In the fall of 2019, 3.1 million students attended graduate programs*, for reasons almost as varied as the degrees they pursued. Traditionally, there are multitudes of reasons why people go to grad school. Perhaps you just finished your undergrad degree and you need an advanced degree to work in your field, such as psychology. Or perhaps you haven’t been able to find a job in your undergrad field of study, so you’re going to get an advanced degree to increase your options. You may already be in the workforce and want to obtain an advanced degree to move up the ladder in your business, education or health care career. Or maybe you’re considering changing careers, and an advanced degree is the key to making that happen.
The state of the job market can impact students’ decisions about grad school as well. Undergrad students primarily made up the 3% growth in grad school admissions during the pandemic, as the current job market made it very challenging for them to find jobs post-graduation. Online programs were the main attraction for these students.
Most grad students fall into one of the above situations, so if you see yourself in one of these descriptions, then grad school may be right for you. If you’re still not sure, ask yourself the following questions.