Franklin & Marshall College

Should I go to Graduate School?

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that those with a Master's degree can expect to make almost $200,000 more in their lifetime than those with a Bachelor's degree.  For someone, with a PhD, the lifetime difference can be over $700,000!  But, money isn't everything. There are many more fields that require advanced higher education to be competitive in the job market today!

Now or later?

Reasons to go now:

• You will finish earlier
• You may have fewer personal commitments now than later
• You want to maintain your academic momentum
• Your field of interest requires further technical training to advance

Reasons to go later:

• You need a rest from academia
• You need time to develop a focused and persuasive application
• Work experience will help determine what degree to pursue
• Experience will make you a stronger applicant for certain programs (MBA)
• Your employer could offer tuition reimbursement

What types of degrees are available?

• Master's Degree (MBA, MFA, MSW): Often 1-3 years to complete, focused on building specific set of skills for a particular profession.
• Professional Degree (JD, DMD, MD): Required to enter certain specialized professions, most common are the JD for law and the MD for medicine.
• Doctoral Degree (PhD, EdD): Highest degree awarded, typically 4-7 years to complete, must complete academic program, comprehensive examination, and a dissertation.

How do I get started?

Research which schools offer programs that are of interest to you, check out Gradschools.com or Petersons.com

Visit the graduate and professional school fair, pick up information, and interact with schools of interest!

Meet with a Career Coach who can answer questions and help with applications.