<p>Hey everyone, Im looking for some advice for the situation I am currently in. As of right now, I have admission to USC for a master’s in EE, but I have to pay for the entire thing myself through loans. One year at USC + the loans I have from undergrad equal about 54k. </p>
<p>The issue at hand is that I am having a bit of a problem finding a job in my speciality(VLSI/Digital Design) with just a bachelors. It seems that I will have to go get my master’s so I can find a job I am happy with. However, I am afraid of the debt after i finish grad school. Here are my three options:</p>
<li>Continue looking for a job with just a BS in EE</li>
<li>Go straight into MS and deal with the debt with the higher pay.</li>
<li>Work for a year near home, save money, then go get my master’s next year and face less debt getting out of school.</li>
</ol>
<p>Right now, I’m wavering between option 2 and 3…If i go with option 3, I face alot less debt and itll save me some stress. The only problem with option 3 is that I am not guaranteed admission next year. USC says I dont have to reapply, but its not a guaranteed admission…I just get to update my application and hope i get admitted again. </p>
<p>Any advice would be greatly appreciated…Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>The only problem with #3 is that many people that do this get their lives accustomed to the working scene and find it hard to actually go back to school.</p>
<p>If you feel this wont happen to you, then by all means do it.</p>
<p>IMO, I would suck up the debt and get the MS right away.</p>
<p>My girlfriend is in a very similar situation to you. She's interning this summer at an engineering company to build up all of her "spending" money for the rest of the year, and will take out loans to cover tuition and housing at the grad school she's going to. It was a really tough choice for her, since she got full funding (and then some) at a great school, but no the only professor there working on what she's interested in was an a-hole to her, so she decided to forgo the PhD for now and see what a MS can get.</p>
<p>If funding and money is a concern you should consider working for a company with tuition reimbursement or advancement plans in their benefits package. Many companies do this. That was how I got through my last year of undergrad without paying more than a few hundred out of pocket for tuition (grants and scholarships paid for what my company wouldn't). </p>
<p>It's much more simple than it seems. The only downside to this would be that you would have to find a program that would allow you to get your master's part-time if you chose to work full-time. Another option would be to work part-time and go to school full-time. You probably wouldn't get as much for tuition reimbursement/advancement but chances are you would still get something.</p>
<p>If you are going to USC chances are even higher than by obtaining employment at the university, they would pay for a portion of your tuition. Look it up and consider this option. You don't even have to get a job that is really related to your degree or major since you're concerned about the difficulties of finding employment in your field. </p>
<p>I think anyone who is planning on getting their masters should consider this route. It makes sense financially.</p>
<p>USC has Distance Education Network (DEN) program. It's entirely online and they have MS in EE available. The majority of people in DEN are full-time working professionals with paid tuition from their employer (tuition reimbursement or employer sponsored fellowship). In return they typically have to sign a contract to work for three or four years after you get your master.</p>
<p>Many large companies will fund your MS in EE if you work for them. Some even allow you to work half time while going to school and still give you full time pay and also pay your tuition.</p>