What should I do next?
I am 23. In 2 weeks I will be graduating with a degree in forensic psychology.
I work in an Atlantic City casino and I am a supervisor in a marketing department.
I am interested in psychology and I have the MCATs scheduled for September.
Should I go to med school and become a psychiatrist? I am interested in psychology but I am not very into the whole medicine side of things. I prefer a cognitive approach to psychology. However, I can make well into six digits as a psychiatrist.
Should I get a PhD in psychology and work my way to become a professor? I am interested in research and teaching and I wouldn’t mind being in a school atmosphere forever. I could also do my own practice on the side if I felt the desire. I am worried that I will not be able to make the amount of money I need to make investments and eventually move into public office.
Or, should I change my route completely and get a masters in business/ marketing. I am doing well in the casino industry and have already made a lot of strong connections. With a masters in business/ marketing I can make myself much more valuable. There are people at the top looking out for me and there is nothing to do but move up. However, I fear getting stuck at a certain level and never reaching the point I desire. Also, I don’t feel like I am cut-throat enough for the business world.
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August 8th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Why don’t you schedule some time to interview some professors at your campus and find out what it is that they really like and what it is they would change in their profession if given the chance. Ask all important question that you would want to know before you took a job as a professor. See if you can find out about any internships in the field. If so, try one out. You don’t want to start grad or professional school only to find out when you graduate, that it isn’t for you!
Keep working at the casino for now. Talk to member of management and HR and get a better idea of what it is that they do behind the scenes. See if maybe you could "shadow" a manager on your day off and get a real good feel of what you could expect to do if you were the manager or HR person at that company. You want know until you get your feet wet.
I would put off the MCATs because they are not necessary if you are not certain that you are going to medical school. You would need the GRE if you were going into Cognitive Psychology or any other area of Psychology and you would need the GMAT for Business or Marketing. It is not wise to take a test unless you know exactly which one you need because they can be hundreds of dollars to take.