Advice on Getting Through Graduate School

For both my domestic and international business experience, I desire to strengthen my comprehensive business knowledge and communication skills and be humble to anyone. Also, I found a Vanderbilt MBA can definitely help me to strengthen my specialty. ’19

I chose to attend grad school to give myself more career options. By the time I’ve earned my Ph.D., I’ll be qualified to work as a professor at a research institution, an educational administrator, or a psychologist working in a school or private practice. I still have time to figure out exactly what I want to do, and if I want, I can do a little of everything throughout my career. ’17

I didn't know that most or at least a strong majority of Vandy grads go on to get a post grad degree. Before applying to law school, I didn't have the confidence that I was cut out for this type of work. If you have any self-doubt about your capacity to handle a program, just look around at all your peers who have done it and feel confident that if they can go to grad school, so can you. ‘21

I'm a big believer in the power of growth mindset and there's always more to learn. ‘23

I had always been passionate about helping people through health care, and ultimately, I decided the best way to have the impact I wanted was to go to medical school. ’18

Graduate school has given me exposure in so many ways. It’s like being very independent and multitasking with everyday activities. I chose to attend graduate school for better career opportunities, more learning and to find my curated interests. ’22

After student teaching in a high poverty and high racial diversity school, I realized that I needed to learn more about educating diverse students before going into the classroom. ’17

In a meeting with my academic advisor at the beginning of my senior year, I made some comments about getting a job. He asked what kind of job I wanted, and I told him something akin to R&D in my field. He told me that he knows that field and that pretty much everyone doing that kind of R&D has a PhD. I hadn't thought much about grad school until that conversation, but then I started to get excited about it. I liked that I was steered toward grad school in a really authentic way, since I actually need to get that degree to do the work I want to do, rather than seeing grad school as a way to avoid getting a "regular" job out of school/a way to postpone big career decisions. ’23

I chose to attend graduate school to develop myself further and become the best teacher possible. ’19

I had an interest in medicine starting in college and wanted to continue to develop research and clinical experience to confirm my interest in medicine. It sounds cliche but I wanted to combine my interest in science and helping others solve their complex medical issues as well as work to improve public health. ’19

To continue learning and pursue a subject area that I was passionate about. ‘24

I wanted to challenge myself, get better. Vanderbilt was the perfect place to do that. ’22

Fundamentally, I chose to attend graduate school because there were skills that I needed to learn to pursue the career that I wanted. Going to grad school should primarily be a question of two things: the financial cost versus benefit, and/or the accessibility to career pathways which currently remain closed to you without a graduate degree. However, not all degrees will necessarily offer a financial return on investment, particularly PhD programs. This leads to the third component in whether or not you choose to go to grad school: if you simply feel that you have more to learn beyond undergrad, whether personally or professionally, grad school can be a fantastic opportunity to indulge in your intellectual curiosity in a formal, structured approach which is rare outside of academia. ‘23

I wanted a change in my career path, and I chose graduate school, and the program based on my growing needs for change. ’20

Career enhancement. I also felt "stuck" at one point in my career, and this helped me move forward on my own and allowed me to apply for other positions later down the line. ‘15

Further education can be a fantastic investment, but only if it aligns with your long-term goals. I chose to continue my studies at Vanderbilt in the M. Ed Human Development Studies program because I wanted to deepen my expertise in leadership and organizational development. My master's degree was a steppingstone into leadership advisory and executive assessment roles. Reflect on whether grad school is essential for your desired field or if professional experience will serve you better. ’22

Graduate School helped me gain more skills for teaching students to read and write. I was able to directly transfer knowledge from Vanderbilt to the classroom.’18

For me, a J.D. was an investment in the sense that it has opened doors and elevated my ceiling. By this, it got me a seat at the tables I wanted to be at and put me in the tax bracket I wanted to be in. With a B.A., I think it would have taken me 15 years to get here, but with a law degree it’ll take me three. ’20

I chose to attend medical school because I wanted to become a physician that would serve the underserved community. ‘23

I wish I had known before that grad school is totally different from undergrad. There’s way more studying but less homework; and there’s way fewer people who are interested in being social. Don’t expect to come in and make friends right away. It takes serious time to talk to people about stuff other than school. ’18

Early on in my first semester of graduate school, I felt a lot of pressure to have a mastery of the science and research skills immediate. I had to remind myself to be patient—I still have a lot to learn, and that’s OK! The whole point of graduate school is to build upon and learn from the information you studied in undergrad. ’18

 Your social life will take a pause. Enjoy your time before school while you have it. ‘21

At least skim through professors’ work or listen to speaking engagements on YouTube before taking a class. I read professors’ books after the first semester and realized one book was basically a course map and would have helped a lot. ’18

You're in grad school to learn more, so don't sweat it if you don't feel like an expert yet. ’23

Balancing school and being an adult can be hard, be gracious with yourself. ‘23

I wish I knew that I would get into grad school so I could take back so many months of stress. But just work hard, trust the process, and try not to forget to enjoy life. ’18

Don’t be afraid to go back even after a break. My experience in the workplace made grad school that much easier. ’16

