With an increasingly competitive job market and highly specialized industries, more and more people are realizing the importance of a graduate degree to become more marketable when it comes time for the big job search or a promotion. Because of the diverse contingency of students, graduate school programs have had to adapt their offerings to suit a broad range of students, including part-timers and distance-learners. So, as you begin to narrow down your search for a graduate program and free up some time in your planner to study, you can rest assured that, most likely, there is a program out there that will accommodate your busy schedule and educational endeavors.
Many students entering graduate school directly from undergrad still haven't acquired the lifestyle—or the bills, for that matter—that they need to maintain. If you are in this position, you may want to consider a full-time program and research the available sources of financial aid for graduate school. Some schools will give graduate students a living stipend or options to teach some introductory undergraduate courses for extra money.
However, if you've already racked up too much in student loans and you're feeling the heat to get a job fast or you're already in one that you enjoy, then perhaps a part-time graduate school program would be most valuable to you. Many of these programs offer classes on the weekends or in the evenings, so you will have to take into consideration the effects on your social life. If you have just started a new job, it may be wise to wait until you've settled in to start—your new employer may even have an educational reimbursement program to help defray some of your costs.
If neither the full- nor part-time graduate school option seems to be working for you, consider looking into a distance-learning program. For many working people, attending class via the Internet has transcended all barriers of schedules and lack of program options within driving distance. Online graduate degrees usually offer you the freedom to log on to that week's “class” whenever you have time, and much of the classroom debate and conversation takes place in a chat-room like forum.
Depending on your situation and circumstances, there are plenty of options out there for attending graduate school. Whatever type of program you choose, you can be sure that, in the end, you will return to the job market much more competitive in your field and well-informed about your subject matter.
Carlin Carr writes for the bimonthly magazine New England Watershed and for Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. She received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College.
