4 things to consider before going to grad school

Have you come to a crossroads in your career and wondering if grad school might be your ticket to getting you in the right direction of where you want to go? Or perhaps you're a recent graduate who wants to bolster your chances of landing your dream job as you enter the workforce? Maybe you are struggling to climb that proverbial corporate ladder but find yourself continuously being looked over in favor of people holding more credentials.

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Whatever the reason you're considering grad school, know it's a big decision. Due to the cost and time commitments involved, it's one you'll want to weigh carefully. Before committing yourself to grad school you'll want to think about these four things before going through the admissions and registration process.

1. Advanced degrees mean heavy time investments

Graduate school is going to consume a lot of your time and, before making the commitment, be certain you can dedicate the time needed to successfully complete the program. When you begin a graduate program, there are class attendances, projects and a lot of reading. If you have family or work obligations, you'll need to take this into consideration to be sure you can maintain an adequate balance.

2. Grad school is expensive

This is a biggie because committing to a graduate program also typically entails a substantial financial investment. However, it's not necessarily out of range. Students often look to loans to finance their advanced learning; tuition is typically much higher than undergrad school, which as you might recall, was pretty expensive in itself. Before signing on the dotted line, be sure graduate school is a financial commitment you are willing and able to take on.

3. Will you get the end result you desire?

Never go into a grad program without a plan. Before signing up for grad school is your reasons for wanting to attend. Is it because you are trying to figure out what to do with your life? Is it because you truly love learning or the challenge of what's to come? Do you need it to move up that proverbial corporate ladder?

People decide to go on to graduate school for many different reasons, and it is important to figure out what you're looking to obtain as an end result. Consider your career track, do you need an advanced degree to be promoted? If not, there may be other more feasible ways to advance your career. That being said, certain careers require advanced learning beyond undergraduate school. Not to mention, having the grad degree can really boost a paycheck.

However, other careers don't really need the additional degree to earn more money. Before committing to any degree, consider whether or not it will take you down the path that leads you to where you want to end up. It goes back to #2 and the financial investment involved.

4. Structure of grad program

Once you've decided you want to make the commitment to grad school, the next thing to think about is the structure of the program. Since graduate school is a big commitment, if you need to go right to work, you'll want to take this into consideration too. Fortunately, nowadays there are many options for graduate students - you can attend full-time, part-time or select a distance learning option. After you've figured out what type of structure will work best for your schedule and style of learning, this is a good time to consider signing up.

Graduate school is not a decision to take lightly. However, once you've thought it through, weighed your options and envisioned where you want to be, ultimately, this will help you decide whether signing up for grad school is the right option for you.