Master’s degree guide: Narrowing your grad school options

Deciding to pursue a master’s degree is a life changing decision.  If you have decided that this is the path for you, then you are only beginning the journey to a series of many important life decisions.  At the commencement of this journey you must decide which graduate school to attend.  Master’s programs are offered in graduate schools across the country, so getting to know some basic personal preferences will help you to make the best decision for your master’s degree aspirations.

The first step is to know yourself enough to know what works for you and what doesn’t.  If you are eager to return to school, without much clear though as to what you would like to study then you will need to start by picking a subject.  Do this by thinking of at least five different careers that you would be happy to have.  Based on this list you can research necessary degrees and topics that correspond with these jobs.  Once you get that far, try to figure out which is most appealing, and being to research programs based on these results.

If you already know what you want to do (or you have completed the first step), then you you’ll need to consider these questions:

• Where do you want to go/where are you comfortable going to school?  Are you comfortable moving away to attend school?
• How long of a program are you willing to commit to?  What can you afford to commit to?
• What field of study are you interested in for your particular topic?
• Do you want a master’s or would you prefer to go for a doctorate?

These are all questions that can significantly help to narrow down your school selections.  In the case of a doctorate vs. a master’s, one is often more practical than the other depending on what your ambitions are for a career.  Master’s degrees tend to be most practical most often; doctorate degrees are more intellectual with a specific focus, and a greater opportunity for original research.  Again, knowing what you want is the most important piece of this puzzle- it will guide the rest of your decisions.

While this may seem like a lot of hard work to just make the first decision, putting all the work in at the beginning will make it easier in the end.  Think of it like you are front-loading a lot of hard work to have a smoother ride later on in graduate school.