To grad school, or to elsewhere? That is the question.

I refrained from imparting too much of my personal bias into my last entry, so this one will be a little more subjective. For many students today, grad school seems an inevitable and necessary step in the transition from their early twenties to full-blown adulthood. The constant advancement of one's education is certainly a noble goal, and one I believe we should all make an attempt to attain. However, education is not a commercial product, and it does not need to be obtained from any one specific place. Too few people seem to realize this, blindly hurtling themselves into several relatively aimless years of formal university instruction in a particular subject because, well, that's just what people are supposed to do. However, the decision to attend a graduate program, as natural as it may seem, is not one to be taken lightly, especially if you're unsure of your commitment to the degree. If you were never passionate about your undergraduate degree, don't launch your graduate career in the same field just because it'll be easier than following an educational path you have a legitimate and lasting interest in. If you're unsure of where you want life to take you in these next few years, don't attend grad school as an idle exercise. Take a year or two off. Travel the world. Read the classics. Work odd jobs. Learn to count cards. Occupy yourself in whatever way you see fit -- odds are, it'll be less costly and more fulfilling than a graduate degree you have zero real interest in. If you're positive that grad school is the right thing for you, by all means, dive right in. But if you're feeling the pressure in that cap and gown, take a moment to relax and weigh your options -- it's then, many say, that the real learning takes place. Grad school will always be there, but youth is fleeting. Take a break and live a little, if that's what your gut tells you. You'll thank yourself when you're too old to do anything but be settled and studious.

Labels: degrees, gap year, grad school

Posted by Brian on 7/18/2009 08:45:00 PM
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