Is Grad School for You?

With our Advance Yourself fair quickly approaching (it's tomorrow!), I've been forced to really think about my plans after college. I always assumed that I would go the usual route, graduate and then find a job. However, many students are choosing to attend grad schools after graduation instead. I have considered grad school and what it can offer me, but I honestly think it wouldn't be the right fit for me. There are four questions we should be asking ourselves in evaluating whether grad school would be a good option or not.

• Do I have the motivation for another two to seven years in school? This is a HUGE question that should be asked before any other questions are asked. Are you motivated to stay in school after completing your undergrad? Many students have that drive and want to continue their education. That's awesome but a lot of students are just ready to graduate and get straight into their careers. Maybe you're motivated right now but do you think you could stay motivated? For me, I doubt I could. I've been an undergrad for five years and I'm ready to graduate. For my best friend, she is completely motivated. She's also been in undergrad for five years but she is still set on attending grad school.
• Can I afford it? Unfortunately this is a realistic question that has to be asked. Money is a big issue in many student's lives and many can't afford to continue. In this day and age, some people may decide not to go to grad school right away but instead return when they are more financially stable. This is a great option if going to grad school right away isn't feasible.
• Do I want to go to grad school for the right reasons? Are you choosing grad school because your parents are expecting you to or you don't know what you want to do in life? Not such a great reason. Do you have intellectual curiosity and are seeking professional advancement? Then grad school is the place for you. Graduate school requires an intense amount of time and money (as previously stated) and if you're not sure about your reasons for going, you should wait.
• What are my career goals and will graduate school assist me in meeting those goals? Obviously there are career paths such as medicine, dentistry and law that require education beyond a bachelor's degree. This requires you to attend grad school. If you are passionate about a career path related to a degree that requires higher education then you will be expected to attend grad school. Other career paths such as college professor, researcher or psychologist also require further education. Take a good, hard look at what you want to be doing in life and where you want to be in the next couple of years.

These are just four basic questions you can ask yourself to see if grad school is the place for you. There are many resources available online that can help you decide further. Still not sure? Attend the grad school fair! You can get the chance to talk to recruiters and see what they have to offer in your field of study. It's always a good idea to look at your options and seek out more information.

Taken and edited from http://gradschool.about.com/cs/shouldyougo/a/should.htm