When should I go to grad school?
Getting into a graduate program is challenging for even highly qualified candidates. It will be important to consider why you want a graduate degree and when it makes the most sense for your career plans. Consider your long-term career goals and whether you need an advanced degree for those goals. Then evaluate your preparedness for the academic challenges of graduate school, your financial resources necessary to complete the degree, and your available time to commit to this field of study. Note that many graduate business programs will require years of experience, so you are able to contribute to class discussions with real-world experience. Here’s further advantages of both time frames:
Advantages of Going Straight to Graduate School
• Your professors can write letters of recommendation with recent experiences in mind.
• You are able to live on a student budget and can continue that in graduate school.
• Your mind is still on school, and you can more easily write papers and read long articles.
• You will have to make just one transition from school to work.
• Employees with a graduate degree have higher average earnings over their lifetime. Attending graduate school right away allows you to capitalize on higher wages sooner.
Advantages of Working First
• You will have more time to decide on a program, explore career options, and gain professional experience.
• You can establish financial stability and save for graduate school.
• You can have a break from school, which may leave you excited and freshly motivated to learn again when you start a program.
• You may be able to get into a more competitive graduate program with work experience.
• Many employers offer tuition assistance benefits when you are a fulltime employee. This means you may be able to earn your degree debt-free while working full-time
The Business Career Center can help you explore options and can review application materials to make you a stronger applicant for graduate programs.