Stories

Amanda Buthe, a member of the ACE 2012 cohort, will soon be starting graduate school at Oxford University for a Master’s degree in Economics for Development. Because many ACE students are interested in graduate school, Amanda offered her advice about the application process and obtaining another degree after SCU.

After graduating from SCU in 2012 with a degree in Economics, Amanda started working for a nonprofit called Not For Sale, which investigates and assesses forced child labor and its supply chain. A few years later, she began to work for her current company, a coconut water producer called Harmless Harvest. After five years of working, Amanda decided to return to school to focus on her passion for development economics. She says that putting a hold on work for school will not be difficult because her program will only last for a year. In addition, she has been working and saving for five years, and thus has had ample time to prepare financially. Amanda started the application process by researching universities that had programs similar to her interest, and eventually applied to seven (which, she says, was too many). The required materials for her application included references from former professors, a statement of purpose, transcripts, and writing samples. Additionally, in order to pay for her education, Amanda evaluated her options and applied to some scholarships, which required several more essays.

Amanda’s advice for ACE members about graduate school is to “wait until you know what you want to go to school for.” She maintains that by waiting a few years, students will benefit more from a degree because they will have time out of school to understand what they are good at and what they want to focus on. Ultimately, for Amanda, graduate school provides the opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who are interested in the same issues.

Thanks to Amanda for providing her advice to ACE students, and we wish her the best of luck in her graduate program at Oxford.