How many of you Aspies have a Masters or Phd?

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Aspies here, I mean. How did you do it, what motivated you, what was that drive? Was it interest in your topic/research..was it to prove a point..was is a lifeline, what?

Masters--loved college and want to go back--can't afford it right now. I love indepth study of a topic and learning and writing.

I have a Master's in English. I have always loved to read and enjoyed learning.

I have a PhD in geology from Trinity College Dublin. I investigated how the Irish landscape changed over time : I discovered that geologically recent tectonic activity in the last 20 million years or so, shaped the Irish landscape.

Here is a paper I co-wrote about a "young" fault line I discovered ~20 Km south of Dublin that last moved c. 10 to 12 million years ago:

http://www.ria.ie/publications/journals ... &id=100700

BS - chemistry

BS - computer science

MBA

I have a possible aspie relative with a PhD (Computer Linguistics.) I'm very interested in pursuing a PhD myself after I graduate, in American History, and would love to know more about how other aspies experienced grad school.

started my masters in geology forever ago, but at the time I had no idea how I would get a job in that area, so I quit school (didn't want to live with my parents forever so becoming financially independent was my main goal)

have masters, working on phd

Currently working on a masters. School is easy. It's a lot easier than any job I've ever had. So why not do it?

I did not handle school well, just completed it, after a couple of years and numerous jobs, I started a part-time diploma at college, found I loved to study when it was not controlled by a 'teacher' and was very good at it, went on and did a 2nd diploma, then a degree and now trying to complete a Masters thesis. The next target is a PhD.

All of my study has been undertaken whilst working full-time and I treat it as my hobby (albeit somewhat stressful hobby at times!).

For me needing to understand everything is a core function, studying within a university environment allows me to focus that drive and achieve some worthwhile outcomes. Interestingly my studies have forced me to deal with some of my anti-social problems because I have had to travel, publish papers, present at conferences, etc; the good part is that as an Aspie and specialist, people only contact me if they want to discuss my specialist areas – and that I can talk about (lots).

On a lighter note, studying helps justify surrounding myself with books!

Independent learning is an ideal Aspie pursuit.

I have a BA in Politics, an MA in Philosophy and Religion, and I'm currently studying for a BSc in Life Sciences. If I don't study I get depressed; and it's one area of life where I can really shine, whereas work is probably always going to be difficult. The Open University makes me unbelievably happy because I can play to my strengths - sitting at home absorbing vast numbers of facts without having to go through any group work (shudder) or social interaction.

I have half a masters but I don't think I can finish it - I'm doing courses, not a thesis, and every paper deadline causes a month-long meltdown. I like the topics but can only do them at my own speed. If I'm obsessed with finding out everything I can about triplets or dehydration or Sweden, trying to work on my papers is near impossible., and the closer the deadlines come, the less I can concentrate. I write half a sentence then spend half an hour pacing and cracking fingers and trying to get my mind to work better. I've only gotten this far by having helpful friends talk me through my thoughts while I write them, and being angry enough at other contributors in the field being so wrong that I felt the need to set them right. Perhaps while I'm off doing some less brain-intensive job I can polish up the papers I have written and try to publish.

B.A. in museum studies (My college didn't offer this degree, I wrote it myself.)
M.A. in museum studies (Do you see a pattern here?)
Was rejected by two different Ph.D. programs. (AARGH!)

History is my particular area of interest, but more to the point, historical objects and buildings. Nearly everything that I have done both in school, professionally, and in my personal life has related to this area. Unfortunately, even though I have the ability to be successful in a Ph.D. program, I didn't have the connections or decent enough GRE test scores to be accepted into the programs to which I applied.

My motivation is this: I am very good in my area of interest, and until recently have had difficulty being motivated to do anything else. My graduate thesis was published as a chapter in a book: I just wanted to research an area that no one had bothered to research before. My interest and education have definitely allowed me to have a meaningful profession and a positive focus to my life. I'd still like to try for a Ph.D. Third time's the charm?

Z

I plan on applying for a phd straight out of undergrad (in one or two years, depending on how long I wanna stick around undergrad )

I've already taken a couple grad courses, though, and I could probably pull off a masters in the same time if I put some effort in it. But I figure it's not really a big deal, though.

I have an MS in Chemistry

did a MS in marine biology with an evo/genomics flavor...

then i found out about AS...

and now i'm in a neuro PhD program