For about two months, I had an intensive internal debate with myself on grad school. Do I go straight into grad school after undergrad? Or do I spend a few years working for a large company in hopes of having my grad school paid for by them? There are pros and cons to both options. (Please note: the pros and cons listed are not the only pros and cons for each option.)
1. Immediate grad school.
Pros: You won't have to worry about going to work in the morning and going to school at night. You only have to focus on nine (ish) credits at one time. You are still in "school mode" and understand the best ways for you to study. You won't have to extend the process of getting your masters past two years. You have a couple of extra summers to gain experience through internships and research opportunities.
Cons: It's expensive. Especially if you can't find scholarships and funding to help pay for your schooling. You may have even more student loans to pay off post-grad school. You have to be fully committed and dedicated to continuing as a full time student for a couple of extra years.
2. Waiting to go to grad school.
Pros: You'll likely be able to find a company who will pay for your masters program (as long as it is applicable to your job). You have the luxury of getting work experience before deciding what masters program would best suit your career. You will be making money before and during your education.
Cons: It will likely be very stressful to have to balance your work life, your school life and your personal life all at the same time. You will be required to have to make sacrifices at work to compensate for school, or vice versa. It's going to be hard to go back to school, especially after taking a few years off.
I thought about these pros and cons a lot. And I even went as far as to ask all of my co-workers at my summer internship to get their opinions on what the best grad school option would be. I heard from both sides, and I made sure to ask them to tell it to me how it is. But here's what I found:
It's all personal preference.
There is no right or wrong answer on when you should go to grad school. If you're someone who can balance work and school, then do it and get it paid for. But if you're someone who wants to be able to fully focus on your education before fully focusing on your career, then go right into grad school. Do whatever is best for you. Don't let someone influence you to do something you don't want to.
This is your life. Do what's best for you. Make sure you're the one in charge of it.
