Many people are opting to go to grad school these days. While there is no promise of getting a job once graduate from one of those online graduate degree programs, the possibilities that you will find employment are greater, not to mention the salary you earn will be bigger too. No matter what you got your undergraduate degree in, grad school is probably a good choice for you if you can afford it. While a lot of people go straight to grad school after earning their undergraduate degree, many people also choose to take another route, which is waiting a few years before going back to school. If you’re on the fence about whether or not you should go straight in to grad school or wait, check out these benefits to putting grad school off a few years and getting some work experience.
Preparation
Going straight to grad school after earning your undergraduate degree is appealing to many people because they feel like everything they learned for the last four years remains fresh in their brain, which helps to succeed in grad school. While this may be true, you might also find that waiting a few years before going back to grad school might in fact make you more prepared compared to if you would have gone straight in to grad school. If you feel unprepared for grad school, taking at least one year off will help you prepare. You can spend that year taking a practice test for the GRE, or spend it improving your scores for different standardized tests. Since grad school is very expensive, taking that extra time to increase your test scores might make you eligible for different grants and scholarships.
Experience
Taking off a year or two and entering the workforce will give you valuable experience that will both enhance your grad school application and enhance the education you get during grad school. You’ll have a better understanding of what it is you’re studying since you have real life experience, and you’ll be able to get valuable letters of recommendation from your employers that may help get you in to grad school. You may find that during the year or two you spend in the workforce, that you don’t even really need to go back to grad school, and can instead work your way up with your undergraduate degree.
Cost
One of the biggest reasons that people opt to wait a few years before returning to grad school is the cost. The cost to attend a good grad school is going up and up, and taking a few years off while working gives you time to save money and pay back some of your student loans. You also won’t have much time to work while in grad school, so saving money before going back can be an important thing to consider. You may even be able to get tuition reimbursement from your employer, which would be a fantastic thing considering the costs of grad school.
