<p>In the opinions of the members of this forum, which is more beneficial in the long-run: Pursuing a masters degree (MSEE) directly after undergrad or working for a company with tuition reimbursement for about 6 months and doing it part time. I figure that the 30 credit hours needed for the degree would take about 1.5-2 years right after undergrad or 3-4 years part-time/online (6 months to get used to the company, 1 class a semester, including summers). </p>
<p>On one side, doing it right after undergrad gets it done quicker, allows you to stay in "school mode," and gives a higher starting salary (which equals a higher 3-5% raise when they are given). On the other hand, doing it part-time allows you to see exactly what you like and get a degree plus 3-4 years of experience. However, it can be hard because you are used to not being in school and already work 40 hours+ a week. Plus, you never know what you may be doing in life then (family perhaps, etc.). I realize there are many advantages and disadvantages to each approach and I was wondering everyone's opinion on the matter. To add to this, I am an EE major in power and will have 12 months of co-op experience upon graduation.</p>
<p>Seems to me that if you already have co-op experience, you know what working is like. Also, some schools offer a masters program that overlaps with your undergrad, meaning that you can get a BS+MS in 5 years total.</p>
<p>Well, yea I kinda do but this is my first co-op rotation. I go to NC State University, and though they have an “Accelerated Masters” program in which one can take some grad level classes (the limit is 12 credit hours total, not enough for a masters degree), there is no BS+MS 5 year type program. </p>
<p>I’m still interested in hearing people’s responses. Thanks</p>
<p>Definitely get your master’s right away. Once the wife and kids come along, school is not going to be on your mind, no matter if your employer is paying for it or not. Try for the accelerated program if it’s available. </p>
<p>Can you do co-ops while you’re working on your master’s?</p>
<p>I agree - get the master’s done! I know of more than one person who didn’t and never got around to it. Getting started in life after you graduate takes a lot more time than you expect, even before the family comes along.</p>
<p>That’s what I’ve seen as well. People keep saying they’ll get their MS later, but they never get around to it. Some do follow through, but it’s really difficult.</p>
<p>I talked with a friend at Stanford about this. He managed to get a good fellowship, so considering the two years he took for the masters, plus the high starting salary he will get for his first job, he is going to come out even financially. He said people who work and get a degree really don’t have time for anything else. Consider what everyone else has said, and then consider what you want your life to be like for the next couple years, even if you have to take out loans.</p>
<p>I am in graduate school right after doing my undergrad. And I can tell you one thing for sure; no matter what the school’s ranking is any graduate programe is extremely tough.
In the Spring 2009 semester I took 3 courses in EE as a graduate verses about 5-6 in my undergrad. Those 3 graduate courses shook the living hell out of me.
What’s worse is that you have to mantain a 3.0 no matter what or else you will be placed in academic probation.
Concentrating on a demading job and at the same time an exacting graduate programe might not be a good idea.</p>
<p>That’s interesting, for I have the opposite response - I found grad engineering coursework to be actually easier than undergrad. To be sure, it wasn’t easy. But compared to undergrad days, I’ll take grad any day. As a grad student, if nothing else, at least they’re not trying to weed you out. Maybe you won’t get top grades, but you’re still going to pass. That’s more than I can say for undergrad, where well over half of the students were weeded out of the program and had to switch to some other major, or in some cases, were expelled from the university entirely.</p>
<p>Well as a international student,who is doing master’s in Analog/RFIC design-a field which has no scope in my home country- I need to mantain a great GPA ( I have 4.0 ), so that I can get an unpaid internship in a good company, which can sponsor me for a H1b work visa.
That is why I have to work my socks off. But I agree with you on the weeding out process.</p>
<p>I faced a similar dilemma a couple years ago (senior year of undergrad). I co-oped for 11 months and was finishing up my bachelor’s in AE. Personally, I think they’re equally beneficial - just that one way is better for some and not for others.</p>
<p>I decided to go work full-time and then do my Master’s online, mostly because I was just burnout from school. Regarding what other posters have said - yes, I felt that co-oping gave me a good feel for the work environment and what I was getting into (assuming your rotations cover the same groups that you’ll be working for).</p>
<p>I think the worst part if you do it part-time while working is shifting from just your job (my work stays at work) to having a job and then coming home and having to watch lectures, do projects, study, etc. I just finished my first class, and it’s taking some getting used to- even with no gf/wife/kids, etc.</p>
<p>The last time I ran the calculations, the difference in salary was close enough to be a non-issue for me. Don’t forget that though you start with a higher salary as a MS, you have now spent 2 years making half of what you would in industry. And some companies give employees a stock bonus for completing degrees, though it isn’t as good as a higher salary for sure. And on that note, some companies (like mine) also have Educational Leave of Absence programs. At Boeing we can take off up to two years (no pay) to pursue full-time education, though I suspect this is much more of an exception than the norm.</p>
<p>Like I said at the beginning, I don’t think one method is really better than the other in a general sense. It just depends on your situation and what you’re looking for. Sometimes you get a great job offer that might not wait two years for you…</p>