Post-Grad direction

[Kaia]

Hi, from reading this site, I notice a few of the people here are working toward or have gotten their graduate degree. I'm more than half way through my undergrad and I'm looking into that as a possibility as well.

 

So far it looks scary to me because people are saying it's very different from just taking courses, and you need to work on something you feel very passionate about (I haven't found out mine yet..).

 

So my question is, how did you know what you want to do your master/ph.d on? Why did you choose to do postgrad studies? And lastly, what's the big surprise you find (good or bad) in grad vs undergrad?

[peanut15]

I suggest after you finish with your bachelor's that you take time off from school and work on a career in the field you are interested in. If all goes well, I would pick a post baccalaureate degree that would help you excel in that field. Also, the company you work for may offer tuition reimbursement if you decide to further your education.

 

I majored in Political Science and ended up working in a county agency. I specifically picked Public Administration because it offered just the right type of courses for me to continue my career in government. An MPA is similar to an MBA but more geared towards the public sector. Anyway, the agency I worked for offered tuition reimbursement as well (it paid for about 70% of my costs). Also, I found that some companies and agencies have graduate schools come and teach at the office so you don't have to drive all the way to the main campus.

 

As far as surprises, I found graduate school much easier than working on my bachelor's. I guess its because you grow up a bit and have more experience. You share your experiences with your classmates and apply it to what you are studying. In my program, we had a few students who started immediately after they received their BA. They didn't do so well however because they could not apply what they learned to real work experiences.

 

Lastly, this is just my opinion if you are going to work on a professional degree as opposed to an academic one. MPA, MBA, and JDs are professional degrees. I suggest that if you work on an MA or MS that maybe you should go directly from your BA/BS to a program like that, maybe wait a year or so. With those programs you learn more theories.

 

Anyway, that is my opinion based on my experience and my best friend who is currently working on her MBA (she waited 10 years).

[annie24]

Hi - I'm a second year biochem PhD student. I just jumped straight in after undergrad. I've always loved science. I worked in research labs my entire time as an undergrad, so I knew for sure that this is what I wanted to do. Like peanut, I suggest that you really figure out if this is something that you want to do. Don't go to grad school if you aren't 150% sure that this is what you want to do. You really have to be insanely in love with your topic to find the motivation to stay with it.

 

Grad and undergrad are just very different. They are hard in their own ways. Undergrad, it's more focused on classes. Grad work, I already finished my classes, now I'm working on my research, but it brings up a whole new set of problems. I'm at the point in my learning as a scientist where you have to just do the experiments yourself - you're not going to learn much more from reading about science... (however, there is STILL a lot of reading involved.)

 

Grad school - you make your schedule a little more, but it is up to you to stay motivated. Do you need a masters? A PhD? what do you want to do afterwards?

 

good luck in your decision!

[CarterJonas]

It is very important to do a subject that you enjoy. Once you have decided what you want to do after graduating you need to ask yourself whether a post graduate qualification will benefit you in your chosen field. Obviously there are a lot of areas where a masters, PhD will no doub help you, but remember that there are other areas where it will not.

 

I work in Engineering and although there are a few doctors that work with the company, the managers are always only degree qualified but are exceptional speakers and people managers.

[Kaia]

peanuts: I was thinking more of an academic degree. But i think MBA is definitely more useful in general...

 

CarterJones: yeah that's very true. But I think most of the managers I've worked under have an MBA. I also agree that it's the exceptional interpersonal skill that characterizes them.. (i can almost see an aura around them usually!) .. and that's something I lack, so I'm leaning more toward the academic path.

 

I don't know what to do

[tanned_production]

thats something im struggling with myself. im only 16 but im trying to figure out where i want to go in life.... how to finish high school with awesome grades.

 

im thinking of studying something like Physicology.

 

just think of what you like to do. hopefully that will lead you in the right direction.