What career path should I explore with $130k in student loans and a degree I hate? #StudentLoans #CareerAdvice #CareerChange
As a 23-year-old first-generation college student with two master’s degrees in fields I despise, I am lost and in need of guidance. How can I navigate this overwhelming situation? #CollegeGraduate #LifeDecisions
## Struggling with Career Choices and Debt
– Graduated with a B.S. in Clinical Psychology and pursued M.S. degrees in School Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis
– Total debt of $130k from pursuing two different master’s degrees
– Feeling lost and uncertain about career direction
– Unemployed with no promising job prospects despite relevant experience and education
## Seeking Alternative Career Paths
– Wanted to be a Marine Biologist, but was discouraged by family
– Enjoyed being a behaviorist for a year but not interested in it long-term
– Passion for natural and biological sciences
– Regret not taking gap years to explore interests and passions
### What Should I Do Next?
– Any career recommendations considering my educational background and experience?
– Looking for a field that aligns with my interests in natural sciences without requiring more schooling
– Open to private loans if I find a fulfilling career path
– Desperate for suggestions and guidance on what steps to take next
Can anyone offer advice or insights on my current situation? #CareerAdvice #JobSearch #DebtManagement
This isn’t for everyone.. but if it were me in your shoes, I’d look into becoming an officer in the Air Force or Navy and look into their loan forgiveness incentives.
It would: 1) give you an extremely stable job 2) allow you to try new things 3) have a decent salary and savings 4) potentially pay off your loans
But again, it may not be your cup of tea, and you probably won’t qualify anyways… Most people don’t nowadays
You could be a teacher and qualify for PSLF. Or a higher paying option would be nursing, and move into administrative roles asap if you dont like patient care
Applied Behaviour Analysis? Is that where you torture Autistic children.
Luckily you’re still young for career switching. You have a degree, so that does give you the qualification to aleast apply to jobs. Maybe you can look at trades? Apprenticeships offer free education typically. 130k student loans is obviously v high, so I would steer clear of adding any more.
I wish I had better advice but you’re not alone girl. I’m also 23 and don’t really want to go into the field I went to school for. Or at least not now
At 17/18, I was passionate about art and my wide eyed self chose to go to school for graphic design. I was very burnt out and the field is sickly competitive and I just didn’t have the drive. I also get so much anxiety thinking about working on a portfolio and reading job descriptions for entry level stuff. I also didn’t think about location and realized I’d have to move closer to a city for work and I hate the city. It’s too much for me so that also kinda gave me a reality check. Like you, I wish I took a break after high school to discover myself and what I want
I am happy with my degree because I learned so much and got a valuable education but I think I’d rather do freelance work.. but as of now, I’m working part time in a library and unexpectedly fell in love with the work. Now I’m considering getting my masters in library science to become a librarian. It’s kinda crazy what can happen when you just try out other things
Hang in there. I know how scary these feelings are
You don’t need another degree.
You keep making the same mistake and thinking the answer is a degree.
You need a job you can do long enough to build skills that let you move in a new direction.
I’m going to suggest something serious and something that will sound hokey.
Hokey but good: Take the “Sparketypes” (free) assessment. Be very honest in how you answer, or you’re wasting your time. The first time I did it, I was a little too flattering of myself, and it told me I am the exact type I know I’m ‘supposed’ to be.
More serious: Begin some effort at “curating” your work responsibilities. Stop saying you don’t like the field; find parts of it that you like. Then use that info to figure out what other jobs might be a better long-term fit.
Also, try doing some informational interviews with people in careers that might interest you. Just ask for 15-20 minutes of their time. If they can’t do it, can they suggest another person who can?
If your current job is somehow curation-resistant, join a group outside of work and lend them your skills. Find out which projects energize you.
If you begin moving into a field where you can see a long-term strategy, that’s when a different grad program *might* be worth considering, but I’d advise skepticism.
(For context: I have the highest degree available in my field and am not anti- higher ed. But your answer is not in another grad program.)