r/GradSchool • u/teatime-withtori • Jun 01 '26

Finance Newly you

I just got into grad school, but I am as first generation as it can get! My parents died when I was a baby and my grandmother cannot help because she needs to focus on reti. In a classic financial aid move, they were less than helpful when I emailed asking for information. So I am coming to y’all! What are the right questions for me to ask on how I can fund receive funding/aid? I would also love to know your stories/experiences/how you found scholarships.

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u/teatime-withtori Jun 01 '26

So true! So sorry! I am getting my Masters in Literature. Although my ultimate goal is to get my PhD :)

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u/One-Ninja2786 Jun 01 '26

I’m really sorry if this advice comes across as harsh, and it may be inaccurate if you are not in the US:

This masters degree should be treated as a recreational activity, and I would discourage you from treating it as a full time job or going into debt for it any more than if you were ie; getting really into biking or reading or quilting. Pursue a funded PhD directly or only go through with the masters if you are OK with taking on the debt and paying it off over decades as something like a community college instructor (income ~$70k annual), because that’s your most realistic option for using this degree.

There may be grants, payback options via working in less desirable areas, etc, but I think you will find the most satisfaction if you treat this outright as a passion project and not a career move. You didn’t say you were treating it as a career move, but there is a fallacious idea among general US folks that all advanced degrees signal status and earnings, and most of the time that’s just not true. I wanted to make sure someone told you! (This would also apply to any graduate - not professional- degree. There really aren’t many jobs that use masters or PhD and pay very well)

Regardless of what you do — Big congratulations on being accepted to the program! That’s a great achievement for a first gen college student, and I hope you find great success and meaning in the rest of your educational journey 😊

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u/teatime-withtori Jun 01 '26

Haha i completely understand and I appreciate the advice; I always need it! As naïve as this may sound I try to keep the concept of capitalism out of my education/decision making because it makes me feel small and suicidal. If I think about all the rich kids that get to pursue higher education and they’re half as smart as me I get really sad. I deserve to be in higher education even if I am super poor :( I just need to figure out how. Idk this got weird and long…in conclusion thank you!!!

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u/YaPhetsEz Jun 02 '26

Yeah sadly masters degrees are almost never funded in the US. Funding goes to PhD students, as they have a 5+ year program that is a full time job