Is graduate school for me?

Graduate school is a big commitment of time and money, so don’t apply without asking yourself these questions first: 

• Are you ready to work?
  Even if you’re confident that you want to earn a graduate degree, you may need to work first, and not just for financial reasons. Many programs require or prefer that applicants have valuable work experience before they apply. 
• Have you researched your career options and how a graduate degree might affect them? 
• What are your personal and professional long-term goals? 
• What is motivating your desire to attend graduate school?
• How certain are you that you’ve chosen a career path that is right for you?
  Would a full-time job prior to graduate school help you make sure your decision is a good one? 
• To what type of programs are you thinking of applying? What attributes of the program-competitiveness, cost flexibility or geography-are important to you? 
• How do your personal relationships and commitments fit into your grad school plans? 
• Do you need a break from school, or are you prepared mentally, physically and financially, to earn another college degree? 
• How do you plan to pay for graduate school? Should you consider working first to save money and perhaps be able to take advantage of employer tuition plans?

While you’re considering these questions, make an appointment to speak with your academic advisor or speak with a career counselor. Talking about your plans and graduate school ambitions may help you clarify your goals.

With permission: GRAD: Resource Guide. Partnership of the IN Commission of Higher Education, IEDC, and IBJ Media. www.gradind.com.