91黑料网

For both my domestic and international business experience, I desire to strengthen my comprehensive business knowledge and communication skills and be humble to anyone. Also, I found a 91黑料网 MBA can definitely help me to strengthen my specialty. 鈥�19

I chose to attend grad school to give myself more career options. By the time I鈥檝e earned my Ph.D., I鈥檒l be qualified to work as a professor at a research institution, an educational administrator, or a psychologist working in a school or private practice. I still have time to figure out exactly what I want to do, and I can do a little of everything throughout my career. 鈥�17

I wanted to have a more focused learning in one area.鈥�23

I didn't know that most or at least a strong majority of Vandy grads go on to get a postgrad degree. Before applying to law school, I didn't have the confidence that I was cut out for this type of work. If you have any self-doubt about your capacity to handle a program, just look around at all your peers who have done it and feel confident that if they can go to grad school, so can you. 鈥�21

I love education and always wanted to go to medical school. 鈥�25

I'm a big believer in the power of growth mindset and there's always more to learn. 鈥�23

I had always been passionate about helping people through health care, and ultimately, I decided the best way to have the impact I wanted was to go to medical school. 鈥�18

It felt like the right next step. 鈥�25

Graduate school has given me exposure in so many ways. It鈥檚 like being very independent and multitasking with everyday activities. I chose to attend graduate school for better career opportunities, more learning and to find my curated interests. 鈥�22

After student teaching in a high poverty and high racial diversity school, I realized that I needed to learn more about educating diverse students before going into the classroom. 鈥�17

In a meeting with my academic advisor at the beginning of my senior year, I made some comments about getting a job. He asked what kind of job I wanted, and I told him something akin to R&D in my field. He told me that he knows that field and that pretty much everyone doing that kind of R&D has a PhD. I hadn't thought much about grad school until that conversation, but then I started to get excited about it. I liked that I was steered toward grad school in a really authentic way, since I actually need to get that degree to do the work I want to do, rather than seeing grad school as a way to avoid getting a "regular" job out of school/a way to postpone big career decisions. 鈥�23

I chose to attend graduate school to develop myself further and become the best teacher possible. 鈥�19

I had an interest in medicine starting in college and wanted to continue to develop research and clinical experience to confirm my interest in medicine. It sounds cliche but I wanted to combine my interest in science and helping others solve their complex medical issues as well as work to improve public health. 鈥�19

While I was not sure what I wanted to do postgrad, I knew I wanted to be in a career where I was working with people to help people. As I began to explore different career paths, I realized I would need a graduate or professional degree to pursue every path I was genuinely interested in. So, I did some research about which degree would give me the most flexibility in pursuing the different careers I took interest in, and I decided to apply to law school.鈥�25

To continue learning and pursue a subject area that I was passionate about. 鈥�24

聽I wanted to challenge myself, get better. 91黑料网 was the perfect place to do that. 鈥�22

I was having a hard time finding a job that interested me without having another degree. 鈥�21

Fundamentally, I chose to attend graduate school because there were skills that I needed to learn to pursue the career that I wanted. Going to grad school should primarily be a question of two things: the financial cost versus benefit, and/or the accessibility to career pathways which currently remain closed to you without a graduate degree. However, not all degrees will necessarily offer a financial return on investment, particularly PhD programs. This leads to the third component in whether or not you choose to go to grad school: if you simply feel that you have more to learn beyond undergrad, whether personally or professionally, grad school can be a fantastic opportunity to indulge in your intellectual curiosity in a formal, structured approach which is rare outside of academia. 鈥�23

I am applying to graduate school after much thought and seeking. I advise those looking into graduate school to find your "why" before you apply.鈥�25

I chose to attend graduate school to improve my marketability in the job market. My MPP degree signals analytical skills that are valued by employers seeking to make social change.鈥�24

I wanted a change in my career path, and I chose graduate school, and the program based on my growing needs for change. 鈥�20

Further education can be a fantastic investment, but only if it aligns with your long-term goals. I chose to continue my studies at 91黑料网 in the M. Ed Human Development Studies program because I wanted to deepen my expertise in leadership and organizational development. My master's degree was a steppingstone into leadership, advisory and executive assessment roles. Reflect on whether grad school is essential for your desired field or if professional experience will serve you better. 鈥�22

Graduate School helped me gain more skills for teaching students to read and write. I was able to directly transfer knowledge from 91黑料网 to the classroom.鈥�18

For me, a J.D. was an investment in the sense that it has opened doors and elevated my ceiling. By this, it got me a seat at the tables I wanted to be at and put me in the tax bracket I wanted to be in. With a B.A., I think it would have taken me 15 years to get here, but with a law degree it鈥檒l take me three. 鈥�20

