Going on to Grad School
 
Attending graduate school immediately after graduation may be an option you are considering. If so, careful reflection on your reasons for continuing your education is necessary to ensure a sound decision.
 
If you have a clear sense of what career you want to pursue, and if an advanced degree is required for entry into that field, then graduate school is for you. Law, medicine, and college or university teaching, for instance, are areas in which education beyond the baccalaureate level is required. Or, if you want to immerse yourself in the study of a particular academic discipline purely for the love of it, and would never forgive yourself if you did not at least give it a try, then advanced study will probably turn out to a satisfying and valuable experience.
 
For most college graduates, however, the decision to return to school will not be as clear-cut. If you're unsure of your career interests, you may regard the campus as a sheltered place in which to "find yourself." While this view is common and acceptable for undergraduates, it can present a real problem at the graduate level, where you are expected to have clearly defined interests leading to an area of specialization.
 
A convincing argument can be made that gaining work experience related to your interests before entering graduate school can lead to a more effective graduate program. First, related work experience will help you clarify career goals. You will learn what it takes to be successful in a given profession, and you can then assess your abilities accordingly; this knowledge should help you decide on an area of specialization. Second, the perspective, learning, and maturity acquired from practical experience can be applied to the theoretical concepts promoted in your studies and should increase your understanding of them.
 
Finally, work experience can enhance your application credentials by offsetting mediocre grades or test scores. In the case of some competitive professional schools, admissions committees may be very interested in your work background in addition to your "numbers." The way you describe this background in your application essay or interview will almost certainly affect your chances of acceptance.
 
Master's degrees may take one to three years to earn, and doctorates generally take four more years to complete.