Speaking of Jobs after College

RUDisney

Mom to Ivan & Kristina
Joined
Apr 8, 2002
My DD wants to join AmeriCorps when she graduates so she can volunteer for a couple of years. I think this is a horrible idea.

1. Economy is good right now. She should be able to find a job.
2. She can volunteer all she wants if she has a job. (I'm big into volunteering myself.)
3. She doesn't have to defer her college loans and keep accruing interest to only pay more in the long run. (AmeriCorps will pay for some of these, but deferments are given for this, too.)
4. She only has loans so she had some "skin in the game." Her father and I paid for her education at a private school.
5. She will graduate with a Fine Arts and Art Administration degree. She is an amazing artist, but I think it will be hard for her to find something, even in a good economy, with that degree. I hope I'm wrong.
6. With a job she can start investing in a retirement account so she accrues more over time.

Does anyone have experience with AmeriCorps?

DD said that she will also try to find a job while pursuing this, but I don't think she'll put the effort into it if she's focused on this. I wonder if she is just trying to defer "adulting"? She is very mature, has studied abroad and lives in her own apartment while in school and is NOT a party girl by any stretch.

I couldn't wait to leave college so I could start my earning years. I grew up very poor and didn't want to remain poor. Maybe we've just given her so much that she doesn't worry about us not being able to help her?

While I struggle with this, I know that what is meant to be, will and that all will turn out ok.
 
she's an adult and will do what she wants to do but you might suggest that she do some research other than just on the americorps site. she can read up on what it's like to get by on the small stipend they pay per month, look to how much it's going to cost HER to participate in the program (from what i understand not all student loans are eligible for what americorps offers-and what they offer can be pretty limited, some participants resort to credit cards to supplement their stipends in high cost of living areas), and what the criteria/timeline is for getting accepted b/c if she doesn't have education, skills or experience in something they are looking for it could take some months to get selected for an assignment (i've read that the ideal minimum for an app is 4 weeks). this timeline for my dd (graduated last june) would have been a big factor had she considered joining up b/c while she had a small nest egg saved to cover her a couple of months until she was able to get (and get paid for) full time employment (her p/t job ended with graduation) it would'nt have covered months on end, so if your dd doesn't have a means to pay for the wait time and you don't plan on paying for it then she might do better to line up a job and THEN start the americorps process.
 


The major is more of a concern to me than taking a couple of years to volunteer. I actually think volunteering with AmeriCorps will HELP her get a job when she's done. It will look great on a resume.
This is what her Business Professor told the class. She's holding on to this more than listening to other alternatives.

I will recommend that she looks into other options before she commits to this one. You make some good points, Barkley. I've told her that she will be off my payroll when she graduates. I don't think she really believes me. I think she believes that this will be like studying overseas. She was able to use her savings and come back with some when she was finished. But that was because Dad and I paid for her flights and lodging. She'd have had no savings left if she had to fund those, if she didn't go into debt.
 
My DS is just one year out of college. He thought about this type of thing, until some of his advisors told him that he was never more desirable than as a new graduate because they next year there would be another new crop of bright shiny graduates, etc, etc. He also had great networking and interviewing through his college connections that wouldn't have been there (or not been as easy) if he had waited another year. He got headhunted and hired by a company that not only paid his moving expenses, helped him find housing, but offered his longtime GF a job as well. Now, after a year, they have been "adults" for a year: set up in their own home, working fulltime, completely on their own financially (off my cellphone plan and car insurance, hurray), and even have a dog :). Yes, it has been a transition from full time student to "regular schlub" (as he refers to himself), but they are doing a GREAT job.

Contrast this with his cousin, who graduated with a "difficult" degree, joined Americorps, found it was NOT what he expected, and after his year was up, moved to the wilds of Kentucky to join a commune and learn woodworking and other handcrafts (not a bad thing, but....). He's a sweet young man, but is most likely never going to use his college degree, and is having a hard time "finding his purpose". (In the meantime his student loans are ticking....)

