From The Student Room

TSR Wiki > University > Postgraduate Education > Advice About Graduate School

---

For many people, especially students who obtain liberal arts degrees, the next step after undergraduate school is to enter directly into graduate school. The advantage to this are that you still know faculty members and can get good recommendation letters and are still in the mindset of school. Nonetheless, the consequences of hasty entry into graduate school can be enormous.

It takes awhile to figure out who you are and what it is that you really want to do with the degree you are obtaining. To do this requires some real life experience outside the student arena where you really figure out 1)is graduate school the right place for you and 2) which program would you prefer to enter, more academic or more applied.

Personally, I went straight through from undergrad to graduate school and I burn out really quickly and was never sure if I was in the right type of program. This is not the appropriate mindset to survive graduate school. Finally, after taking some time off I realized that I needed to be in a more applied field and have found the right program and career path.

Advice: Don't rush your schooling: if you feel you need it, take time off between undergrad and graduate school!!

Also See

• Postgraduate Education
• Types of Postgraduate Course
• Funding Postgraduate Study
• Getting into Oxbridge for Postgraduate Study
• Advice About Graduate School
• Routes into Teaching
• Postgraduate Certificate of Education
• Useful Teaching Resources
• Postgraduate and Teaching Personal Statements