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Ask any of your friends right now about post-graduate degrees, and chances are, most of them have one or more. To achieve any type of “success” in your career these days it is almost a pre-requisite to have a post-graduate degree. But where do you start and what do you study ?
There are hundreds of degrees available, at thousands of schools both on the ground and in cyberspace. You can study anything from business to social media, website design to getting a masters in sports nutrition. And despite all the gloomy news, there is a glimmer of hope, I just came upon this story today.
Whether you are pursuing an MBA, DDS, BSc or any other TWA (Three word acronym) it is really important to know why you’re getting that degree. Unlike doing an employment personality test where your “soft” skills are measured, a degree will certainly boost your “hard” skills along with your debt-load depending on which school and program you attend.
Here are some things to consider as you’re deciding on whether to return to school or not:
1. Location
Where the school is located can really make a difference. An urban more populated location can be both good or bad. You may find more employment/internship/co-op opportunities in a large city, while a quieter more secluded location may be more suitable for studying and concentrating on academics as there may be less distractions.
2. Reputation and Ranking
Depending on which program it is that you are attending, the ranking and reputation of a school may be very important. For MBA programs for example, there a number of ranking publications that do make a difference to recruiters and employers. Make sure that you know what you’re getting into and that you’re getting the best program at the best school. Obviously.
3. Faculty and Peers
When considering school and educational institutions do your research on prof’s and student body. Considering you’re going to spend a considerable amount of time with these people - you’ll want to make sure that they are quality… at least for the most part.
4. Alumni and Career Opportunities
One of the most important things you can do is to look to the future. By doing that, you’ll need to find out what the school’s/program’s alumni network is like. In addition, also look into career counseling and job placement rates. You’ll want to think ahead and make sure that what you’re getting into will be worth it at the end. So make sure to do a through analysis of the school and what it has to offer.
Before you make any decisions and get into any applications, just make sure that you’ve done your research and know what you’re getting into. Going back to school can be a very exciting and worthwhile activity, but only if you’ve done your homework.