Posted by Rachel Erickson, OSU Senior and Career Services Career Assistant

There are many benefits to gaining a graduate degree.  I am sure almost everyone has seen the statistics about the average difference in income among high school graduates, Bachelor degree graduates, and Master degree graduates.  However, getting a graduate degree might not be best for everyone right away.  If you are considering going to graduate school after completing your undergraduate degree there are some important issues to consider.  One issue is whether employers in your field generally prefer new hires to have had work experience before getting their graduate degree.  Another issue is the time that it takes to complete tests and application materials.    If you are considering graduate school, talk with your academic advisor and consider making an appointment at Career Services to discuss these and some other important topics.

For information on graduate school including why to go to graduate school, the perspective of a professor on undergraduate school vs. graduate school, and accelerated programs go to http://www.gradschools.com/Category/Why-GradSchool.html.  Also, if you are interested in what schools offer graduate degrees in your field of choice go to the same website and choose the “Find a Program” tab at the top of the page.