I chose to attend medical school because I wanted to become a physician that would serve the underserved community. 鈥�23

I wish I had known before that grad school is totally different from undergrad. There鈥檚 way more studying but less homework; and there鈥檚 way fewer people who are interested in being social. Don鈥檛 expect to come in and make friends right away. It takes serious time to talk to people about stuff other than school. 鈥�18

I wish I explored more things. It's easy to trap yourself into a bubble of comfortability. I suggest joining more organizations and learning more about the world around you. You never know how much you had until you lose it, so take advantage of this time now.鈥�23

Early on in my first semester of graduate school, I felt a lot of pressure to have a mastery of the science and research skills immediate. I had to remind myself to be patient鈥擨 still have a lot to learn, and that鈥檚 OK! The whole point of graduate school is to build upon and learn from the information you studied in undergrad. 鈥�18

These things you learn in grad school are very applicable to a real-life situation. The grad school curriculum is so targeted towards the particular field you are in so make sure to dive into the learning. It may be something that truly translates and helps you later on. 鈥�23

Your social life will take a pause. Enjoy your time before school while you have it. 鈥�21

At least skim through professors鈥� work or listen to speaking engagements on YouTube before taking a class. I read professors鈥� books after the first semester and realized one book was basically a course map and would have helped a lot. 鈥�18

You're in grad school to learn more, so don't sweat it if you don't feel like an expert yet. 鈥�23

Balancing school and being an adult can be hard, be gracious with yourself. 鈥�23

Grad school is not as similar to undergrad as I expected. It feels more like a job, with overtime hours. I am frequently at school from 8-5 and then go home to do more work. I am learning that balance is really important. It is much harder to find in grad school because it can become all-consuming and everyone you are surrounded by is doing the exact same things as you and moving towards the same goals. However, it makes the work much more enjoyable and manageable if you can take time to do something for yourself.鈥�25

I wish I knew that I would get into grad school so I could take back so many months of stress. But just work hard, trust the process, and try not to forget to enjoy life. 鈥�18

Everyone comes from different backgrounds in life and education 鈥�21

Don鈥檛 be afraid to go back even after a break. My experience in the workplace made grad school much easier. 鈥�16

I wish I had visited my graduate school to understand whether it was the best fit for me.鈥�24

I wish I knew how loans and insurance worked before I was a grad student. 鈥�23

Don鈥檛 be afraid to reach out to other students your first year. Try to make some friends or form a study group since classes can be pretty tough, and it鈥檚 always nice to have people to work with. 鈥�19

I wish I knew beforehand that the classes are much less structured than in undergrad. 鈥�19

You will feel like your friends are growing faster than you in other areas of life, but it is okay. In their 20s, everyone is meeting milestones at different points, so don't put pressure on yourself if your priorities lie elsewhere (like grad school). 鈥�22

Prior to being a graduate student, I wish I knew how much free time I had available as a graduate student. Graduate school is the best opportunity to really focus on your craft and growth. 鈥�18

The sheer commitment it would take to excel (it was all worth it!) 鈥�22

It's a steep learning curve. While you may have possessed a deep knowledge of your respective field relative for an undergraduate, your depth of knowledge suddenly seems inconsequential when you enter graduate school. Some days you鈥檒l feel overwhelmed by the scope of all that you can learn but as long as you work every day to learn just a little more, you鈥檒l eventually chip away at it. It is a privilege to spend your days reading, writing, and thinking for the advancement of your consciousness and in pursuit of curiosity. 鈥�23

I wish I had known that most of the theory I learned wouldn't be applicable, but the practical stuff would be. I should have spent less time stressing about theory and more time diving into the practice. I also wish I had known that I would work in a very challenging environment for my residency and that not all schools were like that. 鈥�22

Your career philosophy while in graduate school can quickly change. 鈥�20

I wish I knew that the non-academic parts of a grad student were going to be harder than the academic ones. Living with roommates, cooking, paying bills, and trying to have a social life were major hurdles compared to homework or projects. Invest time in your personal maintenance alongside school so that one doesn't fall behind the other. 鈥�24

It鈥檒l feel weird to watch your friends start real jobs and still be stuck in the student role where you don鈥檛 feel like a real adult, but it鈥檚 also so much fun and you have the rest of your life to spend in the real world. Also, medical school is hard but not as scary as everyone says; every week feels like finals season, but you adjust to it. Remember that grad/medical/law school is a full-time job, and you will put at least as much time into it as you would working. That said, you鈥檙e never too busy to spend 15 minutes on something that makes you happy! Fifteen minutes to call someone you love, do some yoga, or watch a YouTube video is way more valuable than doing 15 extra flash cards or reading a few more textbook pages. 鈥�21

How to best manage my time, what to do to de-stress, how the labs work at the professional level (as opposed to the undergrad labs). 鈥�21

