Many American students spend 16 years attending classes, writing essays, and taking tests, so when college graduation finally happens and they are free to enter the “real world,” they cave and apply to graduate school instead. In fact, graduate school isn’t a bad idea to help those students find better jobs ― but it isn’t always a good one, either.
No matter where you are in your professional career, grad school can help or harm your future potential. If you are on the fence about whether grad school is the right choice for you, the following reasons might help you decide one way or the other.
Good Reason: Grad School Is Necessary for Your Career
There are a variety of occupations that absolutely necessitate a graduate school degree, such as doctor, lawyer, social worker, etc. For example, if you want to go into social work, with the hope of eventually landing a leadership position, especially at a nonprofit organization, you’ll need an advanced degree. If leadership isn’t for you, then a bachelor’s degree would likely suffice.
Thoroughly research the career you desire to be sure what you’ll need to be successful. Also, talking to an existing professional in your desired line of work might help you determine whether a graduate program is essential; even if advanced certifications are not legally required, employers might only hire candidates with higher education credentials, especially if there are already too many potential hires with bachelor’s.
Good Reason: Grad School Increases Your Professional Options
If you slogged through three and a half years of an undergraduate program only to realize that the career options afterwards aren’t enticing, you might consider continuing in graduate school. Undergraduate degrees tend to provide an excellent foundation of knowledge, but in many cases, they are either too broad or too specific to be useful in finding a job. Therefore, students with degrees in too vague or too rigid fields benefit by returning to graduate school to gain more opportunities for employment.
Good Reason: Grad School Will Improve Your Professional Prospects
Those with master’s and doctoral degrees also tend to gain access to higher positions that provide better pay, better perks, and more prestige. These days, it is rare that employees climb the corporate ladder on merit alone; hiring managers tend to look for impressive credentials, like advanced education, for jobs with titles like “manager” and “director.” Though a graduate degree doesn’t guarantee a seat in the C-suite, it could qualify you for better jobs at better companies, which in-turn could lead to executive-level positions (and salaries).
Good Reason: Grad School Gives You the Opportunity to Grow
A college degree is quickly becoming as vital to employment as a high school diploma, which means many undergrad students hardly choose their subjects of study, opting for broad fields like communications and English. Graduate school gives dedicated learners the opportunity to delve deeper into fascinating fields, expanding their knowledge dramatically, while also coming away with a degree that allows them to stand out more. Curiosity isn’t highly rated as a good reason to invest in graduate school, but those who are willing to make a career out of learning must make their advanced studies formal.
Bad Reason: Grad School Delays the Job Hunt
For many reasons, kids are still kids after they graduate college, and finding a lifelong career is incredibly unnerving for those who hardly know how to cook a healthy meal. As a result, thousands of students every year apply to grad school for the sole purpose of putting off the job hunt.
Unfortunately, attempting to prolong one’s time in college and avoid the responsibilities of adult life is perhaps the worst reason to seek advanced education. First, graduate school isn’t cheap, and plunging yourself into (more) student debt due to fear of the unknown is financially flawed. Secondly, students who attend grad school for this reason are less likely to take their studies seriously, which could doom any future attempts to find a reliable job.
Bad Reason: Grad School Might Help You Determine Your Future
Graduate school is extremely focused. For example, rarely do business school students earn a plain MBA; typically, they specialize in one of dozens of business fields: marketing, finance, nonprofit, entrepreneurship, information systems, operations, etc. Therefore, graduate school is not designed to guide you to your destined professional role, but instead students should already have career goals developed before choosing a program to attend.
Graduate school might be a necessary step for your future, but you should know what that future is before enrolling in advanced education. You should spend some time researching plausible careers, speaking with experienced professionals, interning, and perhaps working for a few years before deciding that graduate school is right for you.