Earlier this week while out with some new friends, someone said, “I wonder if I’d be happier if I just hadn’t gone to law school.” This comment got us (almost all recent graduate school graduates) briefly discussing where we might be financially, emotionally, etc. had we made different choices when it came to post undergraduate education. While the conversation was short-lived, we had trivia to return to, it is a subject that has been a daily question on my mind through my quarter-life crisis. Was my graduate education worth it? Was it a waste of my time and money? Will it really set me apart from others in my field competing for similar jobs?
The blog, Unemploymentability, claims unemployment is less costly than a Master’s degree. When you look at the exact cost comparison it looks intriguing; spend money and work or barely work and get other people’s money for free. I can’t imagine that most people who are seriously considering furthering their education would really consider the latter though, I know I wouldn’t. Instead of this extreme suggestion, I’d prefer discuss the realities of graduate education:
Cost – public schools can cost anywhere from 10K – 15K per year (my graduate education was only 13K total partially because I stayed in-state) and private schools can be as much as 30K or more per year. Keep in mind these costs do not include moving expenses or cost of living and many graduate students are no longer on their parents’ insurance and university benefits are very expensive.
Job Market – it’s not news to anyone that the job market is not pretty. Even Ivy League graduates aren’t able to find work much less those of us who have attended public universities for our degrees. When we do find work we are often overqualified for a job in our field or we step outside of our field and go back to bartending or working retail.
Education – Learning is wonderful. When you put yourself through any academic program, you are expanding your mind and experiences; it’s great! Especially if you are hoping to move up in your field, it’s all about the more you know and credentials are vital in many areas. While the job market is lacking now, I bet when it gets better it’ll be the people with the most education/skills that are hired first. Something else to remember is “Education, in and of itself, is always beneficial. Nonetheless, whether it is beneficial for a specific person is another matter entirely” (College News). Just because it’s a graduate degree doesn’t mean it’s going to benefit you and your specific career plans.
Grad school is really expensive. You might not find a job right away and you might not find your ideal job for a while. And, while education is really valuable, it still takes careful consideration of what type of education is best for you. I still think it’s totally worth it. So, for those who are scared of the cost of school there are several remedies to help your pocketbook:
Work while in school. Whether a part-time, full-time of work study position, working while in school does several very helpful things: earns money, teaches time management, makes a great resume and keeps your loans down. I worked full-time during all seven years of my undergraduate and graduate education and I was able to escape with very few loans.
Seriously research scholarships. There is a ton of money out there for the taking, you just have to do your research. Even if you’re a non-traditional student returning to school, you can find government and private help. Think about how you’re unique, how you stand out: grades, background, experience, race, gender, and interests, and then look hard for people that appreciate that. You’d be surprised how many scholarships are out there. Even if you don’t have a 4.0, there are opportunities out there. I didn’t pay a cent of my graduate education because of scholarships I received but I had to look hard for them.
Be willing to make some sacrifices. Along with sacrificing time, (especially if you’re working while in school) be willing to give up some things in order to make graduate school living work. Living with roommates, or maybe even your parents, to cut back on rent, driving a crappy car to avoid making car payments/paying higher insurance or even giving up a car and carpool or relying on public transportation are all tough things to do that can make a huge difference.
Understand that school is an investment. Just as investments take time to produce great returns, an education may take time before you really feel a quality return on what you’ve put into it. You’re not going to walk out of school in to the job of a lifetime, you’re not going to pay off your loans in a year or own your dream car in your 20s. But all of this is okay and really, it’s what is going to provide the best experience for you.
Bottom line: do your research and make sure you’re in it for the right reason. Be patient and don’t compare yourself to your peers because really we’re all second guessing our choices about school even if we won’t admit it. Also, don’t feel like you have to rush into grad school, take your time to make sure it’s the right thing for you. I rushed in to grad school once; I lasted 10 days.
What are other’s opinions about the true value of a graduate education?
2 comments:
Hm...my thoughts on grad school are biased and fraught with angst, so I am probably not a reliable source about it. But anyway. I think the best reason for going to grad school is in order to obtain credentials and expertise for a very particular reason or specific job. Going just because you think it will boost your resume; because you can't find a decent job; or because you think it will give you direction- these are insufficient reasons, and will probably lead to stress and regret. Grad school is incredibly demanding, and it also creates emotional problems that a job doesn't. This is because you're spending enormous amounts of time fulfilling assignments that are often nebulous and often without any "real-world" value since they're primarily designed to hone your skills rather than produce a needed service. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it feels like a major investment that may or may not pay back in the long run.
I don't regret going to grad school, because it led to other good things in my life, but I hated almost all of my classes and consider them a great waste of my energy. The main thing I learned was that the academic environment in humanities departments in America is cut off from the rest of the world, and heavily dedicated towards self-perpuation and over-specialization. Virtuousic displays of intellect are far more valued than clarity and applicability of theory to life, at least in the English department and the comparative studies department.
The greatest experience I had in grad school was the year I spent teaching freshman English; having to build a curriculum, prepare lessons, stand in front of a class, deal with freshman questions, and grade papers was one of the biggest challenges of my life and totally rewarding and life-changing.
One more note: grad school is more worth the trouble if you can find a way to be a graduate teaching assistant or some related position, because you receive a stipend- in other words, you get paid to go to grad school. Every school is different and some pay quite a bit more than others. It's worthwhile to research the schools you're considering.
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