5 Questions to Consider Before Graduate School

Posted by Calling All Optimists on Feb 22, 2019

There could be several reasons why you are considering graduate school. Maybe you want to advance your career or simply further your education. Whatever it may be, consider these five questions as you begin to plan your graduate education journey.

  1. Why do you want to go? Think about what is motivating you to further your education. Do you have a clear goal in mind that leads you to graduate school? Make a list of the outcomes you wish to see in the future and what steps you need to take in order to achieve them.
  2. Is the return on investment worth it? When you created your list of goals, was increasing your income on there? Good news! You’re on the right track. This is one of the many great benefits of earning a graduate business degree. Estimate your post-graduate business school salary with this interactive calculator.
  3. Will you continue to work? There are many working professionals that decide to go back to school while continuing to work. If you don’t have the option to go back to school full time, there are many schools that offer part-time programs. Choosing a part-time program can be a great path to help balance your career and education.
  4. Which program is best for you? With hundreds of programs out there it can be difficult to narrow down to one. Try using a search service that can help you get noticed by programs based on your interests and experience. The Graduate Management Admission Search Service (GMASS) is a free service that helps you do this while also showcasing you as a candidate to business schools. You can also discover and connect with schools and programs based on your preferences and profile using our School Search tool.
  5. How will you finance it? Now that you have decided to go back to school, think about how you will pay for it. Don’t panic! There are several grants, fellowships, and scholarships out there that can help. You should also check with your current employer to see if they offer a tuition assistance program. This is becoming a common benefit, so make sure to ask your human resources department if it’s available to you.

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Having a clear career plan that matches your needs with your career aspirations will make sure you make the right decisions.

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