The Path to Starting Over: Is Graduate School the Answer?

If you’re considering graduate school to advance your career, it’s likely that you’ve read countless articles to weigh the pros and cons. It’s a long-term investment and in the US, boy is it an expensive investment! Due to the cost and harrowing weight of student loans, I’ve noticed a trend amongst many American professionals. More and more young Americans are advocating against graduate school, especially MBA programs. Instead, they emphasize work experience as a more effective way to advance in certain careers. It’s important to note that this trend primarily applies to business and communications fields. Think about it in business roles, where the ability to handle different clients, suppliers, and employees is a strong asset, gaining hands-on work experience seems equivalent or even more valuable than a master’s degree.

Does this Trend Apply for Immigrants as Well?

For the past few years, I’ve spent time reflecting and researching information about graduate school. Before I discuss my findings and share my feelings, it’s important to note that my opinion corresponds to my experience and to individuals that have earned a university degree in their native country (not a US university) and also have work experience.

After I received my work permit, I dove headfirst into the US job market. It was extremely intimidating and challenging to compete with a diverse range of candidates, especially US citizens with American degrees and native-level English abilities.

I quickly realized that my work experience back home was my strongest asset. I found that I was able to leverage my bilingual abilities with global companies

Nonetheless, I felt like I was losing opportunities because American companies didn’t recognize my foreign university. I felt like my foreign degree served no value in the US job market. I had to face a harsh reality: a US diploma is the most effective way to demonstrate that you dominate the country’s language and culture. Heartbreaking. Right?

It’s very difficult to accept this reality. At times, I still feel very discouraged. I searched for alternatives but the answer seemed inevitable and expensive. And as expats, we don’t have the option or luxury to give up.

But I struggled – constantly wondering how an immigrant woman in her 30s can pursue a master’s degree while juggling all her responsibilities. How will I attend graduate school AND maintain personal goals, bills, a mortgage, travel aspirations, start a family, etc. before it’s too late?

Too many goals and not enough time.

My life experience in the US has proven that grad school is indeed important for us foreigners. And as difficult and time consuming as it is, it teaches you about time management and priorities in balancing your responsibilities. Over the years I have completed certificate programs as a way to discover my true interests. If you’re changing careers like me, or if you find yourself confused about the next steps in your professional career, I highly recommend looking into these programs. It helped me figure out if I liked the university or the degree before diving in completely. The certificate programs are cheaper, quicker, and as a bonus, you can transfer credits to a master’s program if you decide to continue at that particular university.

Soon I will have to make the final decision to move forward with my master’s degree. Here are some tips I have gathered along the way:

• Prioritize what’s important to you and ask for family support

• Money Problems: Many of us are unable to afford graduate school but don’t worry, there are other options. Consider vocational schools or short degrees that offer technical skills. You can also study part-time, take night classes, or online classes while working. I chose a part-time program because I wanted to avoid tuition debt. This option allowed me to manage my adult life and stay on-track with my professional goals. Scholarships are another great tool to lower your tuition cost. But do your research – many scholarships require a full-time commitment, and/or proof of citizenship, and/or permanent residency.

No matter the stage of your life or your professional and personal decisions, know that you’re not the only one struggling to balance family life, a career, and higher education in a different country. Attaining a higher degree in the US will open many doors for you and help carve your way to success.

I’m currently researching scholarship advise and resources to share on the website. If you’ve been through this process and would like to share your experience, please post a comment or connect with us at: missplaced16@gmail.com

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