grad school admission essay

grad school admission essay

The Importance of Pursuing Graduate School

1. Introduction

Somewhere between submitting your application to college and crossing the stage at graduation, you may feel strongly about pursuing graduate school. You may wonder if a graduate degree is right for you. You may want to know more about what graduate school involves, what it can do for you, what the drawbacks are, and whether it’s the best choice given your specific circumstances and career and life goals. This handbook is for you. It was created with the intention of providing you with a comprehensive overview of all things related to grad school. Think before going any further about grad school and whether it’s right for you at this point in your life. Why do you want to go to graduate school? Are you doing it to postpone having to get a “real” job? Are you doing it because that is what’s expected if you want to pursue a career in academics? Are you doing it because you feel your true calling is in a specific subject area where you want to become an expert or a professional? These are just a few of the many reasons why you might be considering graduate school, and it is important to be honest with yourself about what your reasons are. Having a clear understanding about why you’re choosing to invest another 1-7 years of your life in formal education will help you in making the best possible decision about whether to go to grad school and what type of program to pursue. If your reasons are mixed or if you feel that you should go to grad school because it’s the next logical step on your current path, you may want to consider taking some time off and reconsidering grad school as an option in the future.

2. Academic Achievements and Goals

In the near term, my main objective is to achieve the MSc in Computer Science. Within that time frame, I would also like to involve myself in research work and increase my knowledge of programming and automation. This will be the perfect buildup to my long-term goal, which is to achieve a PhD in the same field. I understand that a PhD is a challenging task and involves a lot of dedication, but I am ready for the challenge. My long-term goal is to pursue a career in research and teaching in computer science. I have a great thirst for knowledge, and a teaching career would satisfy me academically. I have enjoyed being a lecturer in the past, and so teaching at a university is exactly what I am striving for. With the experience from my research, I would like to publish and present papers in conferences which would broaden the understanding of my field. I know that at times it is going to be a stressful task, but that is what I am prepared for, and the only way to reach my goal is to never lose sight of what I want to accomplish.

This is the time to talk about your achievements and your plans. Each and every individual has their unique academic achievements, and unique plans to progress in their fields. It’s one of the factors that makes you different from the other candidates. While mentioning your achievements, make sure you don’t brag about them. Express them as vividly as possible, focusing on the core ideologies or learning experiences that influenced you. Your short-term and long-term plans define your steps to achieve them. Explain how this particular course can be beneficial in helping you achieve your goals. This is an essential factor in deciding your fate with the selection committee. Through the constraints of this course, your achievements and plans are what will help you to bridge the gap of where you are now and where you want to be. Your clarity in ideas gives the committee an insight into your preparedness for this course.

3. Relevant Work Experience

If you have been in the workforce for a while, you may feel that you are too experienced for graduate school. Untrue! The majority of students in graduate school are older, have work experience, or both. One of the most fruitful ways of figuring out whether a particular career path is right for you is to engage in an informational interview with someone already in that position. Usually you will get the chance to ask them about their job, how they got there, and what they would recommend for someone with your interests. If you find that they are employed in the exact position you hope to secure, ask them what qualifications they look for when hiring someone in that capacity. In many cases a bachelor’s degree is sufficient, but often it is not, and you will want to know before investing time in said career. Usually career services are quite helpful in finding an interviewee matching your criteria. This is especially important for individuals looking to change careers. An economist friend of mine suggested that one can never understand what it is truly like to be an economist, nor will they have a good idea of whether they will like the occupation, without having first taken a class in economics. This holds true for many careers and the best way to learn what is required for a particular occupation is from someone who is already in it.

4. Research Interests and Contributions

If you do decide to go to graduate school, it’s good to know what you’re interested in studying. Maybe you didn’t know it even existed, but the professor has somehow inspired you to do it. Because the job market is so tight, people are staying in school just a little longer. On the plus side, after 4-8 more years, you will have the career job you wanted straight out of college, but couldn’t obtain because you were “overqualified”. You will enter at a higher level with more pay and respect than before. Going into a research program opens a variety of career options for you. Whether it is academic, government, or private industry, the possibility of postdoctoral research provides additional training in your specialized field, which further enhances your skills and marketability. This can be a five-year experience in a prestigious medical institute, or 1-2 years doing field work on ecology. The experience will be priceless, and you will grow as a competent professional. Coming back to the teaching field is also an option with a doctorate. More and more colleges are seeking professors with terminal degrees. These professions are secure and often have better benefits than secondary education. The availability of online instruction provides increasing opportunities in academia. An Ed.S. enables advanced training at the specialist level for certified teachers who have already earned a master’s degree. The more instruction and training you have, the more competitive you remain in the job market. Finally, education prepares you for devotion in your work. People who are passionately involved in a certain line of work feel empty without higher knowledge. Whether it’s investing another 2-3 years in research or actually becoming a student again, it is something you will not regret.

5. Conclusion

I hope that my essay has helped to clarify the reasons that I have decided to pursue a graduate degree. I have shown that the changing job market and advances in technology are a few of the reasons that lead to the development of critical skills in many industries. The advantages of a graduate degree are many, and they are all helpful for the students in the duration of their careers. I have participated in group discussions with my peers on this topic, and many of the students at McMaster are considering a graduate degree. I would be able to relate this essay to them to show the advantages of why it is important to consider more education. I have also shown that there are some barriers to obtaining a graduate degree, but through careful planning and consideration, anyone can do it. Probably anyone can get good job experience working with companies that will also fund further education. I have worked with some of these people at McMaster, and I hope they read this too. Finally, my parents and in-laws have told me that they are looking forward to me pursuing a graduate degree. I hope they read this and see the advantages that I have clearly demonstrated. I believe that this essay can also benefit the readers of the journal. Many of the journal readers (Design Engineers) are practicing in the field within industry. They may be considering a graduate degree later in their careers. I have shown them the reasons for obtaining a graduate degree, its strong worth, and the impact it will have on them in industry. Furthermore, I have shown that it is never too late to obtain a graduate degree. This essay can also benefit university students that are considering education beyond an undergraduate degree. Finally, it is my intent that this essay can be beneficial for anyone considering a graduate degree. I have shown the strong advantages of a graduate degree to motivate and excite the reader on this topic. Note that I also am trying to motivate myself!