I wish I knew how loans and insurance worked before I was a grad student. ‘23

Don’t be afraid to reach out to other students your first year. Try to make some friends or form a study group since classes can be pretty tough, and it’s always nice to have people to work with. ’19

I wish I knew beforehand that the classes are much less structured than in undergrad. ’19

Impossible to avoid taking on debt even if you try not to (at least for MBA) ‘20

You will feel like your friends are growing faster than you in other areas of life, but it is okay. In their 20s, everyone is meeting milestones at different points, so don't put pressure on yourself if your priorities lie elsewhere (like grad school). ‘22

Prior to being a graduate student, I wish I knew how much free time I had available as a graduate student. Graduate school is the best opportunity to really focus on your craft and grow. ’18

The sheer commitment it would take to excel (it was all worth it!) ‘22

It's a steep learning curve. While you may have possessed a deep knowledge of your respective field relative for an undergraduate, your depth of knowledge suddenly seems inconsequential when you enter graduate school and learn alongside and in partnership with true experts in their field. Some days you’ll feel overwhelmed by the scope of all that you can learn (in some respects, the more you learn, the less you know), but as long as you work every day to learn just a little more, you’ll eventually chip away at it. It is a deep privilege to spend your days reading, writing, and thinking for the advancement of your own consciousness and in pursuit of your own curiosity. ‘23

I wish I had known that most of the theory I learned wouldn't be applicable, but the practical stuff would be. I should have spent less time stressing about theory and more time diving into the practice. I also wish I had known that I would work in a very challenging environment for my residency and that not all schools were like that. ’22

Your career philosophy while in graduate school can quickly change. ’20

I wish I knew that the non-academic parts of a grad student were going to be harder than the academic ones. Living with roommates, cooking, paying bills, and trying to have a social life were major hurdles compared to homework or projects. Invest time in your personal maintenance alongside school so that one doesn't fall behind the other. ‘24

It will be a lot of late nights, but it will create more opportunities down the line. See if you can leverage an employer program to pay for the costs of the degree. Most companies have a "pay back" period if you quit within a certain amount of time, but don't be afraid of that. I stayed at my first company much longer than I anticipated, and I know people that convinced their new employers to pay the cost of them "breaking the education contract" with the company they were leaving. Just make sure the amount isn't too large so that you don't have any flexibility in the future. ‘15

It’ll feel weird to watch your friends start real jobs and still be stuck in the student role where you don’t feel like a real adult, but it’s also so much fun and you have the rest of your life to spend in the real world. Also, medical school is hard but not as scary as everyone says; every week feels like finals season, but you do adjust to it. Remember that grad/medical/law school is a full-time job, and you will put at least as much time into it as you would working. That said, you’re never too busy to spend 15 minutes on something that makes you happy! Fifteen minutes to call someone you love, do some yoga, or watch a YouTube video is way more valuable than doing 15 extra flash cards or reading a few more textbook pages. ’21

How to best manage my time, what to do to de-stress, how the labs work at the professional level (as opposed to the undergrad labs). ’21

I wish I’d known how important it is to have close relationships with your professors. ’17

You don’t have to have it all figured out, even in grad school. ’20

Straight in. It’s a long road so might as well get started if you can. ’18

I chose not to take time off because I want to continue school while my mind is in “study mode” so to speak. ’17

I went straight into the program after undergrad. An advantage is being able to get a higher education degree out of the way quickly and early, + momentum from undergrad to earn financial aid easier (potentially). Disadvantage, if you're burnt out from educational institutions post-undergrad, you won't be able to take a break right after graduating. ‘21

I worked for 3 years. I was unsure if law was the right path for me but ultimately working helped me focus in and realize it was the right next step. I learned a lot about professionalism, which I'm glad I gained before law school. Disadvantages are the I'm going to be a new lawyer that’s 3 years older than many of my peers that went K-JD, but pros are that I am certain about why I’m pursuing my JD and think I'll be able to hit the ground running at my first legal job. ’21

Vanderbilt makes you a professional student, and I kept up that momentum by going straight to grad school from Vandy. While I definitely feel burned out at times, I know that when I (eventually) finish, I’ll still be young as compared to others with my training in my field. ’16

I took a gap year, and I’m so glad I did! Having a regular job after graduation gave me the time, I needed to really put my best foot forward on applications, because I had time to complete them in the evenings and wasn’t stressed about getting homework done at the same time. I don’t think I would have gotten nearly as many grad school interviews if I had applied during my senior year. ’17

What's the rush? You have your whole life to be a learner, and I have taken a long and winding path in my career. ’23

I took 2 years in between undergrad and grad school so that I could decide if I liked the work and wanted to pursue a related higher degree. ‘24

I was well into my career before I enrolled in the program. It made sense for me, and I was better prepared with a narrower knowledge-experience gap. ’22

