citizen cane
ornery ornithologist
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I feel trapped, and I'm not even done with my bachelors degree.
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should I go to grad school?
- Thread starter miss fortune
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Kimchitasi
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I think it depends what you want to get out of a higher degree. A lot of people go for a Masters or PHD just because they enjoy school, this is a mistake. A PHD is years of commitment that you may or may not be prepared for. You may exit as an expert in your field, but you'll still need to find a job in the end. And just because you have a PHD does not mean you're guaranteed a job. For instance, a PHD in philosophy only qualifies you to be a professor. A PHD in literature is no different.
IMO, a higher degree in certain fields can only add to your value. If you're not getting a job with a bachelors, a second bachelors or masters in order to fine tune your expertise can only improve your chances. But, as I mentioned before, any degrees does not guarantee work. You will still need to hunt for a job when you come out.
I have a friend working on a second bachelors in computer engineering. He is working full time and going to school part time. That is exactly the way to go. You need to improve your resume while you're in school. Unless your pursuit is purely academic you can never develop all the skills you need for a job until you're in the job.
With all that in mind, don't get me wrong, school is important. But school is only what you put into it. At the end of the day, if you're not willing to put in the time to learn why go to college? Even an MBA student needs to properly understand how to run a business. Just the title isn't enough.
IMO, a higher degree in certain fields can only add to your value. If you're not getting a job with a bachelors, a second bachelors or masters in order to fine tune your expertise can only improve your chances. But, as I mentioned before, any degrees does not guarantee work. You will still need to hunt for a job when you come out.
I have a friend working on a second bachelors in computer engineering. He is working full time and going to school part time. That is exactly the way to go. You need to improve your resume while you're in school. Unless your pursuit is purely academic you can never develop all the skills you need for a job until you're in the job.
With all that in mind, don't get me wrong, school is important. But school is only what you put into it. At the end of the day, if you're not willing to put in the time to learn why go to college? Even an MBA student needs to properly understand how to run a business. Just the title isn't enough.
Little Linguist
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Patches
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The big question to me would be... What is it going to change AFTER getting your Masters/PHD?
You say you're sick of the kind of 9-5 grind, and you enjoy school, but school is only going to last 2/4/6 years depending what you pursue. After those couple years, are you just going to have to go back to the 9-5 grind again? In that situation... You have done NOTHING to better yourself except taken a break. The way your posts are worded, it makes me thing that you want to do this because it will make you happy during the school years. Have you addressed how you will feel after the school is done?
A lot of Master's degrees won't get you out of that working/grind. It's just the same deal.
Is pursuing this going to put you in a situation where you will be happier with your life 10 years from now? If yes... I say go for it.
If you're only doing this to take a 4 year break, and then go right back to the grind... I say 'why bother?'.
You say you're sick of the kind of 9-5 grind, and you enjoy school, but school is only going to last 2/4/6 years depending what you pursue. After those couple years, are you just going to have to go back to the 9-5 grind again? In that situation... You have done NOTHING to better yourself except taken a break. The way your posts are worded, it makes me thing that you want to do this because it will make you happy during the school years. Have you addressed how you will feel after the school is done?
A lot of Master's degrees won't get you out of that working/grind. It's just the same deal.
Is pursuing this going to put you in a situation where you will be happier with your life 10 years from now? If yes... I say go for it.
If you're only doing this to take a 4 year break, and then go right back to the grind... I say 'why bother?'.
Halla74
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Go to graduate school, my ESTP sister!!!! 
You'll learn bizarre new things! :horor:
You'll meet and get to terrify lots of brand new people!
The student loans let you buy all kinds of cool stuff!
:moonwalk:
The grants are yours to keep for FREE!
And then after that, you can emigrate to a land far, far away, and open a margarita stand on the beach, and live the good life!
THE END!
-Alex
You'll learn bizarre new things! :horor:
You'll meet and get to terrify lots of brand new people!
The student loans let you buy all kinds of cool stuff!
:moonwalk:The grants are yours to keep for FREE!
And then after that, you can emigrate to a land far, far away, and open a margarita stand on the beach, and live the good life!
THE END!
-Alex
FDG
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Okay, I'm just saying that it's very likely that someone doing that won't have time for anything else except school and work.
Plenty of people "have" to do things, it doesn't mean it's good for them.
Octarine
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So what? A PhD is a research apprenticeship. The skills are suited for specialisation, but how is this any different, to an apprenticeship in carpentry? A trade diploma in carpentry only qualifies you to be a carpenter.
Maybe some people actually LIKE doing research and wish to become professors (or industry equivalent) in their chosen fields?
Given that scholarships are available in most countries, I'd have to agree..
storybrook
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I actually MISS school... I miss getting to research things, I miss writing papers... I even really miss playing with numbers and being surrounded by people who think that learning stuff is a lot of fun. I'd always planned on studying more Sociology because it's always seemed so easy to understand and INTERESTING- it involves people!
The grind of life will always get you, sooner or later. It's a matter of managing its impact, and spending a couple years in grad school is not going to solve the problem.
However it does sound like you might be seeking a career that allows you to learn on an ongoing basis. You are probably not advanced enough in your career to get the mental stimulation that you need (a lot of entry level jobs are just boring), or you are in the wrong field. If you like looking at numbers and analyzing behavior and learning new things, maybe you'd be happy as a researcher or academic, in which case a graduate degree is the only way to go.
But don't go just to avoid life. You will have to learn how to structure your life so it doesn't bore you, and grad school is not going to teach you that.
ygolo
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DO IT!! I will be doing the same.
I presume you will be doing an advanced degree in sociology or journalism?
Even a short respite from the grind is worth it in my opinion, just don't build a mountain of debt to do it.
But like many people have said, it is better if you have some plan in mind after grad school.
I am fine with being an academic researcher the rest of my life, and it seems like you are too. If that's the case, go for it.
Making decisions based on fear, uncertainty, and doubt instead of courage, calculation, and heart will lead to misery in the long run.
I presume you will be doing an advanced degree in sociology or journalism?
Even a short respite from the grind is worth it in my opinion, just don't build a mountain of debt to do it.
But like many people have said, it is better if you have some plan in mind after grad school.
I am fine with being an academic researcher the rest of my life, and it seems like you are too. If that's the case, go for it.
Making decisions based on fear, uncertainty, and doubt instead of courage, calculation, and heart will lead to misery in the long run.
