Should Undergrads Jump Right Into Grad School?
Congratulations! Your diploma is safely tucked away up on a shelf, the last bits of confetti from the backyard graduation party are being spread around by your dad小蝌蚪APP檚 lawnmower, and you小蝌蚪APP檝e deposited every last check that was tucked away inside Hallmark小蝌蚪APP檚 finest.
Now what?
Let小蝌蚪APP檚 say you applied and got accepted into grad school. Master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree, here you come! Or...should you? It seems like you小蝌蚪APP檝e been in school forever, and the idea of a homework-free night sounds pretty amazing right now. So should you go to grad school right after undergrad, or wait a while? Here小蝌蚪APP檚 a few thoughts on each side of the debate.
Why You Should Go to Grad School Now
Keep Your Momentum 
When you finish your undergraduate degree you小蝌蚪APP檙e in the groove of school, and grad school keeps the forward motion going. Once you get a taste of 小蝌蚪APP渓ife after school,小蝌蚪APP the sweet smell of 小蝌蚪APP渘o more homework小蝌蚪APP may be too intoxicating, and the longer you stay out of school, the harder it can be to jump back in. While the school train is rolling forward, stay on board until you小蝌蚪APP檝e reached that next station.
Money Matters
While it may not seem like it (searching for quarters for laundry, anyone?), this is as good a financial time as ever to go to grad school. You小蝌蚪APP檙e used to the scholarship and loan process, and you小蝌蚪APP檝e gotten used to living on a budget as an undergrad. Before you start thinking about buying that house with the white picket fence and getting your 小蝌蚪APP淎merican Dream小蝌蚪APP on, stick it out while you have that budget-centered mindset.
Future Goals
You should definitely go straight into grad school if you小蝌蚪APP檙e aiming for a field where advanced or terminal degrees are necessary, e.g. research and academia. Aiming for a Ph.D? Don小蝌蚪APP檛 stop the momentum, you小蝌蚪APP檙e going to need as much as you can get!
Why You Shouldn小蝌蚪APP檛 Go Straight Into Grad School
Get Some Experience
The job market isn小蝌蚪APP檛 likely to get any less competitive, so you should get some work experience while you小蝌蚪APP檙e fresh and raring to go. A couple years of experience will help boost your resum茅 and will strengthen your graduate school application. In fact, with so many programs being online or offering part-time and evening courses, you could keep working while adding more letters to your name. It小蝌蚪APP檚 a win, win.
Try It Out First
Who knows? After a year or two of work in your chosen field, you might realize it小蝌蚪APP檚 just not for you and you want a career shift. If you小蝌蚪APP檙e not certain about your career track, hold off on grad school and figure that out first. That way, you won小蝌蚪APP檛 have spent a significant amount of time and money on a graduate degree in a field you don小蝌蚪APP檛 even want to pursue long-term.
Not Just a Fallback
It小蝌蚪APP檚 definitely not a wise plan to go to grad school only as a fallback option. Given the time and money you小蝌蚪APP檒l invest in a graduate degree, you want to have a solid purpose for going to grad school and definitive career goals. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 my only option小蝌蚪APP is definitely not on the list of good reasons to go to grad school.
It小蝌蚪APP檚 decision time! Sort out your options, weigh up all of the factors, and go all in for whatever the next phase holds!
Ready to start exploring your options?