It's a hard one! I think that transition, in many ways, is harder than the high school to college one. DS kiddingly says, "I don't want to grow up yet", but realizes now the benefit of buckling down and doing so.

Terri
 
Maybe have her set an actual budget for what life will be like volunteering with AmeriCorps. I don’t know anything about that experience, or what they cover vs. what she’d be paid, but maybe that will show her that she can’t depend on your financial support?

What does she plan to do with her degree? I also have a Fine Arts degree and I actually use it and am lucky to get paid to hold a paint brush every day; I realize not all are as lucky, but I hate that people don’t regard art as a worthy career path. As long as she has a plan or a goal and is working towards it there will always be work for artists.
 


My sister did the peace corps. It was definitely worthwhile , but I think what made it worthwhile was the foreign travel/living aspect. She was there as a teacher, something she had no intention of doing later. I don't think it helped her in her job search in her field when she returned. I do think being two years out from her degree harmed her in her job search. In her field and at her time of graduation, it may have harmed because of the "hippie" reputation at the time.

As a teacher I've seen many americorp workers. Basically they work as teacher's aides and extended day care workers with very little pay. I think there are better ways both financially and career wise to move forward. A low paying job is relatively easy to find, volunteer work is easy to find.
 
To be honest, my first question was going to be if you provided her with almost too much and is she too comfortable. In other words, she does not really feel much of a push to find a paying job too quickly because she has everything she wants now and figures that will just sort of continue.

While there are definitely merits to volunteering, there are also merits into interviewing and settling into a career. I was chomping at the bit to get a good job when I graduated.
 
I think it's a wonderful opportunity for her. I've always regretted that I wasn't able to volunteer/intern for long (it got cut short when I got married and then had a baby in college). It's not such a terrible thing, is it? I understand that it's not what you think is best for her, but she could be doing so many things that are so much worse! I think your best bet is to argue your side and then leave it up to her, she is an adult now and you'll only cause friction if you try to tell her how to live her life. Make it clear that since she is an adult capable of making adult decisions that the gravy train stops here, she'll figure out the rest.
 
I've told her that she will be off my payroll when she graduates.

be clear that when the payroll ends there's no severance package to count on:teeth::teeth:

joking of course, but serious to some extent b/c i can't believe how many of dd's peers just assumed, despite repeated warning from their parents about when (post college) the parental support would end, that didn't include continuing to pay things like insurance, cell phones, utilities, even- credit card bills and rent:crazy: they honestly thought it just meant their parents weren't going to give them their 'allowance' anymore (basically all their household expenses) so some had a little money squirreled away/grad gift funds that they figured would float them until they found a job they liked a few months after graduation but it came as a BIG shocker when the beginning of the first month after grad rolled around and the rent wasn't paid, the utilities got a shut off notice, the cell phone was suspended for non payment....

my advice is to really SPELL IT OUT (ideally showing how much your 'payroll' along with her student aid/loans has been funding every month all these years).
 
Its really simple. Tell her to leave YOUR Home and allow her to make HER decisions.
Her father and I paid for her education at a private school is irreverent.
 
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My oldest is a teacher, and she HATES Americorps with the burning passion of a thousand fiery suns. Not only does she consider it useless, she feels it is insulting to actual, real teachers, to think that you can come in after a few weeks' training, and do the job that teachers have trained years for. Worse, Americorps volunteers go to the worst performing schools in the country--just the students that need quality teachers instead of thinly-disguised babysitters.

If your DD is truly passionate about wanting to teach, she should look into becoming an art teacher, and taking the coursework for that. Secondary Ed. teachers double major (their specialty plus education). If she's not passionate about teaching, then, um, the classroom might not be the best fit for her.

Just to show you my DD's level of passion, she double majored (elementary ed. and bilingual ed.) and teaches English Language Learners in a high-needs district. She won't be getting rich or famous any time soon, but it's truly a calling for her, and she was born to be a teacher.
 
My DD wants to join AmeriCorps when she graduates so she can volunteer for a couple of years. I think this is a horrible idea.

