Why do people go to graduate school?
460753
In order to work in some professions, it is required.  Physical Therapy and Advance Nurse Practioners, Social Workers who want to be therapists, most teaching positions encourage graduate degrees and if you want to teach on a college level require as a minimum a graduate degree.  If you wanted to do research, a minimum of a graduate degree is required.  Additionally there are jobs in business that have minimum requirements of a graduate degree - such as certain finance jobs, product management, consulting work, etc.  As you can see, many, many jobs require advanced education as even a stepping stone toward entry.  \n\nMost of these jobs pay pretty well - and they should since they require more education and high levels of responsibility, but that might not be the only reason you want to do it.  There's something to be said about running a project or making the decisions about therapy or whatever...being in charge that is rewarding and more interesting than just arriving at work and punching a clock.
515451
Most schools in the U.S. have assistanceships available for graduate school. Few students in the U.S. pay for Ph.D. programs, for example, because they work as research assistants, teaching assistants, etc. to cover their tuition and pay a stipend.\n\nIn the U.S., each grad school has its own application.  You can go to any school's website and find the forms to fill out.
606407
I would start off by thinking about the specific reasons a person might want to go back to college. This depends in large part on where the person is in their life and what they seek to accomplish. \n\nFor example, Madeleine Albright raised her entire family before she decided to go back to school and finish her PhD (I believe Political Science). In her example, we can say that she put off her career goal in order to raise a family. I think many of us will put off something like college or graduate school because we wish to have a family. Or, we might simply never have had an opportunity to go to college because of financial reasons. Many older Americans who are just now becoming affluent are finding that completing a college degree- even if they really don't need it- is still something rewarding. A college degree confers a unique and honored status to most people.\n\nAnd of course, some people just want to have a new direction in life. They discover- perhaps through a separate career- that they would like to go into a new field. Perhaps a nurse who seeks doctors every day decides that a medical career might take her in a new direction that she never before contemplated but now believes would be rewarding to her.\n\nOr, a person is not satisfied that their current job is not very lucrative, and a college degree offers upward economic and social potential.\n\nTo sum up:\n-People might postpone college because of family responsibilities or financial reasons.\n-A college degree confers a certain uique status; sometimes it is as much symbolic as it is practical.\n-Many people find out that they want a new career, and a college degree (often a second degree) will allow them to do this.\n-A college degree allows people to move up, economically and possibly also socially.\n\nI hope this helps.
788353
I don't think they really do - at least not in science or psychology.  My undergraduate degree was from University of Oregon and I got into every grad school I applied to including Harvard, Yale, and Stanford.  i ended up going to Stanford for grad school (in neuroscience) and there were plenty of people from state schools.  I also have a friend who went to community college and then state school and then went to Cornell for grad school in plant sciences.\n\nI also served on the admissions committee for my program and that was not taken into account.  What matters a tremendous amount is your research experience - again for science or reserach based degreees.  They usually use grades and GREs for initial cuts so those need to be high enough to get your fooot in the door.  But then letters of reference and research experience take center stage.
744712
Undergraduate have not received their degrees yet. Graduate classes are the courses you take for higher degrees like Masters and Doctorates.
973754
Grad    alumni is graduates
621932
Money is always a good gift.  Every graduate needs money and then if they want to splurge they can get what they want and like.
793333
For non-professional degrees, it's fairly common for graduate programs to pay for their students to go to school.  Students may work as a teaching or research assistant, or may receive funding from a grant or fellowship.  Generally, tuition is waived, so grad students may only have to pay for fees, books, and living expenses (though they usually receive a stipend in addition to the tuition waiver to help cover these costs).\n\nA slight caveat:  This applies mainly to Ph.D. programs.  There may be less funding available for terminal master's or Psy.D programs.
1051641
I got a BS degree and the whole point was to get a job that pays a lot more than without a degree. The drive was to never have to live paycheck to paycheck and to be able to have a very leisure lifestyle plus with a degree you get respect and a better class of job. More vacation, better benefits, an office, etc.
