Graduate School: To Go or Not to Go
Often times college students find themselves at a crossroads the closer they get to their graduation.
“What’s the best option for me? Should I take a break? Will I be able to financially sustain myself?”
I can’t answer all of those, but I can steer you to the right direction for the former, at least. As a psychology student, I found out pretty quickly that for my dream career I would have to go for further education. This brings me to my first point:
Look into career options obtainable with an bachelor’s degree
Not every major has the problem that I do. The first thing you should figure out is if there’s something you both can and want to do with an undergraduate degree. If there isn’t, you still shouldn’t lose hope, because:
Understand that your degree is not all you can offer
If you’re finding that you don’t see anything worthwhile, think back on your coursework. There are a lot of way to shape your college experiences into great skills on a resume.
Not only that, but sometimes what you major in just isn’t relevant to every job you apply to, and that’s perfectly okay. For example, my manager at the dog boarding facility I work at has a biology degree. Sort of related, but still not exactly one to one in subject matter.
Your college degree is proof that you are an educated individual. How you define that education can make you a great candidate for a company you never though you’d work for. But don’t take it from just me:
Talk to professionals and graduate students
I can not overstate how much your professors want to help you. Whether it’s shooting a quick email or meeting with them during their office hours, it’s important to create connections and ask them questions. They’ve done the hard part for you by already getting through further school. Ask them why they did it, how it was, and what you can do to prepare for it.
It’s also important to talk to graduate students, if you can. They’re currently doing it and can give you an honest look on what it’s like in the 2020s.
If this list seems daunting, I understand. Most importantly, I encourage you to:
Take a deep breath and take things a step at a time
I would be really worried if someone tried to do all these things at once. While time may seem like it never slows down, your health is always a priority, and all progress is progress.
If you google potential graduate schools you might want to apply to, that’s great. If you shoot one professor an email to schedule an appointment, that’s great. If you do nothing at all and focus on taking care of yourself, that’s great.
We can’t count on a bright future if we don’t prioritize our wellbeing. Whether or not you decide to pursue graduate school isn’t something I can (or want) to predict, but at the very least, you have a short list of how to start figuring it out.
