Questions to Answer Before Going to Graduate School

Ceren Cubukcu

May. 17, 2016
1 min read

Whether you are a new graduate or a working professional who wants to make a career change, going to graduate school may be an option for you. It can also be the next step if you want to be a lawyer, doctor or professor. While going to graduate school can be a very fulfilling experience, it is also a major commitment of your time and money. Therefore, before deciding to go to graduate school, you need to do your research and answer the below questions.

Why do you want to go to graduate school?
What is your expectation with the graduate school degree?
Why do you want to go to graduate school now? Or when should you consider going to graduate school?
What type of degree do you want to get? Are you interested in a professional or academic degree?
Do you know what you want to study?
Where do you want to study? In which school? In which city/country? Why?
Do you want to study in a part-time or full-time program? Which one is better for you?
What type of experience are you willing to get from your graduate experience?
Do you have enough funds to support yourself and pay the tuition fee? Or do you need a scholarship?
Is the company you are currently working for going to support paying your tuition fee? Do you know if your company has “Back to School” programs for their employees?
Is graduate school a way for you to postpone adulthood and still be able to live the college life?
Are you thinking of going to graduate school just because you couldn’t get a job and you don’t know what else to do?
Do you know where you want to be in the next 10, 20, 30 years? Do you know what kind of job you want to do for the rest of your life?
Will graduate school help you increase your paycheck or get promoted faster?
Are your GPA and GMAT/GRE scores high enough to help you get accepted into a graduate school?
Do you have a spouse or a child? How will they get impacted if you go to graduate school? Did you discuss your decision with them?
Is master’s degree enough for you? Are you also planning to get a Ph.D.?

Ceren Cubukcu

Ceren Cubukcu is a top 5 bestselling author of Make Your American Dream A Reality: How to Find a Job as an International Student in the United States. She recently founded her consulting business to help more international students find jobs in the US in addition to her self-service digital event ticketing platform, Etkinlik Fabrikam (My Event Factory), to offer her webinars.