Usually in our blog posts we give you the pros of going to the next level, but in this article we offer you something different. Something rare almost! In this blog post we are going to tell you the not so great things about going to graduate school, so that you can make an informed choice. We are going to present reasons to consider or not consider graduate school.

P.S. When we say graduate school, we are referring to a post-Bachelor’s program, a Master’s or a Ph.D.

Before we get too far into the discussion, we present some general reasons we’ve heard before about why people consider graduate school, and offer some thoughts about why these are not great reasons.

Reason #1: My parents want me to get a higher degree.

Graduate school is too hard and too long (depending on what degree you choose) for this to be your driving factor.  If this doesn’t become your own dream you can will be frustrated along the journey.

Tell us about parental influence in the comments or email us below.

Reason #2: Graduate school looked like a good next step for Tim, so surely it must be a good next step for me.

False. Everyone’s career path is different. You need to understand what you want for your career, and if a graduate education is a path for you to get there.

Reason #3: You want to earn more money.

This one is a little tricky. Although most graduate degrees will allow you to earn more money, there are fields in which a graduate degree actually makes you overqualified. Therefore, it is important to do your research and to ensure that this is not your only driving factor.

Now that these ‘general’ reasons are out of the way, let’s discuss some more serious issues to think about before deciding to attend graduate school.

Reason #4: Graduate School will set you back financially (in the short term).

From our previous blog post, you know that graduate school will cost you a pretty penny. Most folks don’t realize that if you are a full time graduate student, you are not in a high paying job, so your household income is reduced. If you have a family, this means that your family’s standard of life will be reduced drastically depending on how far your savings can go to sustain them.

The other side to consider is that while you are in graduate school, things like buying or saving up to buy a house is out of the window. You can even forget about being able to afford a nice car. You will spend the next few years earning what amounts to a little more than minimum livable wage. So adjust your expectations for a soft life accordingly. 

Reason #5: You will be spending your prime years in school (depending on when in your life you decide to get your graduate degree).

There is really not much to say about this. If you go to graduate school immediately after your first degree, you will be in your youthful prime. Now this can also be a pro depending on how you look at it. But if you are single and going to a school that is in the middle of nowhere, let’s just say you will be single for a little bit longer. Not the end of the world, but it is what it is 😀.

Reason #6: Graduate school is emotionally and mentally tasking

It is hard to think of a graduate program that is not tasking. None. Graduate school is meant to stretch you in a way you haven’t been stretched before. So if you found College very easy, brace yourself. There will be days you will want to quit in graduate school. Days where you think to yourself surely, this cannot be the life I am called to live. More than intelligence, GRIT is really what it takes to survive graduate school. If you don’t have grit, we suggest you work on attaining some before starting your graduate program.

Okay, enough of us being negative. Hopefully we haven’t scared you off yet. If you made it this far, here are some reasons to consider getting a graduate degree. 

1. You are interested and curious in a certain topic or field, and want to contribute knowledge to the field.
2. Your professional field requires that you have a graduate degree. e.g. a counselor
3. You want to compete at a high level of excellence in your career.
4. You are looking to pivot in your career or change fields e.g from engineering to business.
5. A graduate degree will result in a promotion or a raise. 

There you have it. Some of the reasons to consider (or not consider) a graduate degree.

Our goal at Savvy Afro Success is to provide you with the tools necessary to LEVEL UP in your career. As always, we are pro- whatever-degree-gets-you-to-the-next-level. But, tell us in the comments your reasons/fears about graduate school.