Confessions of a grad student 2: The grad school gamble

(Part 2 of a series)


By Caitlin Green

A master’s degree was always a goal for me, but I was unsure of when and where I would do it. Some people advocated for going right after college while others told me to work for a bit, get a better idea of what I wanted out of a career. But I wasn’t sure I was ready for the real world so I began the graduate school search in the fall.

I spent the fall semester attending graduate information sessions at various schools and diligently preparing my applications. All the schools required recommendation letters, GRE scores, and at least one essay.

I signed up and took the GREs, tracked down professors to get letters, and spent hours editing and re-writing my essays. If you’re even THINKING you might want to attend grad school, get the ball rolling early. You don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute to complete everything.

On top of all of this, many schools don’t send out acceptance/rejection letters until late April. This is getting very close to graduation, and many students feel they need a back-up plan in case they don’t get in. I chose to superficially engage in the job search, but basically put all my eggs into one basket. I don’t usually endorse having no back-up plan, but I already had a summer internship lined up at home which, if rejected from all schools, would give me some time to find a real job.

Fortunately, I was accepted to Emerson College in Boston. Graduate school isn’t for everyone, and if you feel you need to take a break from school then do so. This is was the best decision for me, but it’s the type of investment you shouldn’t make unless your heart’s really in it.

Next: Freedom isn’t cheap

Photo by Next Step