Are you a junior or senior in college trying to decide on your next step? Many students debate whether to go straight into the workforce or to continue their education in graduate school. Depending on your career aspirations, higher education experts give different advice on attending graduate school. Keep reading to learn more about the various graduate degrees and how to decide what’s right for you.
Types of Degrees
Graduate school offers students the opportunity to dive deeper into a field of study and gain specialized knowledge. Each degree type has a different academic or professional purpose. Start by familiarizing yourself with the kinds of degrees you can pursue to figure out what might be a good choice for you.
The three most common degree types are master's degrees, professional degrees and doctoral degrees. Master’s degrees typically involve advanced coursework and sometimes a thesis or capstone project. Professional degrees, however, prepare students for specific jobs by combining coursework with practical training. Doctoral degrees include academic, professional and medical doctorates. Each requires comprehensive exams and sometimes a dissertation.
Reasons to Attend Graduate School:
Specialized knowledge
If you explored career options during your undergraduate degree and now want to become an expert in a certain area, graduate work could be a good option. There is some specialized knowledge that only requires certifications and not full graduate work, but other fields do require graduate degrees. For example, many medical careers require licensing and degrees beyond undergraduate work. If you want to be a physical therapist, a physician’s assistant or a doctor, expect to go to school beyond your undergraduate degree. Graduate school is a “yes” for those who need further training and credentials not available at the undergraduate level.
Higher Earning and Growth Potential
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics titled their latest report on the career outlook data, “Education Pays,” stating that, over time, the earning gap between an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree widens. The median weekly salary for those with a master’s degree versus an undergraduate degree was recently reported around a $250 difference and only grows with promotion.
Many leadership positions also require graduate-level work. Employees with a graduate degree can grow into a leadership position without hindrance while others must go back to school to advance. If investing your talent, time and money in a graduate program outweighs the earnings you might lose by only being employed, then graduate school could be an easy “yes” for you.
Reasons to join the workforce:
Immediate financial benefit
An important part of weighing a decision about graduate school is considering the financial components. Some students receive graduate assistantships or scholarships for their degrees, but these are not available in every field. Graduate work can be expensive, and if you are already in debt or need to work and study, calculate whether adding to your debt or stress is worth the cost. It could be valuable to start a position where you are receiving a salary and benefits, and then save and invest for future goals. Also, some employers will pay for graduate school courses or degrees if the employee maintains a certain average and continues to do strong work for the company. It may take longer, but it can be valuable to work towards a graduate degree and keep your job.
Work experience
There can be many advantages to going straight into the workforce, especially if your field values work experience. Holding different responsibilities, exploring various positions and building a network of people can be fertile ground for future career growth.
On-the-job experience frequently helps people identify areas of work they may want to specialize in later. It can also be helpful to grow your knowledge in a certain area once you've worked there and you know it inspires you. Real-world opportunities often teach skills and insights that students cannot learn in a classroom setting. Having perspective from the real world can help you find your niche and make you more competitive in the job market than someone with only classroom experience.
Academic Reset
Sometimes students who have just completed an undergraduate degree need an academic break. If you do not love schoolwork, and you are feeling inspired by having more out-of-classroom experiences, graduate school might be an easy “no.”
An even better response might be that you do not know what type of graduate program you might apply to or why you would pursue an additional degree. If you are not curious to keep learning about something specific, graduate work might not be the route for you.
Many students think of graduate studies as a fallback plan if they do not get a job, but this is a fool’s errand. Continuing formal education is a big investment. It is much wiser to view graduate school as an option to help you move closer to your future goals, as opposed to a fallback plan.
How to Decide What’s Right for You:
Reflect on Your Responses and Goals
Looking at the list of reasons to attend or not attend graduate school, take a minute to reflect on where you more closely align. If you are still not sure, narrow in on what your goals and priorities are. You are likely choosing between two good, but difficult options. Although your career path may feel less clear than those with step-by-step career requirements, having flexibility can be a benefit.
Once you have reminded yourself of the end goal, list out the steps it takes to get there. How important is more school for achieving your goal? Do you have financial barriers or personal barriers that might encourage you to wait?
Reflect on College Experiences
At Berry College, students are encouraged to take ownership of their future by steering their college experience toward a purposeful path through a series of steps. With the help of an advisor and other mentors, students explore areas of study and then outline or design a future path.
Their next step, however, is to test out their design or plan through low-stakes, high-immersion opportunities. If a student finds their original “ideal” job isn’t a good fit, college is a great place to chart a new path. Then students are encouraged to connect what they’ve learned about themselves and their areas of expertise to the workforce as they graduate.
Whether you are a Berry student or not, take a minute to reflect on your capstone projects, internships, jobs and learning experiences where you excelled in college. Talk with a faculty advisor who knows your strengths and weaknesses. Can you see a stronger connection to graduate school or the workforce? What can you learn from these impactful moments that might inform your decision or help you point to places and spaces where you might succeed?
Face the Factors
Now you have named your goals. You know the steps to get there and the barriers in the way. It’s time to make a choice. Graduate school can be an incredibly valuable experience for many people and gives students higher earning potential and specialized knowledge, but it is not the right choice for everyone. The workforce can offer immediate financial benefits, perspective on work and ample opportunities for career advancement. Whatever you decide, remember your college’s center for personal and professional development is an excellent place if you need further advice or career counseling.
