Where Knowledge Rules

Education:

Colleges & Universities

Get a Widget for this title

The social and financial challenges of going to graduate school

Graduate school is not a walk in the park. There are many lasting implications that become evident when one begins to consider graduate school education as the next step in furthering his or her career. Social, emotional and financial challenges aside, graduate school takes a lot of planning, a lot of dedication and, of course, a lot of time. Even beyond the initial planning and application processes, graduate school is a demanding little beast that requires commitment. Graduate school, unlike its many undergraduate counterparts, is not about partying and drinking; it requires a more mature mindset and is definitely now for everyone. With the challenges and obstacles in full view, it may seem almost unreasonable to even consider graduate school as an option; still thousands of us take on the challenge every year.

"Ugh, I could never go back to school. Why are you doing this?" is what I heard many of my friends exclaim upon finding out that I have made the choice to enroll in graduate school. The friends with jobs and cars and apartments who go on vacations and party every weekend questioned my sanity when I told them that within several months I would be packing everything up and moving several states away to attend a graduate school, notorious for its demanding and time-consuming courses. I could understand why my friends were feeling that confusion as I, myself, was not sure of what I was getting myself into. Taking a year off between graduating from an undergraduate institution and getting a feel for the real world was almost enough to make me forget about my previous desires of getting a master's degree. Earning enough money to sustain myself and to be able to afford certain luxuries was inebriating enough for me to become enamored with a grown-up life style. Yet, in the end, I went with my gut feeling and studied for those GRE's, wrote those essays and sent in those applications, hoping to receive an acceptance letter from an institution of my choice.

Indeed it did arrive one day in a crispy white envelope. The welcoming package informed me about everything I needed to know about the program I was applying for and contained all the facts I needed to know about the school itself. It was time to say goodbye to the leisurely life style of the every day and return to books and tests. It was time to go to graduate school.

The decision I made and the motions that I was going through as I was making it are similar to the many experiences of other people who decide


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

The social and financial challenges of going to graduate school

  • 1 of 14

    by Olha Romaniuk

    Graduate school is not a walk in the park. There are many lasting implications that become evident when one begins to consider

    read more

  • 2 of 14

    by Paul Lines

    The challenges of going to graduate school need to be carefully thought through before making a decision. These challenges

    read more

  • 3 of 14

    by Ginger Kazay

    The social and financial challenges of going to graduate school differ depending on whether you are continuing after getting

    read more

  • 4 of 14

    by Christine Jones

    Socially, I spend most of my time working on individual and team projects for my University of Phoenix on-line courses.

    read more

  • 5 of 14

    by Bridget Johnston

    I won't be the first or the last person to say that getting a PhD is difficult. But I think what's missing from most discussions

    read more

View All Articles on:
The social and financial challenges of going to graduate school

Add your voice

Know something about The social and financial challenges of going to graduate school?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Should colleges ban firearms?

Click for your side.

235799

Featured Partner

eSpindle Learning

eSpindle Learning builds literacy one word at a time. Our mission is to help learners of all skill levels develop ...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA