Should you apply to graduate school?

Decide your long term goals before applying to graduate school. When writing an essay or meeting with the admissions staff, everyone is going to be interested in your long term goals.

Without a doubt, graduate school will make you more marketable to employers. However, there are some issues to consider before applying to graduate school.

Before jumping into graduate school, make sure you know what you want to study. Grad school is not like undergrad; you cannot go undecided for two years and then choose a major. Research schools and make your decision wisely. If you are undecided between programs, talk to students in those programs or people working in that field. Do your research, otherwise it may cost you a lot of money for a degree you are less than satisfied with.

Do you have work or internship experience in the field you are pursuing? Like applying for a job, experience matters in a sense. This is especially important for highly selective programs.

Decide your long term goals before applying to graduate school. When writing an essay or meeting with the admissions staff, everyone is going to be interested in your long term goals. How is this degree going to benefit you, your employer or potential employers, and what exactly do you plan on doing with it? If you can firmly answer these questions you are ready for graduate school.  Also consider your personal life, is graduate school going to be put on hold for a wedding, a child, purchasing a home, etc? There are many small factors to consider when deciding to go to graduate school.

Also, you need to consider the money. Student loans are going to be a given. Unlike undergrad, there are no grants for graduate students. You need to get your finances in order and possibly even save up for graduate school.

It's your future, plan carefully and the sky is the limit!

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