here Is Grad School a Waste of Time?
Good question. It all depends on the schedule you choose, how that schedule can help your vocation and whether or not you make the most of the opportunity.
Is Grad School a Waste of Time?
Evaluate the return. When you go to grad school, you should go with a definite vocation goal in mind. A graduate school degree should improve your skill set, not make you seem unemployable or overqualified. Graduate school can be expensive, so you want to be able to get a good job when you finish.
Ask yourself why you are going. Are graduate school applications tempting you because the job market is bad or because you feel like you don't quite know what direction you would like to take in your career? Then stop now. Graduate school is only for those who know exactly what they want to do and who want to get ahead in a definite career.
Think about what you learn in the program. Not all graduate school programs are worth it. For example, journalists continue to consider whether or not attending journalism school is a good idea because much of what you learn there you can learn on the job.
Consider the job market after you get your degree. If you are getting an developed degree in biomedical engineering, for example, you may have great luck finding a job than if you earned a PhD in comparative literature. Both disciplines are important, but there are fewer universities finding for comparative literature professors, and the competition is fierce. Plus, a someone with an developed degree in engineering can find a job within industry, whereas those options are few if you are in the humanities.
Talk to your boss. Grad school is definitely not a waste of time if you already have a job and it can boost your wage and your skill set. Companies know this as well; that's why many of them offer tuition refund programs. If your graduate school goals fit your company's goals, then they may be willing to foot the bill as long as you keep working for the business for a few years after you've finished.
Become an extrovert. If you know for sure that grad school is the way to go, then it is up to you to make sure it is not a waste of time. Meeting population who can give you a leg up in the hereafter is critical. Start talking to and contacting professors even before you apply, and talk to your mentors at your undergraduate institution to find out what they know and which programs will suit you best.
No comments:
Post a Comment