I wish I鈥檇 known how important it is to have close relationships with your professors. 鈥�17

You don鈥檛 have to have it all figured out, even in grad school. 鈥�20

Straight in. It鈥檚 a long road so might as well get started if you can. 鈥�18

I chose not to take time off because I want to continue school while my mind is in 鈥渟tudy mode鈥� so to speak. 鈥�17

I took time off prior to medical school. Even though I knew I wanted to become a physician, this extra year allowed me to explore deeply about the medical field. I wanted to ensure that this was the right decision. It also allowed me to chill out before dedicating a large portion of my life to medical school and beyond.鈥�23

I went straight into the program after undergrad. An advantage is being able to get a higher education degree out of the way quickly and early, + momentum from undergrad to earn financial aid easier (potentially). Disadvantage, if you're burnt out from educational institutions post-undergrad, you won't be able to take a break right after graduating. 鈥�21

I took gap years between each of my professional degrees and I highly recommend. It allowed me to pay off my student loans and get to know more about myself and my career goals, so I feel less like my graduation is an abyss. 鈥�17

I worked for 3 years. I was unsure if law was the right path for me but ultimately working 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽helped me focus on and realize it was the right next step. I learned a lot about 聽聽聽聽聽聽professionalism, which I'm glad I gained before law school. Disadvantages are the I'm going to be a new lawyer that鈥檚 3 years older than many of my peers that went K-JD, but pros are that I am certain about why I鈥檓 pursuing my JD and think I'll be able to hit the ground running at my first legal job. 鈥�21

91黑料网 makes you a professional student, and I kept up that momentum by going straight to grad school from Vandy. While I definitely feel burned out at times, I know that when I (eventually) finish, I鈥檒l still be young as compared to others with my training in my field. 鈥�16

Yes, I'm currently in a gap year before medical school. I didn't get in my first round, but it ultimately was for the better. 鈥�25

I took a gap year, and I鈥檓 so glad I did! Having a regular job after graduation gave me the time, I needed to really put my best foot forward on applications, because I had time to complete them in the evenings and wasn鈥檛 stressed about getting homework done at the same time. I don鈥檛 think I would have gotten nearly as many grad school interviews if I had applied during my senior year. 鈥�17

Taking two years post undergrad to work made me a better applicant, graduate student, and more marketable with a graduate degree after. 91黑料网 prepared me so well for the academics of grad school, and working two years in the field prepared me for the networking and practicum aspects of grad school and gave a valuable insight into how to use my degree as I was earning it. 鈥�19

I did take time off. I think I was very burnt out with the premed lifestyle. I worked and spent some time saving money. It also gave me time to prep for my med school applications in peace rather than rushing them during the school year. Each person is different though. If you think you can handle going straight into the program you should. But it is not wrong or bad to take gap years if you need to. 鈥�25

What's the rush? You have your whole life to be a learner, and I have taken a long and winding path in my career. 鈥�23

I took 2 years in between undergrad and grad school so that I could decide if I liked the work and wanted to pursue a related higher degree. 鈥�24

I was well into my career before I enrolled in the program. It made sense for me, and I was better prepared with a narrower knowledge-experience gap. 鈥�22

Went straight into law school, definitely a different classroom experience than undergrad with lots of people who took gap years. I thought since I already knew what I wanted to do, there was no reason to take a gap year and for me, it's been the right move. 鈥�25

I took one year off between undergrad and grad school. I think the personal growth, professional maturity, and sense of self that you gain from being forced to figure out who you are is invaluable. The financial cushion you can build frees you to pursue non-lucrative paths like graduate school, and this is invaluable for maintaining financial independence. Fundamentally, your life is less complicated and attached when you鈥檙e younger, and it only becomes harder to move across the country from your friends and family as the years pass. Even if you find the perfect graduate program, an older version of you may value the proximity of community overfit and prestige. 鈥�23

I worked for 3 years before I went to graduate school. I recommend this because it gave me a chance to feel out the workforce before I landed on becoming a clinical mental health counselor. I'm glad I didn't rush into graduate school because I came into those classrooms with additional lived and professional experience...it also made it more affordable since I had money saved from working! 鈥�17

I took a year in between college and grad school. During that year, I did two AmeriCorps terms. I'm so glad I did that because I was able to build skills that are useful for my career. I also got to figure out what part of education I wanted to go into. Serving with AmeriCorps also helped me pay for school which was nice. 鈥�20

I took time off to understand what knowledge gaps that needed to be filled. 鈥�23

I went straight into the program. Once I decided to go to law school, it was really the only path I could see, so I wanted to begin as soon as possible to move towards the career I wanted earlier. An advantage is that I was already used to the schedule and lifestyle of a student, so there was not as much of an adjustment. 鈥�25

