Thoughts on Grad School

Last summer, I thought I wanted to go to graduate school. What I really wanted was a change. And I got it. I accepted the position of NSU's first International Student Recruitment and Retention Specialist.

My youngest sister is set to graduate college very soon (when did that happen?), and she called me to talk about life and careers and marriage and all that jazz. She originally wanted to go to graduate school, but after thinking about it more, she didn't want to spend the time or the money doing it and she wanted someone to validate her.

VALIDATION GRANTED!

I'm a HUGE supporter of avoiding graduate school.
(Unless of course you're going to become a doctor, professor or lawyer. Then, get your ass to class!)

You see, my sister doesn't really know what she wants to do. And that's fine: she's 21 years old. At 21, I didn't know what I wanted either. I knew I wanted a paying job with free weekends to travel and party and relax and a paycheck. That's exactly what she wants. And I'll argue that this is what most young 20 year olds want after spending some years at a university.

Here's why I think graduate college isn't worth it:
1) The money. It's really expensive, and even if you get a loan (which you have to pay back) or a stipend (nicely done), you are missing out on the income you could've been earning if you were working instead.

This has worked firsthand for me: I would've had a free ride to the NSU English program in addition to earning a measley $600 a month for teaching some comp courses. Instead, I'm working full time and earning much more. I would've set my family back (no car, no baby, no vacations) if I would've chosen to go to graduate school.

2) The learning. Sure, you'll learn lots. Lots in one very specific field. But here's the thing: as long as you're a curious person, you'll learn lots anywhere: travelling the world, working a full time job, volunteering your time, providing care for a sick loved one.

Also, this has worked firsthand for me: I've learned WAY more than I did in school by working. Each position has opened my breadth of knowledge in understanding tasks, industries, office structures, politics and interacting with people. I can interview applicants, produce annual reports, negotiate international agreements, organize a library stack of books in the Library of Congress system, design marketing materials, process applications for university admissions, determine a plastic's type by look and feel and order a Chinese visa. There's no way two years in graduate school would teach me such a variety and such a depth than what I've learned in my four years of learning on the job.

The controversial Penelope Trunk says, "Other people will say they love to learn. This is not a good thing to say because it is not remarkable. At least, not among the people you need to be better than to get hired. Those star employees are learning all the time and do not take time away from work to go to grad school. Are you so stupid that you cannot learn without getting grades? Because this is what it looks like if you say you went to grad school because you love to learn."

3) The time. We aren't Peter Pans. We can't be 18 and in college forever. The thing is, we can still have fun in the real world. We can still have parties, long weekends, friends and sleeping in (can you say, vacation or personal leave?). Get out of college and into the real world! It's actually quite awesome.

Yeah, finding a job is hard work - but most good things in life are. And if you don't find a job you're in love with, find a job you can live with. And then keep looking. Cash that paycheck until you can land a job you do love. Finding a job is much easier once you already have one. And you can use job experience to answer interview questions and prove your worth instead of saying, "In one of my classes, I did a project where..." and go on to describe a contrived senario your professor assigned you.

I've also found that my career accomplishments were way more fulfilling than anything I did in college (save for the Rapscallion). And my bank account is way better with my job than when I was in college (working two jobs and studying full time). Why waste time avoiding the eventual? Get out there!

So, I told my little sister, you go. Skip that grad school. Don't feel guilty, don't look back. Apply for whatever  jobs you qualify for. Find a good company or school where there's lots of opportunities for lateral and upward mobility. Find a place that pays and that lets you have your weekends. Even better if they give you an office and benefits.

I hope that she finds something good. I know she will. She's exactly what employers are looking for: a hard-working, smart college graduate willing to do what it takes to work up the ladder of success. She graduates in December, and I'm betting by the end of February, she'll be employed.