: 13 Oct 2003
Posts: 159
Location: Jiangsu, China
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 8:56 am Post subject: |
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Why do you want to work for a "famous" school? I've never heard of it. What do you mean by this? Is it that the only reason the school is good is because it's famous or because it has great working conditions and the students are eager to learn? Do you know anything about the school in Nanning other than it�s ranking?
I would rate a school on its management of FTs, its working conditions and requirements, its students eagerness to learn and participate, its location, its pay and extras and probably last of all whether people knew of it or not. I don�t mean to be harsh but I�m a little confused by how you judge a school and for what purpose.  |
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ls650
Joined: 10 May 2003
Posts: 3484
Location: British Columbia
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 9:17 am Post subject: |
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As long as I was earning enough salary to live comfortably I'd much rather work for an "excellent school".
I can be happy teaching at an excellent school, but I would become miserable pretty quickly at a mediocre school. |
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gugelhupf
Joined: 24 Jan 2004
Posts: 575
Location: Jabotabek
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 9:49 am Post subject: |
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| No question about it. I'd go for the excellent school with lower salary - *BUT* I'd want to be absolutely sure in my mind that this was an "excellent" school and that the other was truly "mediochre". |
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shmooj
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1758
Location: Seoul, ROK
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 10:03 am Post subject: |
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| gugelhupf wrote: |
| "mediochre". |
What kind of colour is that? 
Money isn't everything and, if, like me, you are in this thing for the long haul, job prospects and being able to open doors to future positions take priority. I'd go with the school. In fact, that is what I have just done in moving to Korea. |
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yaramaz
Joined: 05 Mar 2003
Posts: 2384
Location: Not where I was before
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 10:38 am Post subject: |
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| Mediochre is partway between burnt umber and sepia. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 10:39 am Post subject: |
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| Who cares about reputation? Outside of China, no one will have heard of either of these schools. Which is the best job and working conditions? You need to make a priority list and see what is most important to you. A school's reputation is more important if you are a student IMO. |
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gugelhupf
Joined: 24 Jan 2004
Posts: 575
Location: Jabotabek
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 12:06 pm Post subject: |
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| yaramaz wrote: |
| Mediochre is partway between burnt umber and sepia. |
Couldn't have put it better myself! |
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khmerhit
Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 1874
Location: Reverse Culture Shock Unit
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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| I would take the salary. |
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Sara Avalon
Joined: 25 Feb 2004
Posts: 254
Location: On the Prowl
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Good school, low pay - It's a matter of health. A high stress job for good money would do squat for a person with multiple ulcers and a nasty twitch. |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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| khmerhit wrote: |
| I would take the salary. |
And I would take the celery. |
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Kurochan
Joined: 01 Mar 2003
Posts: 944
Location: China
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 4:17 pm Post subject: Sigh |
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| august03 wrote: |
Why do you want to work for a "famous" school? I've never heard of it. What do you mean by this? Is it that the only reason the school is good is because it's famous or because it has great working conditions and the students are eager to learn? Do you know anything about the school in Nanning other than it�s ranking?
I would rate a school on its management of FTs, its working conditions and requirements, its students eagerness to learn and participate, its location, its pay and extras and probably last of all whether people knew of it or not. I don�t mean to be harsh but I�m a little confused by how you judge a school and for what purpose. |
Well, yeah, that's true. Actually, what I've learned about the Nanning school via its web site, and what I've experienced talking to the staff (I was actually interviewed for the position) has really impressed me. I guess I'm overreacting/freaking out, partly because I was so stoked about going to Shanghai (although I was interested in the other school too). Then all my plans got shaken up by the salary thing.
Another thing is that I've been influenced sort of inadvertently by all the flack my present school gets. It's supposed to be crappy, the students are supposed to be dumb, etc. But I really do like it there, and I really do like my students, who I think are really underrated. I don't think they're idiots just because they didn't get high enough test scores to get them into schools like Beijing U. They have life skills, opinions, hobbies, etc. (Of course there are some of the "dumb rich kids" people mention when they talk about my school, but they are only one part of the student population.) I think one big problem is the administration doesn't think much of them, though, because they are supposedly not "good students." I guess I want to be associated with a school that gets some respect, dumb as that may be. |
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willy
Joined: 29 Mar 2003
Posts: 215
Location: Samarinda,Kalimantan,Indonesia(left TW)
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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| most import to me is what can i get from the school in terms of knolge and happens not $$$ my current school dosenrt pay much but when the boss works hard to get boze sent to you and and takes you out for seafood and stake dinners? well who caires about $$ |
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VanKen
Joined: 29 Oct 2003
Posts: 139
Location: Calgary, AB Canada
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: Sigh |
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| Kurochan wrote: |
| Actually, what I've learned about the Nanning school via its web site, and what I've experienced talking to the staff (I was actually interviewed for the position) has really impressed me. |
It's amazing what a good webdesigner can do to project a crappy school as a great place to study and work.
Since you have also spoken with the staff there, it's clear that you are doing your homework. How about speaking with some of the other teaching staff as well, to see if the place is all that it's cracked up to be? |
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Aramas
Joined: 13 Feb 2004
Posts: 874
Location: Slightly left of Centre
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| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2004 10:54 pm Post subject: |
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| willy wrote: |
| most import to me is what can i get from the school in terms of knolge and happens not $$$ my current school dosenrt pay much but when the boss works hard to get boze sent to you and and takes you out for seafood and stake dinners? well who caires about $$ |
I've found a new role model for aspiring English teachers. Deconstructionist Engrish! How swooningly post-modern! 
Death to all vampire lobsters! |
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