Has anyone worked full time for a year before post grad?

Basically the title. Has anyone worked full time for a year to pay for tuition fees? Also was it in minimum wage job or something that pays a bit better?



Posted from TSR Mobile

I'm not sure what jobs people have taken but I've heard it is common for people to work for a year or even more between degrees.

Ok cool. Just wanted to know as I need to make some choices

Posted from TSR Mobile

Sorry I lied slightly, I have one friend working for the British Council abroad this year coming before she does her masters next year.

One of my colleagues is doing just that for a year then he's going to do his Masters. Its not a min wage job but his role is a grade below mine...not sure if that helps.

I worked full time for 6 months between degrees (I wanted to do a year but it took me that long to find a job!). It was just minimum wage shop work, but I had to lie to get the job and pretend I wouldn't be leaving after 6 months... Oops.

Did you do your masters full time after that? And did you leave work straight after starting uni?

Posted from TSR Mobile

It was just another degree so yeah full time, I left the job because I moved away to go to uni.

Was he working because he needed the tuition fee?

Posted from TSR Mobile

I doubt it as he's leaving because he's going back not starting, I think he took a gap year on a multiple year or part time course.

Yes, but not through my choosing! I graduated, tried looking for a relevant job, failed miserably and after 10 months in unemployment limbo decided to end my suffering by applying to do a master's at the same uni I studied at before. Luckily was given an unconditional offer. An insurance company finally gave me an interview for a telemarketing position and I've been there since for the past 5+1/2 months. My course starts in just over 2 weeks.

If you don't mind me asking, will you be paying tuition fee from your wages?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Luckily, no! I simply couldn't afford to. Though I've saved most of my wage each month, it's still nowhere near enough to cover the £5000 fee my uni needed. I'm lucky enough that my grandparents are paying for the tuition fee, they're very generous. Without them it just wouldn't have been possible.

I worked full time for 6 months between degrees (I wanted to do a year but it took me that long to find a job!). It was just minimum wage shop work, but I had to lie to get the job and pretend I wouldn't be leaving after 6 months... Oops.

If you cant get a proper job (rather than something minimum wage) with your undergrad degree then I would give serious thought to whether you want to continue with postgraduate study in the same area (unless you can get into a substantially higher tier university) before you drop the best part of £10k on a course in an area with very little employment prospects. If something isnt employable with just an undergrad degree, it probably isnt going to be employable with a masters either.

I would say the main reasons to do a Masters degree are to either 1) to upgrade your university brand name, 2) to get a vocataional qualification if your undergrad wasnt vocational (eg an arts degree), 3) because you are in one of the very few areas where a masters is required (largely vocational areas like engineering, and some PhD admissions). Doing a Masters in a non-vocational subject just because you cant get a job with just an undergrad degree doesnt make much sense, unless youre upgrading from a low tier place to a top Russell Group (and even then its probably more sensible to do something vocational)