Should I Take a Break Before Grad School?

So you know you definitely want to go to graduate school. The only question in your mind is whether to begin graduate school as soon as you complete your undergraduate degree or to take a break first to begin your career and earn some money. Ask yourself these questions to help you make your decision.

What field do you want to enter?

Some careers benefit from immediate graduate work, particularly careers in which advanced degrees are required for work. Such careers include teaching at the college level, social work, medicine, and law.

In other careers, students can benefit from work experience before they begin their graduate work. Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs are an example of a graduate degree in which job experience can be an asset to students, providing experience that can make class work more interesting and relevant.

How much money do you owe?

Are you already in debt from undergraduate classes? If so, you may want to take a few years to pay down your student loans and build up your bank account before you take on the expense of graduate school.

Another financial consideration is whether your employer will pay your graduate school fees. Many employers will pay your tuition for courses that are related to your work.

How committed are you?

Once you get out of the habit of going to school (and in the habit of earning money), you may find it difficult to go back to school. Are you committed enough to furthering your education that you will definitely go back to graduate school? If not, you may want to go straight into your graduate program while you are still in student mode.