Approximately 80% of Harvard College students eventually go on to earn a graduate or professional degree. To set the stage for careful decision making, it is important to establish a clear idea about your reasons for pursuing advanced study and the realities of your imagined future career path:
- What factors are motivating you to begin graduate study?
- Do you have a passion for a particular field of study?
- Has a professor or mentor encouraged you to pursue a graduate or professional degree?
- Do you feel ready for graduate school, or are you responding to expectations from others?
- Do your skills and interests match the degree program you’re considering?
- Is a degree a prerequisite? Will it help you to advance or to transition into a new field?
- Have you weighed the investment of time and resources, including lost earnings?
- Are you aware of the marketability of your degree and the job prospects?
“Young life science researchers are leaving academia at unprecedented levels for lucrative jobs in the private sector…many of them are entering graduate programs already knowing they don’t want to remain in academia long-term, making their time in the ivory tower …
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