1. Economy is good right now. She should be able to find a job.
2. She can volunteer all she wants if she has a job. (I'm big into volunteering myself.)
3. She doesn't have to defer her college loans and keep accruing interest to only pay more in the long run. (AmeriCorps will pay for some of these, but deferments are given for this, too.)
4. She only has loans so she had some "skin in the game." Her father and I paid for her education at a private school.
5. She will graduate with a Fine Arts and Art Administration degree. She is an amazing artist, but I think it will be hard for her to find something, even in a good economy, with that degree. I hope I'm wrong.
6. With a job she can start investing in a retirement account so she accrues more over time.

Does anyone have experience with AmeriCorps?

DD said that she will also try to find a job while pursuing this, but I don't think she'll put the effort into it if she's focused on this. I wonder if she is just trying to defer "adulting"? She is very mature, has studied abroad and lives in her own apartment while in school and is NOT a party girl by any stretch.

I couldn't wait to leave college so I could start my earning years. I grew up very poor and didn't want to remain poor. Maybe we've just given her so much that she doesn't worry about us not being able to help her?

While I struggle with this, I know that what is meant to be, will and that all will turn out ok.

Your post has validated my disbelief in the "skin in the game" argument. Your DD has "skin in the game" yet she feels no need to graduate and get a job. College kids have no idea of the impact of taking on debt. We paid for education and then let our kids know that they had 4 years to become self supporting.

I suspect that your DD is trying to defer adulthood. Honestly, I would help her seek out counseling to get her through this and on to adulthood.
 
What does skin in the game even mean? Legit I have never even heard of that. Does it mean she has a loan to have some 'debt'?
 
What does skin in the game even mean? Legit I have never even heard of that. Does it mean she has a loan to have some 'debt'?

Read more college threads. There are those that have their kids take out student loans to make them have "skin in the game." Basically, a type of buy in. The problem is though, that many teenagers really have no idea of the future impact of taking out loans.
 
Another thought- has she ever had a job? Has she had any internships? Internships are, in my opinion, the best way to create job opportunities in college. Maybe you could steer her towards getting an internship somewhere interesting (to help satisfy the travel bug), and that could at least put her on a career path.
 
So my 2¢ here. I have a BS in Recreation continued on into Grad School (my dad never respected it) but I've made a good 30+ year career. I have worked with AmeriCorps a fair amount. In some cases I think it can be very educational and rewarding. I'm not sure I'd use the word "hate" and "AmeriCorps like @QueenIsabella oldest does, but I don't have a high level of respect and I'm not convinced that it does much for a resume, it would not convince me to hire one person over another for sure. I do look for people with volunteerism in their blood, but AmeriCorps is not really volunteering, there is a benefit.

For both of my boys we helped with College but we didn't fully pay for it, both had good scholarships to private Universities but we expected both of them to hold jobs or paying interneships in the summer and to work part time. We also established that after college, unless they were going to Grad school (which they would fully pay for) things like vehicle insurance, cell phones and others would be on them.

I believe that you need to give her space to find her way, but that doesn't mean you keep funding it. I'd be more inclined to help either of my boys if they were staring a job after college rather then wanting to volunteer someplace or travel the world. You're assessment about the economy is right, low unemployment right now is in her favor even if she's not in the ideal job. My honest opinion is there is a 'fear of flying' and it's easier to stay in college or doing something like AmeriCorps vs getting a job and being fully responsible.

Best of luck!
 
What does skin in the game even mean? Legit I have never even heard of that. Does it mean she has a loan to have some 'debt'?
For our kids the buy in meant they had to pay part of their way, not all on loans but working. We told both they had to find either a paying internship in their field of study or a paying summer job, plus working around school or something else. We were clear we would not fully pay for college and didn't want them taking out huge loans.

Maybe you could steer her towards getting an internship somewhere interesting (to help satisfy the travel bug), and that could at least put her on a career path.
Great idea! With her degree has she thought about the Disney College program?
 

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