5 Considerations Before You Start Grad School

Starting graduate school is an exciting time. For those who have been pursuing this degree since undergrad, choosing their school and program probably felt like a no-brainer. However, if you’re considering if grad school is right for you, the decision-making process is likely much tougher. 

In this post, we’ll walk you through some key considerations to think about before you start applying to graduate school to help you decide what you want to do and which school is right for you.

#1 Why Do You Want a Degree?

First and foremost, you should consider your motivations for earning a graduate degree. Are you aspiring to have a specific career? Considering a career in academia? Want to become an expert in a specific field?

There are a lot of reasons to pursue a master’s degree but you want to ensure that your reason is part of an eventual career plan. Graduate school isn’t like undergraduate work where you can explore different courses. It’s highly specialized and requires lots of independent work, meaning you need to be excited and invested in the subject you’ve chosen.

#2 Do You Have Time to Earn a Degree?

Graduate school requires a lot of time. Many schools estimate students need to spend at least 9 hours a week working on each course they’re enrolled in. That means your graduate program can quickly become the equivalent of a part-time job.

So the next question to ask yourself is whether or not you have time to attend school again. Some graduate students are able to attend full-time by taking teaching or research assistantships. This gives them more time on campus and puts them in close contact with their professors, which often helps them manage their time.

However, if you plan to work while in graduate school, you will likely need to consider attending as a part-time student.

#3 How Will You Pay for Your Degree?

Unfortunately, no degree is free, so you also need to consider how you’ll pay for tuition and books. Luckily, there are many different ways to finance your education. The first is assistantships, as mentioned in the previous sections. These often come with partial or full tuition remission.

Another option is to look for graduate student loans to help cover the costs of your education. There are some loans specialized for graduate students that have different rates and loan terms than undergraduate loans. Oftentimes, you’ll be required to use a graduate loan for your graduate degree, so keep that in mind as you shop around.

You can also look for scholarships through the Graduate School at your university or your new department. Many schools offer copious scholarship options to help pay for a graduate degree.

#4 Do You Want to Go Online or In-Person?

This is a question for modern graduate students, as many programs have moved entirely online or now offer online sections to accommodate working adults. Whether you’d like to attend school from your computer or on campus often dictates things like overall cost, how many hours you’ll take and when and where you work.

Either way, you decide, be sure to look for programs that match your preference. Some programs are only offered in one format, so if it doesn’t match your needs, you might have to explore other universities.

#5 Are You Willing to Relocate?

This last question only applies if you’ve decided you want to go to school in-person, but no colleges in your area offer the degree you want. Although this might sound like a niche problem, it happens more than you’d think.

Before you start researching schools, decide if you’d be willing to relocate for the right program or if you’d prefer to stay close to home. This will greatly help you hone your college search and focus only on realistic school choices.

Earning your graduate degree is a big step! Be sure to consider these five things before applying.