Slava was my mentor in college: he was older, a grad student and we were from the same country and he always had great advice for me when I needed it. One day I asked Slava if he recommended that I go to grad school. He said no, but if I do, I should do it straight after grad school. As I apply now, in my mid thirties, I see both reasons to take time off and not take time off. There are pros and cons but in general, for most people it is better to go straight through for personal and financial reasons. By going over why, we may find out what is the best course of action in the end.
When a student finishes college, they feel as if they are done with school. They want to get into the work force, have a nine-to five, go on vacations when they wish and finally, make money. So why would they go to grad school? Well, people who go to grad school on average making $10,000 more than those who do not. Over their lifetime that adds up to a lot of money. So if someone decides to put off grad school, for every year that they are not in grad school they are missing out on that income and more importantly accelerated career that the added education would have given them. Better options in career usually means more options and opportunities, better opportunities and avoiding the stagnation that so many people fall into. Imagine having more money earlier in life and better options for career. People who go to grad school and earn more can afford better vacations, a nicer home, afford better things, and save more for children’s college and retirement. These reasons add up to going to grad school sooner than later.
So the financial reasons for going to grad school are clear, but why shouldn’t I take a year or two off? After all, it’s just a year or two break. Well, studies show that people are less likely to go back to grad school once they leave college. Think about the momentum: you were studying all the time before and now you work at a job that provides food, is nine to five, no homework, no studying for stressful finals. You take vacations, you earn money, you finally have stuff and free weekends. Added is the social pressure of being with friends and co-workers to go out with as well as dating date and hanging out with friends who are not in grad school means the pressure to stay away from grad school is greater than ever. It takes a dedicated and disciplined person to see a better future and walk away from everything. If you go straight through from undergrad to grad, you don’t have to make those difficult decisions. It is true, you have to be poor for a longer period of time and you have to suffer a bit more, but once you’re done, you’re done. Furthermore, if a person waits too long, they may have a relationship, marriage, kids and these things could add costs to grad school as one may now have to do it part time and that would add time and money. Furthermore, with family and responsibilities, one may now be confined to a geographic place, leading a person to take a more convenient school instead of the one that helps the career most.
On the other hand, just because there are good points to going to grad school fresh from college doesn’t mean there aren’t good reasons not to. Some people learn better if they have a little bit of experience in the real world. Maybe they don’t know what to go to grad school for, maybe they don’t know if they want to continue in their current field. Those are great reasons to delay going to grad school. However, for those people there could be an alternative: apply and take your grad school test and then take a year of deferment. This way one is able to get some real world experience, save up a little bit of money, get that grad school letter of recommendation but also have the grad school there in the plan such that they are sure to go. For most people, the field of study will not change and if they do decide on medical school or dental school but studied physics, that is still an option but it would be a minority of most people who choose to switch fields.
I hope it is clear that the decision to go to graduate school, is not as easy as it seems. It is important to consider the social pressure not to go back and the difficulty of studying on a mind no longer accustomed to academic life as well as the financial repercussions for going later or not going at all. For those who need some time off, an alternative does exist by applying while in college such that the plan is in the works to go back, but generally, try to go straight through, it will be easier and more rewarding in the end.
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