Advice sorely needed RE: Masters Canundrum

KMM

Hi Everyone,

I'm in dire need of some advice from any of you that are either currently doing your masters or have completed one. Essentially I need advice from anyone that has been through it!

I am due to start a masters in September. Essentially I went back to college, on my own back at 28. I paid my own way etc. and in applying for my masters, I choose to apply on a part-time basis based on advice about the struggles of having to self-fund your way through it. So I thought doing it on a part-time basis would at least give me the ability to work and self-fund without the same stress on my college work.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I have been very generously offered a loan from a family member, that would cover all of my costs (living & fees). This generous offer however has come with certain conditions. The major one being that I complete the masters in one year. For this, it has been proposed that I will not need to worry about money at all. An extremely privileged offer to say the least.

While I have no issue in completing it within one year, I am however not jumping at the offer either. There have been discussions already, and I have put forward counter offers (this is at the request of my family member - he equates it to a business deal), such as just enough to cover my rent for 2 years and I would cover the rest...things like that. But he is being very insistent that it is done on his terms. That is one year, I must not work at all and he funds it all.
But I have several reservations, which I know might lead to some of you beinig like 'Are you crazy? Take the offer!'. At 32, I am not happy with the amount of control that seems to be attached to this offer. I am also concerned about questions that may be asked down the line, such as when I finish and I may need to apply for jobseekers for example.

Anyway, I need to get some insight/advice from those of you that have been there. Would I be utterly mad to turn it down? Or am I mad to accept it, giving that there are many conditions attached?

Thanks in advance

Gadfly Girl

Hard to give the advice you are looking for without knowing the finer details of the arrangement. One year is a very short time for example to sacrifice financial independence and achieve a higher level of education but there is lots to consider as you quite rightly point out.

Check citizen's information regarding potential eligibility for unemployment payments etc, but do also consider what happens if you cannot pay back the amount as is expected, you must quit the course, become ill, or hate the course? Is there an emotional/psychological price for you to pay in accepting this kind offer? If so will it cause you anxiety or stress? Is the relationship with this family member unconditional or is it likely to turn sour if things don't go to plan?

Only you can really decide something like this, and it's a lucky problem to have as you admit.

FISMA.

What degree are you going for?

KMM

I'm going to NUIG to do an MSc in Coastal & Marine Environments

challengemaster

I'll be honest - you'll be glad of his T&C of not working. It's stress you really don't need, particularly when it comes to the 3rd semester / dissertation part. It's not impossible to work and do a MSc, but you notice a huge difference between the people in the class that are juggling both and the ones that aren't.

If you're capable of getting through 4th year of your BSc, you're capable of doing a MSc. It's not that the work itself is harder - it's that expectations are higher and there's a huge increase in workload. Expect multiple assignments every single week. You'll probably have a lot less hours in terms of lectures, but you're going to have lots of other things to keep you busy. Reading a paper and prepping for journal club, writing literature reviews, studying for MCQs, multiple group projects on the go at once, etc etc.

You also need time to socialise. You might be thinking "I'm 32, I don't really need to be socialising do I?". You're not THAT old yet. I'd be surprised if you're the oldest tbh. If you want you can be that one guy that sits in the corner, makes no friends all year and keeps to himself - but it'll be a very long year. MSc classes are nice and small (~12 in your case) and tend to have a much more tight-knit feel about them, even more so than final year. It tends to make working in groups a lot easier too. There'll be a lot of times of going for coffee, heading to the college bar or out for class parties.

Be straight up with your relative about the fact that even with this MSc, you may end up on jobseekers once you finish. If they're understanding and still want to fund you - then you should seriously consider taking the offer. When you're aiming for high grades - not having the stress and time-sap of juggling a job will be a huge bonus.

KMM

Thanks Challengemaster!

Your advice was exactly what I was looking for. And you're spot on with all of your points. It was good to get a run down of exactly what to expect during the MSc too, so thank you. I am now both terrified and excited!

I have since expressed that I need to know exactly what expectations will be on me should I accept the offer. I was quite forward about it and outlined that I am not willing to sign up for anything that involves being closely monitored or questioned about my weekly goings on etc. That seems to have been understood and all I am being asked for is my 100% commitment to my studies. This I have no issue with, it is how I was always going to approach it so with the option of not having to work, it seems more achievable.

The time to socialise is something I was conscious of too, especially if I am going to land myself in a situation where everything I am doing is being questioned. I need to socialise, just as a balance and obviously that's fairly normal. My dad has said to not even worry about that and that no one expects me to become a hermit!

DivingDuck

Something else worth asking: what happens if you fail to complete with Masters within the designated time-frame?

KMM

@Diving Duck;

I have been down that road, considering I am given the condition it must be over the 1 year. Outside of basic extensions, lets say on an assignment or my dissertation for example, I have to work to complete it within the year.

The fall out of not being able to do that, of course depending on the reasons why, will be disappointment and being told as much. It's more a concern if the impression is that I have been wasting my time or lazy etc. and that is why I would have to extend it. I am not overly worried about that side though. I know how hard I work and it would take illness or some other unforeseen situation/event for me to extend it beyond a year. In such a case there would be understanding. Thankfully we are on the same page with that aspect.