expectations

Part Three: Should I Attend Grad School? Or What was I thinking?

What counsel would I give someone who is considering grad school? First, think about it in terms of vocation. If your vocation, or expanding your vocation requires you to attend grad school, then I think it is definitely something that should be considered. There are some vocations which by their very nature require more education or advanced degrees. While it might seem like these are artificial constraints which are intended to keep people out of particular professions, they do at least bring to the surface who are willing to put in the extra time and effort. No one can deny that it is sacrifice, and it can be expensive, but if God truly does call people to particular vocations which require education, then grad school is something that God does expect for some people.

Second, think about grad school as much from the perspective of what it is going to expect of me as what I can get from it. We can all endure momentary pain for expected future benefit. But grad school is not just about what I can gain, but about what is expected of me. In that case it is not just about a degree, but about what it means to have the degree. For me, it was not just about having a PhD, but about what it meant for me to be a PhD holder. That principle is the same for all degrees. It means staying current in your field. It might mean continuing education to maintain certification. Whatever it is, it is part of having the degree and you should enter into grad school knowing that expectation at the end. [Read more…] about Returning to Graduate School – Thoughts by Michael Stell (3)