With the job market becoming increasingly competitive, graduate school is becoming a greater requirement to enter the workforce. Many professors and advisors agree that the decision to postpone graduate school depends on the student, and there are pros and cons to both sides.
“It really does depend,” Blake Bedsole, director of graduate recruitment, said. “It’s a personal decision whether the students would like immediate income or not.”
Bedsole said he usually recommends students to go straight through to graduate school, if possible.
“The pros to doing it right now are that you are already in the academic mindset and the routine of school,” he said. “In some fields, even entry level positions may require another degree.”
Shelby Hutson, a first year graduate student at The University of Alabama, decided to go straight to graduate school after finishing as an undergrad. She graduated from the University with a bachelor’s degree in collaborative special education, and is currently pursuing a master’s in severe disabilities.
“I feel good and bad about [graduate school],” Hutson said. “I’m still in that school state of mind. I know how to write papers, and I am used to that academic schedule.”
Hutson said she knew she wanted a master’s to be more qualified in her field.
Brian Gray, a statistics professor, said a master’s degree could be beneficial in setting a person apart in the job application process.
“A master’s degree can distinguish them from everyone else,” Gray said. “An undergraduate degree today is almost like a high school diploma was 30 years ago.”
But there are some pros to postponing grad school as well, Bedsole said.
“If you know you are burnt out on school, it can be good to take a break,” he said. “Or if your undergraduate performance was not up to par, taking a couple of years to get some work experience may really boost your resume. And it can also give extra time to prepare for the standardized exam.”
Wilson Lowrey, graduate director of the UA journalism department, said he believes that work experience could be enriching to a student’s time in the master’s program.
“I think it’s a good idea to work before getting your master’s because it helps with performance in the master’s program,” Lowrey said. “Often students are a little more mature, and it’s amazing the quality of work a student has after work.”
Gray agrees it is often beneficial for the student to have work experience before entering into a higher level of education.
“Students who have worked for a while have more of an interest in academics,” Gray said. “If you decide to go to school now, there are a lot of benefits to reap from that education behind you, but it may be that graduate school isn’t as rich for you as if you had some work experience behind you.”
Bedsole said one question students need to consider when thinking about when to go to grad school is, “Does my program require work experience?”
Joey Landry, a senior majoring in marine science and chemistry, is considering postponing grad school for the chance to get work experience and the opportunity to start making money sooner.
“My dad did offer one piece of advice that is very helpful,” Landry said. “A few years back, he told me to remember that if you spend too long in grad school, you can school yourself out of a job.”
Another concern with postponing grad school is giving up a full-time job in pursuit of a higher degree later.
“My personal experience was that if you know what you want to do, going straight through can be an easier adjustment,” Bedsole said. “If you waited to go to school, it may be harder to give up income and go back to school.”
Lowrey said he sees it as a challenge, but it does not affect the advice he gives to students.
“I think most people anticipate that,” he said. “For someone working in journalism, they would actually have to slow down for a year or two. A fair number of people in journalism actually keep their full-time job while working through their master’s.”
Bedsole advised taking the GRE during senior year, whether considering graduate school or not.
“Go ahead and take the exam your senior year,” Bedsole said. “Most are good for five years. It is more beneficial to take the exam your senior year, regardless of your plans, because you are already in the school mindset.”
For many, the general consensus remains there is no wrong or right answer to attending graduate school right after undergrad or postponing it. Rather, it remains a personal and situational decision.
“It really does differ from person to person,” Gray said. “It depends on career goals and where they are with regard to life, but whichever way you go there are advantages and disadvantages.”
