Ask HN: So I've finished College. Now what?

[buckwild]

So first off, let me introduce myself. My name is Nik and I am soon going to complete a bachelors degree in biotechnology (bioinformatics). I am trying to decide what to do next in my life. The choices I am trying to choose between are (1) Going to graduate school, (2) going to work in the industry, (3) do a start-up.

So far, people have been encouraging me to go to graduate school but given the mass budget cuts to the california budget issues, its become very competitive and I am not even sure if I will be able to get into a grad program at the university I am graduating from.

I have lots of work and internship experience, but I am not sure if there are many positions opening up for BS degrees in the biotech industry (seems to be dominated by Phd, Md, and MBA from what I've experienced). Even if I do manage to secure a job, people tell me it will be difficult to get myself to get back into school.

A few of my friends and I have a few ideas for a biotechy web start-up, but we haven't taken the time to plan or put anything into action.

I've been reading the articles posted here and going through the user profiles of people. You seem like an intelligent group of folks. This is exactly why I am posting this question here, because I am sure there are other readers out there (registered or not), who are pondering similar questions.

So in YOUR opinion, HN, what do you think I should do and why?

[menloparkbum]

If you want to stay in biotech you should go to graduate school. The entry level bioinformatics jobs available to someone with an undergraduate degree are really lame. I know this because I have done them.

A startup with your friends would be the most fun. However I think a lot of money in biotech still comes from grants and pharmas so you might want a grad degree or someone with a grad degree in your startup.

[buckwild]

Can you be more specific as to what you mean when you say lame? Do you mean that I'll basically end up being the guy who does all of the boring-routine work and won't be able to use my creativity or something? Or are you referring to the scandalously low, poverty-like wage companies try to force us into. One company I worked for paid me $10 an hour as an 'intern', but gave my peers (who had just graduated and were really no more experienced than me other than a degree) something around $25-$30.

I ask because at this point I feel like an industry day job is a very possible option.

[paraschopra]

In Biotech or Bioinfo industry, real work is done only by PhD or Masters. So, if you want to enter the industry, go to graduate school.

I am not sure how easy would it be to start a biotech startup at your stage because biotech startups require a lot of funding to get started. However, you can always start a bioinformatics startup which is akin the web/software startups. But even with Bioinfo startups, it is hard to monetize because the culture of open source bioinfo tools is quite prevelant in academia and industry.

[menloparkbum]

But even with Bioinfo startups, it is hard to monetize because the culture of open source bioinfo tools is quite prevelant in academia and industry.

I actually think it's harder to monetize because you have so few customers. If you make a bioinformatics tool, there's probably a few hundred potential companies that may need it, and probably only a few dozen of them are actually interested. Thus many of the tools become grant-funded open source projects because there's hardly anyone to sell to in the first place.

23andMe is interesting because they are the only bioinformatics startup I've heard of that also sells to consumers.

[biohacker42]

Both graduate school and a startup are good ideas.

This being the worst economy since 1930, graduate school may be the way to go.

You can also do both at same time.

[buckwild]

The only predicament I have about applying to grad school is that I am afraid my GPA is not very competitive. It is past the minimal requirements, but I am afraid its not enough (seeing that I've been rejected from a few schools already). My GREs are average/above average. Nothing spectacular though. I have great relationships with my professors, but it doesn't seem like recommendation letters are doing any good. Another thing is that I am already going to a university which has a good reputation, and if I go to grad school it will probably be something a little less prestigious. Given that tidbit of info -- if I get into the industry now, I may be better off than if I did down the line with a graduate degree (from a mediocre school). Plus, I may be able to get into the schools I've been rejected from within the next two years (given I have 2 years of industry experience...I hope).

I don't mean to come off as looking down on your suggestion. I'm just playing the devils advocate here. Personally, I find I can better analyze things that way.

Thanks to all of you who have replied so far, I really appreciate the help.

[tocomment]

What are your ideas for a biotech startup? I've always wanted to do one of those but I don't know any biotechnology. The community here will tell you to do the startup.

[buckwild]

Well, I don't want to give too much away, but I suppose I can humor you guys :-D. I think it may be more of a web start-up than a biotech start-up to be honest. It's a web start-up with a biotech foundation, if you will. We are basically taking our knowledge of genetics, (insert mass biotech-major curriculum here), and bioinformatics to people via the internet. It'll be full of cool stuff that joe the plumber will be interested, if not curious, in knowing. The only issue is that we haven't found a way to make any sort of income off of this yet without inconveniencing potential users :-(, which is one of the main reasons we have yet to put the wheels into motion on this project. I'm afraid we have only minimal business experience.