In this day and age, many college students choose to attend graduate school. From engineering to marketing, more students are choosing to continue their higher learning.
    Why is this? It is mainly about potential salary. Studies show that students who go to graduate school and earn a master’s degree earn higher salaries  than students who choose not to pursue a master’s. The facts do not lie. There could be other reasons why college students choose to stay in school. Some students may not feel they are ready to face reality and venture out into the real world — to remain in school seems to be the best option. Let’s face it, most of us have been in school so long it has become a safe haven for us. However, statistics show more college students attended or will attend graduate school because they want to earn a higher income.
   The increase in the number of students who attend graduate school has caused the job field to become extremely competitive. It is now harder than ever to find jobs directly after graduation. However, students who attend graduate school and earn a master’s degree are more likely to obtain a job than a student with a bachelor’s degree who applies for the same position. The person with the master’s degree also earns a higher income than the person with a bachelor’s degree that works the same position. For today’s generation, a master’s degree is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, and a bachelors degree is equivalent to a high school diploma. As depressing as this may sound, a high school diploma is equivalent to nothing. It may get you a starting position at a low-income job such as a fast food-restaurant, but who wants  to work a starter job paying minimum wage all of his or her life? No one does. This is why graduate school is a smart choice.
     There are things you must consider if you choose to attend graduate school, such as deciding the right school for you, where you want to live for the next few years and the cost of attendence. The first step would be to narrow your choice down to schools that specialize in what you want to go to school for. If you are interested in law, University of Mississippi School of Law and University of Alabama School of Law may be two of your choices. If you want to attend graduate school for engineering, Mississippi State University has a great program, which means you may not even have to relocate. Then you can narrow your choice down even more and decide where you would want to live, and most likely work, for the next few years. It is best to go to school where you would like to start work so that you can easily make connections to potential job offers while you work on your master’s.
    Next, there is the issue of money. Most graduate schools, such as MSU, offer waivers for out-of-state tuition, and there are many scholarships that can be earned for in-state tuition. Also, to work for the school’s program and to help participate in research that pertains to your major can help you earn money toward your tuition. The easiest way to get some cash toward your tuition would be to score high on the GRE. Doing well on this test is your golden ticket to higher education and more money in the bank. If you are interested in graduate school at MSU and have more questions, Karen Coats is a great professor in the Department of Basic Sciences that can answer any questions you may have. Graduate school is definitely worth looking into.