1: Should You Go? For those of us not considering law or med school, grad school is still an option…isn’t it? Seems these days more degrees = bigger salaries. Bachelors’degrees aren’t cutting it anymore. So are the extra years and loans worth it? In a dot-com world, where anyone with savvy computer abilities can be picked up off the campus before the ink dries on the diploma, is grad school still that important? And how in the world do you make that decision? Before you make that leap into grad student status, consider some of the following: 

Grad School or Real World? If you’re using grad school to avoid getting a job, all you’re going to do is spend a lot of money for nothing. Get out there and figure out what it is you want to do first, without incurring more debts. Grad school isn’t going  anywhere; in fact, many schools prefer that you get a couple years of work experience in the field first. Some big businesses will
pay for your tuition after you’ve worked for them for a certain amount of time. Remember: Free school is good school. However, if you know what you want to do and know you need that degree to get anywhere in the field, grad school is probably a good choice. 

College times two. If you think that grad school is just like college, think again. Take your course load now and multiply it by two; that’s what a light week will be in grad school. No taking off for the weekend; the library will probably become your second home. Most grad schools require that you maintain a 3.0 GPA (or higher) to stay in the program—drop below that, and you could find yourself out on the street. You’ve already survived 16 years of school—are you prepared for another three or four years of intensive work? If you’re not mentally prepared for grad school, take a couple of years off. Studies show that a majority of grad
students these days have done exactly that, and find themselves better prepared for what grad school can offer.

Show me the money. All right, we all can appreciate what a big fat salary can do for the checkbook and the ego. But it all depends on the job market. Degree or no, your big fat salary may largely depend on what the economy is like at the time. 

Examine your motives, and remember that grad school is a big commitment of time and money. Your best bet is to talk to other grad students in your field and at the schools you’re considering. Find out what the school can do for you, intellectually and financially. Check out advice from Virginia Tech's Career Services and Peterson's Grad Channel.