Graduate school.. Is it worth it?
The number of people that are admitted into graduate programs has increased over the past few years in America. According to Prep Scholar, there are currently 1.4 million Americans that are enrolled in graduate programs, either online or in the classroom.
Is it worth it? Graduate students are required to jump through multiple hoops, just to get to the interviewing phase. Students are required to take and submit GRE scores, official transcripts, several letters of recommendation, personal statements, essays and resumes. The list goes on and on.
According to Life After College, the average college graduate that has received their bachelors makes $61,000 a year starting out, whereas the average college graduate receiving their masters makes $78,000 a year. This is a big difference between the two. But the question still stands, is it worth it to jump through all of these hoops?
The average salary difference between the two is $17,000. To some people, this can mean the difference between getting the nicer car, a family vacation, or being able to afford rent on a bigger house. On average, tuition for graduate school is 40,000 according to The Best Masters Degree. This amount of money can be hard to come by for many students. Luckily, there is help.
According to Morgan Boone, Resident Director in Garcia Hall and former graduate student, there is plenty of opportunity for grants and loans. Boone says that she paid her way through graduate school through an assistantship. She was able to work for the university, in her field, and instead of receiving a paycheck every two weeks, she was awarded with free tuition and an apartment. You Can Deal With it offers plenty of opportunities for grants, loans and assistantships.
Regan Welsh, a senior here at NMSU is in the process of applying to graduate programs, to receive her masters in students’ affairs. She is applying to Colorado State University, which is a very competitive graduate program. After doing her research, she discovered usually, only 30-40 of the applicants are accepted into the program, even though thousands apply. On campus, Welsh was very involved in student activities, and making other’s college experience the best. This is how she got interested in student affairs. Her love and dedication to ensuring that students have the best possible college experience is what is pushing her to apply to graduate programs. Check out the photo slide show interview here!
The average salary for this type of work is around $36,000, according to the glassdoor but because they have to live on campus to be close to the students, their housing is paid for too. Even though this is not the highest paying salary, becoming a resident director and working with college students is what will make Welsh happy.
One thing that is important to remember when applying to graduate schools is to do research. There are many different recourses out there to help during the application process. It is important to make sure that the school in mind has the program in mind. It is also important to make sure that all of the required tests, letters, and documents are completed and revised before the due date. And the most important this is to keep deadlines in mind, to make sure the application is complete before the deadline.
Applying to graduate school can be scary and overwhelming, but keeping calm, staying focused and organized are the most important parts!
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