Grad School: A Dream To Defer?

by Patrick on April 25, 2009

6a00d83451f25369e200e553db2d398833-800wiLast night I thought some more about Grad School, while my original long term plan was to get myself into grad school this fall- I’m not so sure.

Maybe it’s idea of taking on debt during a recession doesn’t seem right. Maybe it’s because Penelope Trunk is so against the idea of Grad School.

You can read her articles to hear all the reasons I shouldn’t be going to Grad School (well at least not now), here is my reasoning why I’d like to:

  1. I’ve already spent a few years out in the real world, so I’m certainly not dodging real life. But maybe I haven’t been lost enough yet.
  2. I enjoy the job I’m at and the industry I work in and I’d be pursuing a degree to make myself stronger in that field
  3. Unlike the money pit of a Law, Medical, or MBA degree- I’m looking to get a professional masters (which I would complete in a couple of years) that I think would help me in other careers down the line if I ever do change (it’s not like I want an MFA or a masters in history.)
  4. Maybe I don’t want to get that PhD in my lifetime but I do want to have a masters degree on that curriculum vitae someday.
  5. I wouldn’t be pursuing a degree full-time, I’d probably still be working which helps counter some of the arguments of working vs. full-time study.

So what should I do? Try and get in this fall? Maybe wait it out a year or two til the economic climate gets better?

Related posts:

  1. Father’s Day & Grad Parties
  2. Extending My Gap Years
  3. High School Never Ends
  4. No School For Black Comedy
  5. Working At Your Dream Job

Tagged as: Feelings/Reflections, Gen-Y, Grad School

  • http://noticedfromnorthwest.wordpress.com/ NoticedFromNorthwest

    If you have to talk yourself into it, you should probably wait. You’ll know when the time is right for you and then you’ll just do it.

  • Katie

    Just do it. Who knows when this recession thing will be over. I decided to go back this fall because I know the longer I put it off, the less chance there is that I will actually go back. And right now, I just have myself to worry about. I don’t have a whole family’s schedule to juggle yet. And the nice pay raise in 3 years (that’s how long my program is) will help pay off my loans.

  • http://washingtoncube.blogspot.com Washington Cube

    I’m in agreement with Noticed. If you are weighing the idea, then you probably aren’t ready. I held a full-time job during all of my graduate work. Ideal? No. Killer. I also paid as I went and did not take any student loans, in retrospect, so glad I didn’t incur that debt, but it meant there were some semesters I could only take one course, and all of my grad work was at private schools, so $$$.

    A better question is: “How much are you willing to sacrifice in your life (work, social, etc.) for graduate school?” If you aren’t committed to going in your mind and heart, how can you be prepared to work hard and do your best? Going just to go and being average seems like a waste of time and money. You should want to maximize the experience of the education, not just working toward a degree.

  • http://aliceblogs.blogspot.com Alice

    ha, i TOLD you i’d find your blog! …..after i came home, passed out cold, and slept off the alcohol. i’m blaming the 3 lbs of sangria fruit i ate instead of lunch.

  • http://lacochran.blogspot.com lacochran

    If you can get your energy up for it, I say go for it. In bad economic times it helps to have extra (credentials, contacts, etc.)

  • Mike G

    Go for it, it’ll be the most accomplished thing that you’ll ever do and will be the useful later down the line.

  • http://www.dmbosstone.com Patrick

    Theses are all very interesting comments- and I appreciate all your input!

    NW – You make a good point, the fact I’m writing this post has to say something…

    Katie – It’s cliche to say I’m going to wait another year but I’m thinking more about deferring for next fall…

    Washington Cube makes a really good point, am I ready to sacrifice my time this fall and for the next two years?

    LaCochran sees the benefits I see in going back to school but I’m not here to dodge the recession- I do want to build my resume up so I can take that next step…

    I think I know what I need to do now- thanks guys!

  • http://justjp.wordpress.com justjp

    I feel you on this. My loans are insane and I want to get a Ph.D. I think perpetual student is in my future.

  • Pingback: Why I said ‘No’ to grad school – for now | TalentEgg Career Incubator

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  • http://www.dmbosstone.com Patrick

    JP,

    The loans are definitely something I’m thinking about…

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