Several decades ago, when the United States was still largely based on manufacturing, your high school diploma was your ticket to ride. As long as you graduated high school, you would be able to find work that would support your family. As the country evolved into a service based economy, employers began desiring candidates with higher levels of education, and slowly but surely, it became difficult to find a good paying job if you did not have a bachelor's degree. However, in today's day and age, with more people seeking higher education than ever before, even a bachelor's degree might not cut it. More and more employers are interested in job applicants with a master's or higher, making graduate school almost necessary to find employment. Thus, it is important to consider the benefits and drawbacks of attending graduate school, as well as the things one should consider when selecting a graduate school to attend.
First and foremost, one should note that attending graduate school can be tremendously beneficial. Many undergraduate programs today still place a high value on general education requirements. While the hours you put in for your major will still be substantial, almost a third of the time you spend in college, and in some cases, nearly half of it, while be devoted to classes unrelated to your major. Graduate school has no such restrictions. For two to three years, you will find yourself taking classes that directly apply to your field of study, giving you the knowledge, and in many cases, the hands on experience, to be more successful in your chosen line of work. Moreover, most master's degrees will require managerial classes tailored for that particular field of study, making you a more qualified candidate for higher paying positions.
That does not mean that graduate school is always the best idea. For one thing, it can be incredibly expensive, especially for out-of-state students. If you have already taken out thousands of dollars in student loans for your undergraduate degree, as most people in American do, you will be adding anywhere from twenty to fifty thousand dollars of debt onto your tab, if not more. Unless your graduate school training will prepare you to step into a very high paying job, it may not be worth the price tag. In addition, for some careers, experience is still more important than a piece of paper saying you're really smart. While graduate school is necessary for some, it is certainly not a one-size-fits-all affair. It is important to do your research before you make a decision.
If you do decide that you are interested in graduate school, there are a couple of steps you can take to make sure that you are entering the program that is right for you. The first thing to think about is your learning style. Are you someone who benefits from hours of reading and class discussion, or are you someone who prefers to learn by experience? Some schools provide a great deal of research opportunities for their graduate students, and others do not. Your learning style should be a factor in your decision. The other thing to consider is the length of the program you are entering. Some graduate schools offer master's degrees that will take a year to complete, and other degrees that will take nearly four years to finish. There are also accelerated programs at graduate schools where you can gain your master's AND your Ph.D. in one study program. These are all things to consider when looking into graduate school.