Making the Decision to Go

There are numerous reasons why people decide to attend graduate school.  You may be fascinated by a particular subject of study and want to immerse yourself in it further.  You may have a clear sense of what career you want to pursue and an advanced degree is required for entry into that field.  For example, law, medicine, and teaching in a college or university are areas in which education beyond the baccalaureate level is required.  You may be motivated by a desire to increase your lifelong earning capacity.  Accounting and computer science are areas in which a Master’s degree may prove lucrative.  Finally, you may attend graduate school because, although a graduate degree in your field of interest does not necessarily translate into a more lucrative salary, the degree is necessary and results in various intrinsic rewards.  Social work and library science are examples of two such fields.

If you don't fit into the above categories but are thinking about graduate school, it may be to your advantage to discuss your thoughts with your Gateway Counselor.  If you are not part of the Gateway program, you can make an appointment with a counselor in Career Services.  The decision to attend graduate school will often involve long-term commitments in terms of time, money, and emotional dedication.  Take the time to collect the necessary information to verify that a graduate degree is the right step for you at this time.