Is a Master’s Degree Worth It? 4 Key Questions to Consider

Hi, my lovely people! Whether you have already graduated or are about to graduate from college, or even if you are studying right now and if you are asking yourself, "Should I get a master's degree?" Its time to dig deep into this question and find the correct answer for you.

A master's degree can be useful for particular careers, but its also expensive and time-consuming.

So, is a master's degree right for you? Let's find out...

Introduction

What is a Master's Degree?

A master’s degree is a graduate degree that you can pursue after graduation. It emphasises that you have high-level knowledge about a particular area of study. The master's degree is the first step after graduation, followed by the second step of a doctoral degree, such as a Ph.D. This is the case if you want to study more after your graduation. If you are interested in work, then you can start working directly after completing your graduation.

The basic prerequisite for pursuing a masters degree is that you have to have at least a bachelor degree in the specific area of study in which you want to do the masters degree.

Should I Get A Masters Degree?

4 Questions To Consider

If you are in dilemma about whether or not you should pursue a masters degree, then it is way too important to ask yourself the following questions before you make any big decisions about your career ahead.

Question 1: Am I Passionate About the Area of Study That I Want to Pursue?

First things first, are you passionate enough about the area of study that you want to take up to the master's level? If your answer isn't a straight "yes," then I would highly suggest that you reconsider your decision about getting a master's degree, at least in that particular subject.

Now you must be thinking, But why is passion so important?" The reality is that it can be way too difficult to have the guts, the strength, and the willpower to finish graduate school if you are not really interested in or passionately invested in the subject that you are studying to earn your desired degree.

I myself know a couple of people who dropped out of their masters degree once they realized that it was not actually the subject they wanted to study and went ahead for the rest of their lives. The thing is, leaving a masters program is not a failure by any means, but trust me when I say that your life will be a lot easier if you have a clear idea of what you want to study before you start to apply for a masters degree.

Question 2: Will Getting a Masters Degree Help My Career?

Another very important question to ask yourself is how this particular master's degree is going to help you in your professional career.

There are generally 2 broad categories of graduate degrees:

1. Academic Degrees: These are primarily focused on increasing your mastery of a specific field of study that connects your intellectual and academic interests. These are more research-oriented as well.
2. Professional Degrees: These degrees are meant to prepare you for a specific career or field. Many careers, such as those of chartered accountants, lawyers, and doctors, require a professional degree first.

So ultimately, when it comes to pursuing a masters degree, you should ask yourself first: How much will my degree help in my career? The answers may vary for every individual, and one must make decisions accordingly.

Question 3: How Much Will I Have to Pay for the Degree?

Before making any decision about pursuing a master's degree,? Please look at your budget. Because its very important for you and your family to think before investing a huge amount in anything.

Furthermore, today's reality is that pursuing a master's in fields like business and commerce requires a huge investment of approximately 20–25 lakhs if you want a master's degree from top B-schools.

So please consider your decision about whether you and your family can afford to invest such a huge amount in your master's degree. Also, you must make sure that once you invest such a huge amount of money in your master's degree, it is worth it!

It should not be the case where you invest lakhs to pursue your masters degree and, after earning the degree, you see that there is no or barely any demand for that particular area. So, think wisely and use your resources wisely before taking any decisions, because where you are investing and what outcome it gives you in return matter a lot!!

Question 4: Am I OK With Not Working?

This is a question that can have a huge impact on your decision to pursue a master's degree. A master's degree is generally a commitment of at least 1 to 3 years, which indicates that you won't be able to take up a full-time job during this particular period.

Before you decide to undertake or pursue a masters degree, make sure that you are 100% OK with taking a break from working or delaying entering the working time in case you are directly pursuing your masters after your graduation.

If you are young (in your 20s or so), you won't have much trouble delaying the time when you start working because, at this time, you are just honing your skills so that you can earn a good living. But if you are older and more established, maybe you have a successful career or a family to take care of. Taking time off from work to get a master's degree can have a more negative impact on your life than you think.

One, you likely won't be making much money, if any, while you are a graduate student (unless you are working part-time or getting a reasonable stipend), so this kind of lifestyle definitely requires some sacrifice.

Second, it can be difficult for you to get back into the workforce once you get your masters degree, since now you might not have great connections like you once had and might lack some practical and on-the-job skills.

Conclusion

To conclude this whole blog, in short, to help you, there is no clear answer to this question of whether you should pursue a masters degree or not. Indeed, your answer will depend on how you envision a future for yourself. In other words, it will depend on what kind of career you actually want and how a master's degree will help you achieve and succeed in your future endeavours.

If you have decided to pursue a master's degree now, great! Now , its time to answer the next big question : what should yo get a masters degree in? Here are 3 tips from my side to help you decide better for yourself.

Determine your biggest passions and interests

Consider you professional goal

Ge to know the program

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