I was pretty surprised when I saw this article on LinkedIn titled “Don’t go to Grad School.” The post was written by Penelope Trunk, who is co-founded Brazen Careerist, which is a new generation career management tool. While Ms. Trunk stated in her bio on her website that she did indeed go to graduate school for English, but did not mention whether or not she finished the program. However, she did document her activities in graduate school in this post – some were quite surprising admissions. With this in mind, after reviewing this article by Ms. Trunk, I personally did not attribute any credibility to it as a source and authority on whether or not someone should go on for a graduate degree.
As someone who has not only gone on for a Master’s degree but also a doctoral program [and graduated with her degrees], I can say not only have I grown as a professional and scholar in the field of public relations, but also as a person. Graduate school has not only transformed my learning capabilities and knowledge in the field, but opened the door to numerous opportunities and connections I would have not had otherwise.
To address some of Ms. Trunk’s comments – my parents did not pay for my graduate school – I did. I paid for my Master’s degree by competing as a track and field athlete at the University of Southern California where I was an All-American and school record holder in the shot put. So, if you saw the tuition for USC recently for graduate school, you can see that it is not “free.”
In addition, writing papers and exporting these emerging issues and concepts allow you to be able to articulate this with some authority. Yes, it is a tough market out there for jobs, but graduate degrees are not only recommended now, but are expected for applicants because they bring great value to them for their future careers. Plus, there are so many additional points that you learn along the way in graduate school to take into consideration.
Why should you GO to graduate school? There are several reasons why and I would be happy to share them with you:
- Opportunities to explore and contribute to research and practice: What graduate school allows you do to is explore what has already been done and what questions have not been answered. Being in an environment where you are with classmates asking the same questions from various perspectives is really enlightening. Also, having premier scholars in the field as professors who have both researched and worked in the field is key to have. We were able to have some of the leading PR pros come into my classes at USC to share their experiences and expertise – and I would not have gotten this otherwise if it wasn’t for being in graduate school.
- Practicing how to present your insights and expertise on a subject: Yes, graduate school has a lot of papers and presentations you have to do – but this is essential to become an expert in the field. Having the experience to present, refine, and articulate your insights with others is key to establish credibility as a source on a subject. I can’t tell you how many presentations and papers I had to write in my six years of graduate school – but it was a lot. However, all of these activities have helped me become the person I am today and what I am currently doing in social media and PR practice and research.
- Learning beyond the classroom: With graduate school, you have to think about what opportunities you can take advantage of during your time that will make you marketable for the workplace. Internships are a huge plus, and with the USC International Internship Program, I was able to spend four months in South Africa working in PR and with various clients. I was able to build networking opportunities and focus on my PR skills during this time. I would not have had this experience otherwise if it wasn’t for graduate school. This one experience shifted my way of thinking both professionally and personally, and resulted in my interest to grow and expand my horizon to other ventures. Since I was in South Africa, I presented research in various countries including China (2008), The Netherlands and Greece (2009), Brazil (2010), Milan and Australia (2012), and will be heading to Spain and China in a few weeks to present.
- Respect for advanced degrees: Whether or not Ms. Trunk wants to admit it, there is still a huge amount of respect for advanced degrees. You do see a lot of graduate degrees out there, but not too many – if graduate school was early, everyone would have a graduate degree. Graduate school is hard work – not only at the Master’s level – but especially at the PhD level. We’d see a lot more PhDs around if it was easy.
- Gives you options: Graduate school does give you more options as well. With a graduate degree, you are able to consult or work at an agency if you are pursuing a PR degree. Also, you are able to teach at the college level. However, another benefit for graduate school is the fact that it does teach you adaptability. If something comes your way, you can go down another path. Personally, for me – I am able to say I am a researcher and professor – but I am also a consultant. I wear many caps, and graduate school as allowed me to do this. If I just got a bachelor’s degree, my options would be fewer in number.
With this in mind, while Ms. Trunks is entitled to her own opinion, we have to understand the overall purpose of what graduate school is all about. Graduate school is NOT easy – it takes hard work, perseverance, and dedication to achieving your goal. However, graduate school is very rewarding in that it is an investment towards your future and a time to become more of a lifelong learner in your craft – it’s really about becoming an expert in the field of study you are passionate about. Graduate school is about focusing on refining your skills as a professional and scholar in the field while being able to sustain this learning ability for the future.
We are always going to be students of life and lifelong learners, and graduate school is part of the equation.
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
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