I took one year off between undergrad and grad school. I can't speak of the potential benefits of taking additional time off, but I think that the personal growth, professional maturity, and sense of self that you gain from being forced to figure out who you are outside of being good at school is invaluable. Even if you dislike your first job out of undergrad, you still have a valuable data point with which to guide your future decision making, perhaps reinforcing that graduate school is the right decision for you. Additionally, the financial cushion that you build frees you to pursue even a non-lucrative path like graduate school, and this is invaluable for maintaining financial independence. I will also say that the longer you work, there may be habits you pick up which, while beneficial in a corporate setting, may not be as effective in an academic setting, and you may have to unlearn certain things about work and relearn how to do school again. Fundamentally, your life is also just less complicated and attached when you’re younger, and it only becomes harder to move across the country from your friends and family as the years pass. Even if you find the perfect graduate program, an older version of you may value the proximity of community over fit and prestige. ’23

I took a year in between college and grad school. During that year, I did two AmeriCorps terms. I'm so glad I did that because I was able to build skills that are useful for my career. I also got to figure out what part of education I wanted to go into. Serving with AmeriCorps also helped me pay for school which was nice. ’20

I took a time off to understand what knowledge gaps that needed to be filled. ’23

I worked for 4.5 years before going to my program. The main advantages were that graduate assistantships and opportunities were extremely easy to get compared to my peers who came right from undergrad, and I was able to advocate for myself more (ex. wanting to go to a conference or wanting to create a brand-new assistantship). ‘24

I worked for one year, and once I established a work network, I then pursued my degree part-time (while still working). ‘15

I took two years before going back to grad school. I was ready for a break from studying, and I wanted to focus on my new career. ’16

I’d considered pursuing both an MBA and my J.D. at various points, so I wanted to work after graduation as a way to figure out what I wanted. That led me to working in marketing at a tech company that specializes in legal software. After about a year there, it became clear that I should pursue my J.D. I’m glad I took that break because I not only know where I want to focus my legal career, I also have a recommendation from my CEO in my application! ’17

I’ll have taken two gap years by the time I matriculate this fall. Gap years are honestly so important—I used the time to gain several hundred hours of clinical experience by scribing. It allowed me to bolster my application while making amazing connections with physicians and ensuring that I was committed to my path. Stepping away from school also gave me a much- needed break to prevent burnout. ’19

I did a full time MBA after 4 years of work - if I was going to invest into a program I wanted to be fully present to optimize the connections I made, the learnings I had, and the time to make personal reflections on where I wanted to go in my career. ’20

I did, and I am so grateful for it. My gap year gave me a chance to really learn about myself as a young adult. It helped me to feel more grounded and surer of myself when I started school this fall. ‘22

I honestly took a gap year based on intuition and because the prospect of applying (and the MCAT) seemed too daunting to me junior year. I worked for a year prior to medical school which, in retrospect, was one of the best decisions I ever made. The “gap year” enabled me to strengthen my medical school application, grow as a person, explore New York City, and ground myself in the “real world.” If you feel as if you need to take a “gap year,” follow your gut. ’19

I took a year in between to work. I am glad I did, as I am now in a completely different program and am going to school part-time while keeping my job, which is great for the income stream while studying. Working or having experience between undergrad and grad school is a great way to avoid burnout, consider all possibilities for the future, and be more mature when entering grad school. ’21

I decided to take a year off before going to graduate school and it was by far the best decision. I needed a bit of a break from school, but I also needed to spend some time figuring out what it is I really wanted out of life and gaining certainty on what I wanted my career to look like. This year off also enabled me to gain more research experience and be a more competitive applicant for graduate programs. ’20

No. A requirement of my fellowship program was that I had to enter grad school the subsequent fall after receiving it which for me meant starting right after I finished undergrad. One of the main advantages of not having a large gap was that my mind was still used to being in school. This helps because academia is much different than the real world, and the way you write, do presentations, etc. is not the same. I’m glad I started early though because I’ll have finished at a young age and won't have to interrupt my career. ’19

Definitely take a year off before attending professional school. It’s important to learn life skills as an adult and work a full-time job before school becomes your life again. ’19

I did not. My academic advisor told me that oftentimes it can be difficult to get back into the swing of classes and research if you take time off, and I had no compelling urge to do so. I have faced some productivity issues during my first semester as a g rad student, but I think that has more to do with the fact that PhDs are so loosely defined, so it's difficult to know what I should be working on, rather than issues with burn -out. ‘23

I am applying for programs for the fall 2022 admissions cycle, so I will have taken off from school for about three years. Personally, I felt like this was an appropriate choice: I needed a break, and if I had not recognized that boundary for myself, then I think I would have fared worse in the long term. I had also always been one of the youngest in my grade level, and I thought I could use some more time to figure out myself before launching into another big commitment. In my experience, taking the time to plot your course and to steady yourself is almost always worthwhile. ’19

I went straight into my program because I was certain I wanted to go to medical school. If there’s something you really want to do in a gap year, go ahead and do it because this is the freest, you’ll ever be before things like school, work and family start to anchor you in one place. But if nothing else is calling you, don’t be afraid to just start. Going straight through was nice because I was still in student-mode and a lot of review material came back quicker, but I also think my peers who took time off in the real world were more prepared for things like networking and knowing how to find research positions and mentors, so both options have their advantages. ’21