Just applying to graduate school can be expensive. All told, between the GRE study materials, the cost of the test, all of the transcripts I had to collect, the postage to mail the packets, and applications fees for the 6 schools I applied to, we paid around $1000 just to apply. That was all before we even knew if I would get in at all. That was a MAJOR expense for us while we were both still in undergrad waiting tables to pay the bills.
Honestly, there was not really any other way for me. I had it set in my mind that I wanted to pursue my PhD, and I was going to make that happen no matter what. We had a friend who was the same way about medical school, so much so that she actually moved to the city where she wanted to attend medical school even after getting rejected the first time. When you know, you know.
I was recently contacted about this really tongue-in-cheek choose-your-own-adventure quiz that walks you through the process of deciding if you should go to graduate school. It is really funny to go through the thinking process as someone who has jumped through almost all of the hoops for her PhD. I remember all of the debates and the pro/con lists, and in the end it wasn't about all of that for me. The quiz is really fun, so definitely check it out if you are thinking about graduate school. My only critique of it would be that it greatly underestimates the amount of debt you can incur as a graduate student, with the highest possible amount being $35,000. It also greatly underestimates the possible starting salaries of just out of college grads, but I'm not exactly an expert on that am I.
Andy recently asked me if I feel like I'm going to finally be a grown-up when I graduate school and get my first grown-up job. He was worried he'd offended me. He hadn't, but mostly because I've always treated graduate school as my job. I've never been one to lolly-gag around about school, and grad school has been no different for me. It is a very serious endeavor that you really (really) have to want to give yourself over to if you are going to pursue it.
So check out this hilarious quiz and choose your own adventure. Who knows, maybe grad school really IS right for you after all.
**I was not compensated in any way for this post, and do not endorse the products advertised on the site in any way. I just think it's a fun quiz for thinking about your future options.**
Here we are camping the summer before I started graduate school...so young and innocent.
I honestly had no idea what the years would bring, but I was ready for the challenge!