671824
I went to a small college for undergrad, and a large university in a university town for grad school. The experience is very different. The small school is better if you really want to focus on your studies. They tend to be 'party schools' because there's not much to do if you're not really into studying.\n\nI loved being in the university town. Besides studies, there are a million different organizations and things to do. The student body is very diverse and has a lot of international students. You can really get involved in things you're passionate about, and there are a lot of options. If you're an extrovert, go for this option.\n\nI also studied abroad. That was a great experience too. I went to Great Britain and had a blast.
535219
Gee,is this only for new grads?  Oh well,going to answer anyway. I graduated a long time ago. I've accomplished a lot in my lifetime,but am just going back to college now to finish my degree. I felt that something was lacking in my life,and this is it. I need my masters degree to feel complete.
110867
Jobs are transitory in today's global economy.  A degree is a proven way to increase your earnings and your viability for interesting jobs in the future.\n\nOf course, if you are wandering around with an "all but dissertation" Ph.D in English, and you find a job doing what you love, it's ok to dump the ivory tower.
77553
Business is not a legimate undergraduate subject to study in college much less graduate study. This isn't because it isn't important but because that is something you learn by experience and using trial and error. You can't teach common sense. Some people are born with natural instincts for business.
945890
The primary purpose of a college is to teach undergraduate courses, leading to a two-year (usually by a community college) or four-year degree, although if they get permission from their regional accrediting association, they can offer a few master's degrees.\n\nUniversities always offer some programs above the bachelor's degree level. Some offer only master's degrees but the large well-known universities offer doctoral degrees as well.\n\nUniversities are organized by schools, so you not only apply to the university but you also apply to the school, such as the School of Computing, School of Liberal Arts, etc.\n\ns
349219
You are YOUNG and here's what my mother said to me (my mother by the way is a Professor of Business Management and got her Bachelor's, Master's, then PhD all while I was growing up - starting at age 21- and she's had a GREAT career); anyway, she said, when I was going to be going to Graduate School a little bit later than other people, "You're going to be 25 anyway- wouldn't you rather be 25 with a Master's Degree?"  Of course the answer for me was yes.  Also, when I got there, there were people of ALL ages and I never thought about it again.  You probably won't either once you do it.\n\nBy all means, do what you want to do with your life - some people don't decide to go to medical school until they are in their 30's or later.  You don't want to have regrets later.  Go for it :)  \n\nTake care...
883815
When I originally join the military, I was a community college grad, who wanted to go to college for my bachelors and masters.  I joined the military for many reasons, but paying for college was number 2 reason.\n\nIn basic training/boot camp, our instructor as for a show of hands and ninety percent of troops said that the top reasons they join was to pay for school.\n\nAs a recruiter, many young adults signed up just for school.  But a very few were rich kids, most were your average American.
1061815
Yes 100%.  Once upon a time, by having a degree it opened doors for you and you were one of the elite but nowadays there is so much competition, employers are choosy and having a degree doesn't always guarantee you a top job.  \n\nBut maybe because Graduates are slightly over confident and unrealistic after completing their degrees and then become depressed because they are not reaping the benefits straight away.  I mean why should you get that top job just because you have a degree? Do you have enough or real work  experience in the job you are going for? Have you proven yourself in that career/job to justify top wages?  The answers are probably no and employers will want someone that has good work experience, good results and performances as well as a sound academic background.  This doesn't mean that studying for a degree is a waste of time because what it proves to an employer is that you are academic, disciplined, methodical and have gained a vast amount of knowledge of a variety of subjects so you should have more advantage over someone who didn't do a degree.\n\nI know people that finished their degree only to work in fast food restuarants and temp jobs earning the minimum wage to make ends meet and get some work experience but eventually (after a year) landed high flying jobs with excellent wages and benefits. So the key here is patience is a virtue, everyone has to start at the bottom and if you work hard you will get there.