Grad School anyone?

[yoamocuy]

Is anyone going to grad school or planning on going to grad school? Perhaps you don't think you'll go to grad school right away but might pursue it later on in life? If you are doing grad school or think you might, what are you/would you go for?

I just got my bachelor's and am not going to grad school. Actually the idea of grad school seemed extremely unappealing as graduation approached, but the idea seems a bit more favorable now. I definitely wouldn't go back next year but the thought of returning or doing night classes in a few years is a bit appealing. I imagine it'd be hard to juggle work, life, and grad school but who knows?

 

[Mike]

IMO, you should just get started and do it, or life will give you more and more reasons not to.

I'm confident you will find a graduate program much more enjoyable than you think, given your experience with undergraduate school. The professors understand you are an adult who's completed the undergrad test, and they treat you like it. It's more of a peer-to-peer relationship; very respectful.

The only pain seems to have been resolved since I went for my MBA in the 90's. Back then we had way too many small group projects, which was hard to coordinate with 4 other full-time working adults. People I talk to who are in a program these days say there are few or no group projects.

 

[Mike S]

Is anyone going to grad school or planning on going to grad school? Perhaps you don't think you'll go to grad school right away but might pursue it later on in life? If you are doing grad school or think you might, what are you/would you go for?

I just got my bachelor's and am not going to grad school. Actually the idea of grad school seemed extremely unappealing as graduation approached, but the idea seems a bit more favorable now. I definitely wouldn't go back next year but the thought of returning or doing night classes in a few years is a bit appealing. I imagine it'd be hard to juggle work, life, and grad school but who knows?

This depends entirely on what discipline your undergraduates degree was in. Sometimes, graduate school immediatley after undergraduate is a good idea. For instance, if your undergraduate is in education and you want to teach, you probably should get your masters as soon as possible.

My undergraduate degree was in economics and business managment. I waited for five years to get my MBA, and it was a completely different, and much more useful, experience than undergraduate school. My son, who's a senior design engineer with Intel, has felt no need whatever for a graduate degree, and is doing spectacularly well in his career.

 

[yoamocuy]

This depends entirely on what discipline your undergraduates degree was in. Sometimes, graduate school immediatley after undergraduate is a good idea. For instance, if your undergraduate is in education and you want to teach, you probably should get your masters as soon as possible.

My undergraduate degree was in economics and business managment. I waited for five years to get my MBA, and it was a completely different, and much more useful, experience than undergraduate school. My son, who's a senior design engineer with Intel, has felt no need whatever for a graduate degree, and is doing spectacularly well in his career.

I got my undergrad in Electrical Engineering, and wouldn't need a grad degree to advance in my company but my company would reimburse me for the tuition costs, provided I got good marks in my classes, which makes a grad degree more appealing.

 

[Mike S]

I got my undergrad in Electrical Engineering, and wouldn't need a grad degree to advance in my company but my company would reimburse me for the tuition costs, provided I got good marks in my classes, which makes a grad degree more appealing.

Well, then take the offer. It sounds like it would be a personal accomplisment for you, which is reason enough. A college degree is more than just job training.

 

[Mike]

I got my undergrad in Electrical Engineering, and wouldn't need a grad degree to advance in my company but my company would reimburse me for the tuition costs, provided I got good marks in my classes, which makes a grad degree more appealing.

I've always heard that an MBA compliments a bachelor's in electrical engineering more so than a master's degree in the same field. A friend of mine went that route, and then he went for his master's in engineering years later.

 

[yoamocuy]

I've always heard that an MBA compliments a bachelor's in electrical engineering more so than a master's degree in the same field. A friend of mine went that route, and then he went for his master's in engineering years later.

Yea I've heard an MBA is a nice addition to most engineering degrees, but I think it depends on what one wants to do with his career. I could be wrong, but my perception is that one could advance through management or remain on the more technical side of things and advance that way. I think management seems to be a common path for many but it seems that management tends to call for longer hours. These are all my perceptions though and all could be completely off.

If I go back to school it will have to wait for a little bit. While my company does reimburse me for my tuition costs, I still have to pay the costs up front which would mean slowing down the time I pay off my undergrad loans. I feel that it would be wise to pay off my loans as soon as possible so that I don't allow interest to accumulate too much.

 

[Mike S]

Yea I've heard an MBA is a nice addition to most engineering degrees, but I think it depends on what one wants to do with his career. I could be wrong, but my perception is that one could advance through management or remain on the more technical side of things and advance that way. I think management seems to be a common path for many but it seems that management tends to call for longer hours. These are all my perceptions though and all could be completely off.

If I go back to school it will have to wait for a little bit. While my company does reimburse me for my tuition costs, I still have to pay the costs up front which would mean slowing down the time I pay off my undergrad loans. I feel that it would be wise to pay off my loans as soon as possible so that I don't allow interest to accumulate too much.

That's exactly rght. An MBA will help on a management track, but not on a technical track. But, the hours? Just about everyone - certainly at Intel - is expected to work long hours.

 

[yoamocuy]

That's exactly rght. An MBA will help on a management track, but not on a technical track. But, the hours? Just about everyone - certainly at Intel - is expected to work long hours.

Perhaps you're right. I've heard of engineers, especially in the oil and steel business, who are expected to work 60 to 70 hours a week. Thankfully, no one seems to be expected to work more than 40 hours a week at my job. I enjoy working, but I like being able to have a life outside of work as well.

 

[Crusader7000]

After I finish college, I plan on going to veterinary school.

 

[God's_gift]

Is anyone going to grad school or planning on going to grad school? Perhaps you don't think you'll go to grad school right away but might pursue it later on in life? If you are doing grad school or think you might, what are you/would you go for?

I just got my bachelor's and am not going to grad school. Actually the idea of grad school seemed extremely unappealing as graduation approached, but the idea seems a bit more favorable now. I definitely wouldn't go back next year but the thought of returning or doing night classes in a few years is a bit appealing. I imagine it'd be hard to juggle work, life, and grad school but who knows?

if there will be a divine intervention that i can't go abroad next year( but hopefully no intervention haha) i will be going to grad school. Corporate law perhaps or proceed a degree in education so that i can teach Economics.