Should I wait another year??? extremely confused...

Graduate School
1

<p>Here's my dilemma: I accepted admission to a certain DC-based, top international relations program. I was given a small amount of aid money, meaning that I'm probably looking at a debt load of around $80,000 for a two year program. Now I'm totally conflicted about whether I should actually go.</p>

<p>When I was applying to schools, I was set on this particular school. Part of it was the focus on my particular region; part of it was meeting lots of people in the nonprofit world (which I want to continue to be a part of) who have gone to this school and said they've loved it; and part of it was that I felt I had a somewhat meager resume, which would be bolstered by having that school name.</p>

<p>Shortly after finishing my apps, I left the US to my particular country of interest, and landed two really interesting jobs in a row. Now, I'm sitting in this particular unnamed, Asian country, wondering whether it's really worth going back this fall and enrolling in the program. On the one hand, this program would certainly give me access to networks of people, a solid base of knowledge, and a good starting point. On the other hand, I could wait a year and get more field experience (and hope I can continue to find interesting work), and apply for cheaper programs. Deferring at this school is not an option, so it'd have to be a new set of schools.</p>

<p>In a sense, they're both pretty good options. There are parts of the program which I'm not in love with: its orientation is very much establishment, its curriculum options are pretty rigid. At $80,000, even if it was the perfect program it would still be hard to justify. That being said, most of these professional programs carry a big bill anyway. If I waited a year and ended up in a program that was $60,000, would it have been worth it? As said before, I'm interested in the nonprofit world. For those not in the sector, it's actually pretty goddamn competitive, and the school name and network would help. On the other hand, field experience is also pretty valuable.</p>

<p>So this is why I'm so confused about what I should do. The school option is somewhat "safer" - I know I'm in there, I don't have to worry about finding other programs, reapplying, and also finding another interim job to keep me going. On the other hand, I like living in this country for the most part, and I could have another year of adventure and interesting work before going back to the States. I'm 26 now, and if I waited a year I'd be 29 by the time I graduated. Makes me feel old...</p>

<p>I am reaching out to you, anonymous people of the internet, to give me some advice (or at least something to help me guide my decision)! Thanks for reading...</p>

2

<p>You probably know in your heart already which is best for you. </p>

<p>If you need to attend grad school to get ahead (or continue getting ahead) in your field, then you should probably go now, to one of the best programs. Prestigious grad degrees usually have more impact on employment than prestigious undergrad ones. From what you say, no matter what you’re going to incur high debt. </p>

<p>If, however, the question really is, “Should I go to grad school at all?” you need to look at the likely return on the $80,000 investment. Do you need the degree to advance your career? Will you hit a ceiling after, say, ten years that you’ll never be able to get past without it? Will it open higher paid jobs down the road? Does your current job, with the experience you’re gaining, substitute for the classroom?</p>

<p>The choice you are facing is highly personal. If after you’ve done all the angst-y comparisons and still can’t decide, flip a coin. If you are disappointed or relieved by the coin toss result, then you know which decision is right. Ignore the coin, and go with your heart.</p>

3

<p>Go to school. That country will still be around. Although I’m much younger than you now, I did spend quite bit of time abroad as well. I always knew that I wanted to go to graduate school but I loved the country that I was staying in. I was basically saying… well… grad school can wait… why should I give up my life? I had to go back to the US to get my BA degree anyway and I was prodded to apply to graduate school and just see what happens. After a few months of being back in the US, I was pretty much adjusted. I remembered why I loved what I do and had to admit that I loved it more than the country.</p>

<p>Now I’m in grad school and back in the country for part of the summer. I must say, I haven’t regretted my decision in returning to the US.</p>

<p>Your passion will win out. Look in the crystal ball, what do you see yourself doing when you are 30? For me, I could see a long future in the academia but not so much with the country because I had no idea of what I could do there, even if I managed to get a job for a year.</p>

4

<p>I mean…do you think you have a substantial chance of</p>

<p>1) after spending a year building your resume, earning a scholarship that will cover a larger portion of your expenses and thus drop your debt load, or</p>

<p>2) getting into a less expensive school that satisfies you?</p>

<p>IR schools tend to be expensive, as they are money-grabs for the university (those are one of the programs they use to make money). Besides, the best schools tend to be the most expensive, so getting into a cheaper one isn’t necessarily a good option anyway.</p>

<p>Do you think that you would realistically be able to pay off your total debt with the kind of positions you could obtain after you complete your graduate degree? What kind of job will you be able to get with the degree?</p>