The dreaded question: Work or higher studies?

Adulthood is a trap. Now that it is too late to get out of that ploy, you might as well plan around it and make it seem like you have a strategy. After graduation, most of us think that studying was the hard part and later, life will unfold on its own. The job offers, the hefty cheque, own cosy desk and coffee breaks and all those delightful things on the list. Wrong! 

"Work or higher studies?" - the question that maximum people dread.

Before committing yourself to another degree for the next year or two, or signing a contract with a company by pausing the student life, one must really weigh the pros and cons of the vital decision.

A graduate program is necessary after undergrad if your career focuses on fields such as healthcare, law, teaching, and social work, to name a few. A Master's degree can improve your career by enhancing your skills and increasing income earning potential. Keep in mind a degree eventually helps you increase your salary or attain a more fulfilling career. But one should consider the hidden opportunity costs of forgoing a job, that not working will reduce financial goals such as saving for a car, house or paying off a loan.

A good job offer is hard to come by and firsthand work involvement is always preferred over book knowledge. A graduate degree is more valuable with a few years of added work experience. People who thrive to excel need to apply what they've learned to real-life issues in business or service. Only after they've been out in the actual world can they understand how certain theories will apply.

The effective quality of work and organisational skills has the leverage over a degree. Graduate school will always be there, a good professional opportunity may not. If you go to graduate school and obtain book knowledge yet lack interpersonal and time management skills, you are still lacking in things critical to most employments. Job hunting is a fierce and tedious dimension.

Although it is rare in our country, some companies tend to pay for employees to go to graduate school while they work. So if you have a ghastly bank balance, look for a company with a generous tuition reimbursement plan. A graduate education can be an invaluable tool to help you accomplish certain goals in life, but it will not resolve any confusion or uncertainty about your career or life's ultimate purpose.

There is a special remarkable place for those who are able to juggle both work and grad school. They work from 9 to 5 and then classes from evening till night. These multitasking mortals shared their thoughts about their hectic lifestyle. They emphasise on how one must be willing to sacrifice social life, sleep and a bit of sanity in order to attain success. With rising tuitions, many people do not want to delay the degree and also think it is awkward to attend classes at an older age with younger students. While some still want to keep in touch with education, they want to be productive during the day time. Attending job and a grad school simultaneously teaches patience, dedication, persistence and a whole lot of focus in a span of two years.

Therefore, if you are solely pursuing a degree to quench your intellectual curiosity and passion then the case is settled there. Find out the best graduate programs in your chosen field in any country where you have always wanted to go. Set your mission on attending one of these top schools because where your graduate degree comes from does matter.   If one is truly enthusiastic about a field of study like teaching, research, analysis then graduate school is the right place. There is value in learning and acquiring knowledge and not everything has to be focused on work or built around a career. Lawyers, doctors, economists, scientists – they never stop learning!

So consider your decision wisely, it is always best to discuss with people who are involved in the area of occupation you want to pursue. Also finalise the verdict within a given time, and brief people who have the best interest in your future – parents, teachers, friends and mentors! Hopefully by the end of your undergrad, you will be able to answer the dreaded question – work or higher studies?