Graduate School

So, you're getting close to finishing up that bachelor's degree and need advice as to whether you should go through more school. The question that plays out in your minds is: is graduate school right for me? Trust me when I say that question is not an easy one. Graduate education is a long road, it is difficult, and it is stressful. However, it can also be rewarding and valuable. Allow me to help guide your path as I discuss some of the issues you need to think about when deciding on grad school.

What is graduate school?

- This question is asked more often than you think and is an important question to answer. First, graduate school is more than just “more school”. Graduate school, or graduate education, is a professional level education experience in which you receive advanced training in your chosen field. For myself, experimental psychology is my chosen field, and so social research methodology, social statistics, content, theory, etc. are all areas that I take coursework in. Graduate education is, at its very core, a full-time job. You may work only a few hours when you first begin, but as the experience kicks into full gear, you will be spending hours upon hours each week to finish assignments, do your own research or development work, and possibly even collaborate with professionals in your field.

Do I NEED graduate school?

- This question is an important question to consider as not all career paths require graduate education. The first step is to look at career options WITHOUT a graduate degree. Can training or work experience make up for the lack of degree? What jobs can you get in your chosen field at your current education level? For instance, psychology has broad applications in a variety of fields such as mental health, business, marketing, human resources, market research, so on and so forth. However, jobs in psychology such as counseling, research, or academia, requires advanced graduate education in the form of at least a master’s degree but often a doctoral level degree as well. Determining what your chosen career goal is will help you decide whether graduate school is necessity or just an option.

Where will I live?

- One thing to decide before going off to grad school, and often before even applying, is living arrangements. Will you by a house? Live with roommates? On campus housing? Apartment? This question is not so much important to graduate school itself but answering questions on housing can help decide where you might want to attend school.

Do I get paid?

- Most graduate students get paid via assistantship stipends. These assistantships are often research or teaching focused and are built so that you work during the week in the department and program you are attending school for. For instance, in an experimental psychology program at my school, graduate students will work on faculty grants, teach courses solo (if they have a master’s degree already), and will assist with teaching duties such as grading, testing, etc. for faculty courses. One of the biggest questions of whether you should go to a specific school is whether or not the program offers assistantships or other forms of funding as like I said, graduate school is a full-time commitment.

All in all, there are many more questions to consider when deciding if graduate school is right for you. You do not always get the best outcome by going to graduate school. The most important question is not based on desire or what other people tell you. To really decide Yes or No on the “Should I go to graduate school?” question, the only thing that matters is career goals. Where do you want to work? What do you want to do for a living? Does the career goal that you have in mind require higher education in the form of a master’s or doctoral degree? Answer these and you have the answer to whether graduate school is right for you.