Since transferring to Tech I noticed that many of my friends knew they were going to pursue graduate school immediately after getting their bachelors degree. Although when I was in high school and even in my first year of college I considered it, I slowly realized that I didn't know if I was up for two more years of school or the financial burden.
I am incredibly fortunate to have parents who have supported me through college and helped me pay my tuition, however, they have two other children to put through school and it isn't possible for them to help me pay for graduate school as well.
If you feel discouraged in any way for not wanting to go to grad school or not wanting to drown in debt, I completely understand.
I recently attended a discussion panel of professors in the College of Media and Communication. Some taught undergraduate classes and others taught graduate classes. One professor from the graduate school explained to us why you should and should not decide to get your master's degree.
She said that there are three reasons you should attend graduate school.
1. To work in higher education
2. To pursue a career in research
3. To change career paths
None of the above apply to me.
The professors also delved into the misconception that you will graduate with a masters degree and automatically make more money than you would with a bachelors degree alone. It simply isn't the case. In fact, almost every single one of the 8 professors speaking to us said that their masters degrees didn't matter at all until they were hired by the university.
Relevant experience is valued more when you are looking for your first job.
My parents have always told me that I should wait to get my masters degree until I know what field I want to work in and have some real experience under my belt. I fought this advice because I strongly felt it was important for me to get my masters degree in order to make more money. I know now that this isn't the case.
Another misconception I'd convinced myself of is that it is harder to get your graduate degree when you've been out of college for so long and possibly have a spouse and a family that count on you.
However, waiting can truly be the smartest option, especially considering that some employers will pay for graduate school classes or offer some sort of reimbursement. A few companies that do this include Google, Home Depot, UPS, USAA, Bank of America, and Boeing.
Having this knowledge made me feel much better about choosing to go into the workforce after graduation rather than jumping into a graduate program.
For me personally, it would be smarter to wait at least a few years if graduate school is something I choose to pursue. However, it's not something I'm interested in pursuing at this point in time.
It also helps me to remember that my journey is different from my friends and classmates. We all want to be successful but we approach success in many different ways and that's okay.
