Is Now the Right Time for You to Go to Grad School?

Deciding to go to graduate school is an even bigger decision than deciding to go to college. Here's what to consider if now is the right time for you.

The pandemic has disrupted traditional higher education, and new data shows that colleges and universities are experiencing an impact in enrollment rates due to its ongoing effects. Postsecondary institutions experienced a 4.9% enrollment drop among undergraduate students compared to spring 2020, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. However, during this same period, graduate school enrollment climbed by 4.6%. Although earning a graduate degree has potential benefits—like higher earning potential—there are considerations to mull over before taking the leap.  

Is grad school right for you?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers with an advanced degree have a lower unemployment rate compared to those with a bachelor’s degree. But that’s just one of the more obvious benefits of going to grad school. Your dream profession might require a master’s degree to qualify for an entry-level position in that field. For example, high school teachers in some states are required to earn a master’s degree and be licensed to teach. A counseling- or psychology-related profession, like a marriage and family therapist, also requires a master’s degree. 

Conversely, completing a graduate program might open up a promotion opportunity at a current job. You may want to gain business management knowledge if you’re an engineer looking to advance to an architectural manager position. In this situation, a master’s in Engineering Management, Technology Management, or Business Administration makes sense for your career goals. Your desire might also be driven by personal development and acquiring deeper knowledge about your field of study. Regardless of your motivations for pursuing grad school, you need to assess if the long-term benefits outweigh the realities of going back to school. 

Related: Pros and Cons of Graduate School During COVID–19

Should you go to grad school right after undergrad?

Like the decision to get an advanced degree at all, when you should go to grad school is also a personal choice to seriously consider. Some students choose to transition immediately into a graduate program after earning their undergraduate degree. Here are a few pros and cons of going straight into a graduate program.

Pros to starting grad school right after college

  • Smooth academic transition: Going straight to grad school after completing undergrad can feel like a natural next step in your educational journey. Your academic momentum is still churning without other life events—like an established career or starting a family—affecting your ability to complete your program.
  • Done with school faster: The sooner you start grad school, the less drawn-out your program will feel. Plus, the sooner you finish school, the faster you’ll jump into the job market with a competitive degree on your résumé.
  • Your academic network is still current: Your undergrad faculty relationships with mentors, counselors, and academic advisors will still be easily accessible. Tapping these connections shortly after your undergraduate career ends can be helpful for academic support, letters of recommendation, and more.

Cons to starting right after college

  • No time to save money for tuition: The average cost of a master’s degree at a public college is $30,000 per year, while average annual tuition at a private institution is about $40,000. Without taking a few gap years between your undergrad and grad programs, you won’t have an opportunity to save money toward high-cost classes. 
  • Additional student debt: With increased tuition rates and additional years of school and without time to save up for it, many grad students take on additional student loan debt. Having to manage multiple student loans during grad school and afterward can affect your financial stability after you’ve graduated.
  • Loss of real-world experience: Going directly to grad school means losing out on professional experience in the job market. For some programs, this knowledge is a plus on your grad school application. You’ll also lose the chance to try out a full-time job in your prospective field before committing your time and money to it. You might find the industry you thought you’d love isn’t a good fit for you.
  • Might delay other life goals: Going to grad school typically takes a minimum of two additional years with a full-time course load; if you plan to pursue a doctorate, it can take between five to seven years. That’s a lot of time to put other personal life milestones—like buying a home, starting a family, or building your career—on hold.

Related: 4 Good Reasons to Wait Before Going to Grad School 

Some students may see grad school as a way to get temporary relief from student loans while figuring out what to do next in their professional life. If this is the only reason you’re going to grad school, it’s worth doing your homework to see the principle and interest levels you’ll eventually owe overall. Grad school can offer a return on investment that makes the time, rigorous academic work, and cost worth it. However, it’s not for everyone and might not be necessary depending on your long-term professional goals.  

If you’ve decided now is the right time to apply to a grad program, find the right one with our Graduate School Search tool.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:
grad programs grad school grad students graduate school graduate students

About Callie McGill

Callie McGill is a Content Marketer for ValuePenguin.com.

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Kory Gilbertson

Kory Gilbertson

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me explore my views on college in that "why do I wanna go to a certain school" way. It’s helped me explore the best fits in all of these outstanding choices. All these college admission counselors can access my accolades showing them how I could help their college. This source of information helps me show these admission directors who I am and what I'm interested in. Thanks to this platform, my experience for education will be better than most, and I'm so grateful for all that it has provided for me.

Dani York

Dani York

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress helped in my journey by comparing multiple colleges for my final decision. While looking at different colleges, I was able to compare the tuition expenses and that landed me with the college that I’m currently enrolled in, Western Kentucky University. Thank you!

Alexandra Adriano

Alexandra Adriano

$2,000 Community Service Scholarship Winner, 2016

I've used CollegeXpress quite a bit as a senior, particularly for colleges and scholarships, so it's been a very big asset in that respect! I would recommend it to anyone looking to pursue a college education, especially seniors! This scholarship will help me achieve my goals in ways I couldn't have before, and I know that there are opportunities like that for everyone on the website and in the magazines!

Asia Stockdale

Asia Stockdale

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress helped me overcome a huge hurdle. Because of the small town I live in, I felt like I would never achieve more. I felt like I could never go beyond because of costs. I feared I wouldn’t be able to find scholarships. I had no idea of where to start. With CollegeXpress, I easily found scholarships—they came to me. It was a helper, and I was instantly matched with opportunities to go above and beyond educationally.

Sonny Harris

Sonny Harris

College Student

For the entire year before college, I spent a lot of time deeply considering what major I wanted to go into and how to fund my higher education. After a lot of research, I came across CollegeXpress, which helped me ultimately find a ton of scholarships for which I could apply—and some of which I received! If it weren’t for CollegeXpress, I may not have found those scholarships as they didn't appear on any other scholarship search forum. Additionally, I learned more about the options I had been considering for my major through CollegeXpress’s resources. In the end, I chose to major in Computer Science, as it seemed best suited to me and the careers in the field seemed enjoyable, and I've never been more excited to move into my future! Ultimately, I want to thank CollegeXpress for offering their services. I received enough financial aid in scholarships to fund my entire freshman year of college and even got some money refunded which I used to purchase a new laptop, and I bought all of the books I needed for the semester!

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA

Neumann University

Aston, PA

Schreiner University

Kerrville, TX