I worked for 4.5 years before going to my program. The main advantages were that graduate assistantships and opportunities were extremely easy to get compared to my peers who came right from undergrad, and I was able to advocate for myself more (ex. wanting to go to a conference or wanting to create a brand-new assistantship). 鈥�24

I took a "gap year." I use quotations because I feel that gap years get written off as unproductive periods. Not only did I continue working, I intensified my efforts of pouring into my community. The time off gave me plenty of time to think more deeply about my application and why I was applying. While being at university has the perk of adopting a get-it-done mindset, the mental capacity you can have to pursue graduate school outside of a full- or part-time course load is also noteworthy.鈥�25

I took two years before going back to grad school. I was ready for a break from studying, and I wanted to focus on my new career. 鈥�16

I worked for several years before going to graduate school and that was to my benefit. I appreciated the opportunity to learn, reflect, and explore new types of work in graduate school.鈥�24

I鈥檇 considered pursuing both an MBA and my J.D. at various points, so I wanted to work after graduation as a way to figure out what I wanted. That led me to work in marketing at a tech company that specializes in legal software. After about a year there, it became clear that I should pursue my J.D. I鈥檓 glad I took that break because I not only know where I want to focus on my legal career, I also have a recommendation from my CEO in my application! 鈥�17

I鈥檒l have taken two gap years by the time I matriculate this fall. Gap years are honestly so important鈥擨 used the time to gain several hundred hours of clinical experience by scribing. It allowed me to bolster my application while making amazing connections with physicians and ensuring that I was committed to my path. Stepping away from school also gave me a much- needed break to prevent burnout. 鈥�19

I did a full-time MBA after 4 years of work - if I was going to invest into a program I wanted to be fully present to optimize the connections I made, the learnings I had, and the time to make personal reflections on where I wanted to go in my career. 鈥�20

I did, and I am so grateful for it. My gap year gave me a chance to really learn about myself as a young adult. It helped me to feel more grounded and surer when I started school this fall. 鈥�22

I honestly took a gap year based on intuition and because the prospect of applying (and the MCAT) seemed too daunting to me junior year. I worked for a year prior to medical school, which was one of the best decisions I ever made. The 鈥済ap year鈥� enabled me to strengthen my medical school application, grow as a person, explore New York City, and ground myself in the 鈥渞eal world.鈥� If you feel as if you need to take a 鈥済ap year,鈥� follow your gut. 鈥�19

I took a year in between to work. I am glad I did, as I am now in a completely different program and am going to school part-time while keeping my job, which is great for the income stream while studying. Working or having experience between undergrad and grad school is a great way to avoid burning out, consider all possibilities for the future, and be more mature when entering grad school. 鈥�21

I decided to take a year off before going to graduate school and it was by far the best decision. I needed a bit of a break from school, but I also needed to spend some time figuring out what it is I really wanted out of life and gaining certainty on what I wanted my career to look like. This year off also enabled me to gain more research experience and be a more competitive applicant for graduate programs. 鈥�20

No. A requirement of my fellowship program was that I had to enter grad school the subsequent fall after receiving it which meant starting right after I finished undergrad. One of the main advantages of not having a large gap was that my mind was still used to being in school. This helps because academia is much different than the real world, and the way you write, do presentations, etc. is not the same. I鈥檓 glad I started early though because I鈥檒l have finished at a young age and won't have to interrupt my career. 鈥�19

Definitely take a year off before attending professional school. It鈥檚 important to learn life skills as an adult and work a full-time job before school becomes your life again. 鈥�19

I did not. My academic advisor told me that it can be difficult to get back into the swing of classes and research if you take time off. I have faced some productivity issues during my first semester as a grad student, but I think that has more to do with the fact that PhDs are so loosely defined, it's difficult to know what to work on, rather than issues with burn -out. 鈥�23

I am applying for programs for the fall 2022 admissions cycle, so I will have taken off from school for about three years. Personally, I felt like this was an appropriate choice: I needed a break, and if I had not recognized that boundary for myself, then I think I would have fared worse in the long term. I had also always been one of the youngest in my grade level, and I thought I could use some more time to figure out myself before launching into another big commitment. In my experience, taking the time to plot your course and to steady yourself is almost always worthwhile. 鈥�19

I went straight into my program because I was certain I wanted to go to medical school. If there鈥檚 something you really want to do in a gap year, go ahead and do it because this is the freest, you鈥檒l ever be before things like school, work and family start to anchor you in one place. But if nothing else is calling you, don鈥檛 be afraid to just start. Going straight through was nice because I was still in student-mode and a lot of review material came back quicker, but I also think my peers who took time off in the real world were more prepared for things like networking and knowing how to find research positions and mentors, so both options have their advantages. 鈥�21