2008 Woodie Awards
Considering Graduate School?
Marian Cacciatore
Issue date: 10/23/06 Section: Holt News
- Page 1 of 1
This week Career Coach Marian Cacciatore gives information about graduate school.
Dear Marian,
I need your advice. I am graduating next May and am thinking about graduate school. Is it better to begin graduate school right away or should I take some time off after I finish my undergraduate degree?
Holt Senior '07
The decision to pursue a graduate degree is not something to rush into. Before taking the next step I encourage you to answer the following questions:
Are you clear on your career goal? If you have any doubt at all about your professional goals, consider putting off graduate school until you have taken the time to clarify your career goals and objectives.
Without a clear goal some students end up wasting significant time and money. Taking some career assessments and working with a career services professional can be helpful at this stage.
When do I know it is the right time to pursue graduate school?
For some students entering into graduate school immediately after graduation may make sense, Some reasons that justify this decision include:
The student is in the routine of school and know the expectations.
The student does not have a lot of obligations that will impact the ability to commit to a graduate program.
The student is interested in occupations that require an advanced degree for the entry-level position.
For other students it may make sense to wait a few years before attempting graduate school. These reasons may include:
The student may need to obtain some practical experience to clarify career goals.
The programs that the student is interested in require some solid work experience.
The student may need to take some time off to focus on his/her family before beginning another academic program.
The student may want to first find a job that will help reimburse the cost of graduate school
The student may need to save some money or pay off some of the undergraduate student loans before taking on any additional loans.
Hopefully this helps address your question. I would be happy to meet with you to speak about your individual situation in more detail.
To schedule an appointment or to ask a career question please email me at: mcacciatore@rollins.edu
Dear Marian,
I need your advice. I am graduating next May and am thinking about graduate school. Is it better to begin graduate school right away or should I take some time off after I finish my undergraduate degree?
Holt Senior '07
The decision to pursue a graduate degree is not something to rush into. Before taking the next step I encourage you to answer the following questions:
Are you clear on your career goal? If you have any doubt at all about your professional goals, consider putting off graduate school until you have taken the time to clarify your career goals and objectives.
Without a clear goal some students end up wasting significant time and money. Taking some career assessments and working with a career services professional can be helpful at this stage.
When do I know it is the right time to pursue graduate school?
For some students entering into graduate school immediately after graduation may make sense, Some reasons that justify this decision include:
The student is in the routine of school and know the expectations.
The student does not have a lot of obligations that will impact the ability to commit to a graduate program.
The student is interested in occupations that require an advanced degree for the entry-level position.
For other students it may make sense to wait a few years before attempting graduate school. These reasons may include:
The student may need to obtain some practical experience to clarify career goals.
The programs that the student is interested in require some solid work experience.
The student may need to take some time off to focus on his/her family before beginning another academic program.
The student may want to first find a job that will help reimburse the cost of graduate school
The student may need to save some money or pay off some of the undergraduate student loans before taking on any additional loans.
Hopefully this helps address your question. I would be happy to meet with you to speak about your individual situation in more detail.
To schedule an appointment or to ask a career question please email me at: mcacciatore@rollins.edu
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